Visalia, CA ….City College of San Francisco defeated Bakersfield College, 31-13, to win its second consecutive Hyundai-California Community College state football championship before a raucous crowd of 6,250 and a statewide television audience on December 9 at Mineral King Bowl stadium in Visalia, CA on December 9. Blue Diamond Growers and the Visalia Area Sports Association served as presenting sponsors of the title game.
City College of San Francisco finished the 2000 season a perfect 12-0. Bakersfield College concluded its season at 10-2. The Rams defense was the story of the game, overpowering the Renegades offense and limiting Bakersfield to 197 total yards for the game. The Rams defense also blocked two field goal attempts, a PAT, and forced three fumbles.
Rams coach George Rush captured the college’s second consecutive state crown and his Rams have appeared in each of the four state title games since 1997, resurrected after an absence of 25-years. Rush has a .910 winning percentage in 25+ seasons and is an incredible 113-11 since 1990.
Renegades coach Dallas Grider, one of the state’s most respected coaches and mentors, guided his team to the state game by defeating Grossmont College, 22-17, on December 2 at the Shrine Potato Bowl in Bakersfield, the oldest community college bowl game in the country. CCSF defeated Fresno City College to capture the northern regional championship on December 2.
The Rams scored first on an 18-yard pass from Taylor Barton to Princell Brockenbrough at the 3:05 mark of the first quarter. The key play of the 10-play, 80-yard drive was a third down pass from Barton to Zach Fletcher to keep the drive alive. Early the second quarter, BC’s Billy Gilbert blocked Trevor Lancaster’s punt and rambled 19-yards to tie the game at 7-7. A 10-yard pass from Barton to Johnnie Mack gave the Rams at 14-7 lead at intermission.
CCSF scored 10 points in the third quarter and then a 36-yard pass from Barton to Brockenbrough early in the fourth quarter gave the Rams a comfortable 31-7 lead with 12 minutes left in the final stanza.
The most valuable player of the game was CCSF defensive linemen Kai Ellis, the offensive player of the game was CCSF quarterback Taylor Barton and the defensive player of the game was BC’s Barton. CCSF had 399 total yards to BC’s 197. Ellis had ten total tackles, two blocked kicks, and one sack.
Fox Sports Bay Area and Fox Sports West 2 throughout California and northern Nevada telecast the championship game. In addition, DirecTV subscribers received the game via satellite throughout the country. It was the first time that a championship game was carried live by Fox Sports and DirecTV.
