By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director 

College of the Canyons hosts Long Beach City College during week nine action. Saturday’s game is a Southern California Football Association (SCFA) National Division, Northern League contest.

All Cougars home games are live-streamed to fans through a broadcast partnership with SoCalCollegeSports.com. Home games are also be replayed on SCVTV Channel 20 and SCVTV.com.

This week all Veterans and active duty military personnel were invited to attend Saturday’s game free of charge. Fans also enjoyed a special halftime performance by the reigning 20-time National Champion California Flyers All Stars cheer and tumbling teams from Gym-Cheer USA.

Canyons (7-1, 3-0), the defending Northern League champions, rattled off seven straight victories after suffering a week-one loss. Most recently, COC recorded a 48-38 road victory over rival Ventura College. The win was the 50th of head coach Ted Iacenda’s career.

Last week, COC sophomore running back Cayden Dunn rushed for a season-high 190 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries in the victory. Quarterback Armani Edden finished the game 18-of-27 for 381 yards and two touchdowns. COC wide receiver Alonzell Henderson led the team with five catches for 112 yards, while pass catchers Romello Cook, Trevon Elliott and Tiquan Gilmore all hauled in touchdown passes. Canyons linebacker Charles Ike turned in a standout performance, leading all players with 17 total tackles, including 11 of the solo variety. Ike was named the SCFA National Division Defensive Player of the Week.  COC linebackers Tyler Richardson and Jonathan Thomas checked in at nine and seven tackles, respectively. Defensive end Benjamin Seymour added five stops and 1.5 sacks to up his team-leading season total to seven.

Long Beach (6-2, 3-0) has won four straight contests and sits tied with Canyons in the Northern League standings, going into this game. The Vikings were a 58-35 winner over Moorpark College a week ago. In that game, quarterback Derrach West threw for 210 yards and five touchdown passes on an 18-of-32 passing night. LBCC has dropped games to Mt. SAC and top ranked Riverside City College this season.

As play begins, the Cougars hold the No. 3 spot in the most recent California Community College Sports Information Association (CCCSIA) poll. Canyons also ranked No. 4 in the statewide head coaches poll, as compiled by the J-C Athletic Bureau. The Vikings were ranked No. 15 in the CCCSIA poll and No. 12 in the coaches poll.

Canyons and Long Beach last met during week nine of the 2018 season, with the Cougars posting a 34-7 road victory. Going in, COC was 3-1 all time vs. Long Beach. The Vikings’ lone victory over the Cougars came in 2016.