RIVERSIDE — It was either big plays or big penalties. And the defense remains a big puzzle.
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Riverside City College’s Micah Valenzuela tackles Saddleback’s Tyler Dudden in a National Southern Conference game on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer)
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Riverside City College’s Micah Valenzuela tackles Saddleback’s Tyler Dudden in a National Southern Conference game on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (Photo by Miguel Vasconcellos, Contributing Photographer)
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Dominic Cox hauled in three highlight-reel touchdown receptions, but the Riverside City College football team could not hold onto a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter before losing 40-34 to Saddleback in double overtime Saturday afternoon at Wheelock Stadium.
“It’s a mixed emotion,” Cox said. “We played hard today but we beat ourselves.”
The Upland High graduate had eight catches for a career-high 208 yards but was twice penalized for taunting Saddleback’s defense during scoring plays.
“We shot ourselves in the foot with mental mistakes,” Cox said. “I have to be a leader.”
Riverside (2-2 overall) totaled 469 yards on offense but was just 35 % (6 of 17) on third downs.
“It’s mistakes,” Riverside coach Kevin Craft said. “We had a lot of opportunities on both sides of the ball and (the loss) is on us and our lack of execution.”
The Tigers defense allowed 514 yards, and Saddleback quarterback Tyler Dudden, who played at both Norco and Rancho Cucamonga, passed for 317 yards and two touchdowns in the win.
“Our offensive line is five (freaking) dogs out there and we have some good receivers that are making my life a helluva lot easier,” Dudden said.
Dudden was 9 for 9 to start the game and later ran for score as the Bobcats (3-1) rallied in the fourth quarter to tie the game.
“Someone is going to get theirs and I’ve got to get mine. And when I get my opportunity I have to make the most of it,” Dudden said.
Trailing 10-0 early, Jared Doolittle (Western Christian) and Cox connected for two scores and Kiyel Shine (Kaiser) added another as Riverside scored 21 unanswered points to go into halftime with the lead.
Riverside kicker Timothy Tynan chipped in a pair of field goals in the third quarter and Cox added his third touchdown grab. But Saddleback did not go away, as running back Kavaughn Clark ran for a 53-yard touchdown and Manuel Maganda laced a field goal before Dudden went to work in the fourth quarter.
Dudden beat Riverside’s defense with a 21-yard touchdown run with 7 minutes to play, then led Saddleback 97 yards before hitting Joseph Walden near the right pylon for the game-tying touchdown with 40 seconds remaining in regulation.
Riverside linebacker David Lene ended the first overtime by intercepting Dudden, but Clark ran for a 9-yard score to give Saddleback the lead in the second overtime.
On the final possession, Riverside ran a pair of short-yardage plays before Doolittle’s final two pass attempts fell incomplete into the end zone.
Doolittle finished 20 of 41 for 331 yards with three touchdowns. He was picked off twice and now has seven interceptions through four games.
