Renegade Rip

Issue date: 12/6/06 Section: News

Media Credit: Marilyn Whipkey Defensive back Dustin Bell is held back despite his efforts to defend against El Camino in the Southern California championship game at Memorial Staadium.

The Bakersfield College football season came to a bittersweet end after a 23-20 overtime loss to the El Camino Warriors before 5,452 screaming fans in the Southern California Regional Championship game on Dec. 2 at Memorial Stadium.
It was a sweet season for the Renegades as they enjoyed an impressive 11-2 season and won the Western State Conference North Division outright with a 7-0 record.
"We did some amazing things this year," said Kenny Graham, BC defensive back. "We became stronger and stronger as a team every week, and we developed a lot of team chemistry."
Graham, a sophomore, has been a stellar part of the defensive scheme for the 'Gades and in the last two years has made key interceptions that have helped to turn the momentum of a game back into the favor of BC. This season, Graham has accounted for seven picks and was chosen WSC first team.
The bitter part is the reality that the state championship game was in reach and the 'Gades let it slip away.
"It just left a bad taste in our mouths," said Carl Dean, BC offensive coach. "We missed our opportunities to win the game. We were so close to playing for a state championship, and we let it slip by us."
It was obvious that El Camino came to play in the first quarter as they took an early 7-0 lead when running back Jamicah Bass scored on a 1-yard run and kicker Joe Houston kicked the extra point. BC tied the score 7-7 in the second quarter when running back J.R. Rogers dashed into the end zone from 2 yards out and kicker Will Johnson added the extra point.
El Camino, however, notched the next 10 points on a 47-yard field goal by Houston, a 5-yard fumble return for six points by defensive back James Wheeler and another extra point by Houston.
With the Warriors ahead 17-7, it looked as though the SoCal championship game was going to be a blowout in favor of the visitors from Torrance.
But as the Renegade defense has done so many times this season, they took control not allowing another point by the Warriors offense until overtime.
In fact, the only other score that either team could muster until the fourth quarter was a 38-yard field goal by BC's Johnson just before the end of the first half that brought the 'Gades to within 17-10.

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