Fresno City lets 2-TD lead slip away in loss to Modesto

It looked good through most of three quarters for the Fresno City College football team.

The Northern California ninth-ranked Rams had built a 13-point lead as they looked to even their record in the Valley Conference.

Not so fast.

Sixth-ranked Modesto scored the final 14 points to defeat the Rams 28-27 Saturday at Ratcliffe Stadium.

“We need to get our act together and start making plays,” linebacker Chandler Cocklin said. “We’re capable of making these plays because we make them all the time in practice and we just haven’t put it on the field, yet.”

Modesto’s Jay Green scored on a 2-yard run to close the third quarter and pull the Pirates within 27-21. Blake Smallie’s 12-yard reception on a pass from Wyatt Clapper then put Modesto ahead with 3:10 to go in the game.

The Rams came up with one last stop, forcing a three-and out with 1:11 remaining, and moved the ball to the Modesto 12. But a 29-yard field goal attempt by Erik Zamora on third down, with 10 seconds remaining, sailed wide left and the Pirates went into victory formation to run out the clock.

Fresno City coach Tony Caviglia said he thought about throwing a pass into the end zone, but didn’t want to take a chance.

“We thought about it but we figured it was in the right spot, and with confidence Eric would make it,” he said. “We wanted to give him a good solid look at the field goal.”

The Rams fell to 0-2 in the conference and 3-4 overall – the first time Fresno City has dropped below .500 under Caviglia since 2009 when starting 0-2. The Pirates are 5-2 and 2-0.

Fresno City is 1-3 at Ratcliffe this season.

“I don’t know if it’s a lack of focus,” said Rams running back Nate Jones, who had nine carries for 96 yards and a touchdown and also a receiving touchdown. “The effort is always there. We’re always giving 100 percent. That’s what we try to do. For some reason, we can’t finish. We’re back here early tomorrow.”

Fresno City, which faces Laney on Friday in Oakland, needs at least five wins to become bowl eligible. The Rams close the regular season versus Delta and at Sequoias.

“These kids played their hearts out,” Caviglia said. “We played tough and with great emotion and great physicality. We made mistakes, and we put ourselves in position to win, and just didn't get the ball to float our way.”

Et cetera – West Hills extended its winning streak to five with a 21-17 homecoming victory over Monterey Peninsula on Friday at Memorial Bowl Stadium.

The American Division fourth-ranked Falcons (5-2, 3-0) are alone in first in the Golden Coast League.

West Hills trailed 17-14 before Kris Lewis’ 1-yard touchdown reception off a Vincent Espinoza pass with 2:15 remaining. The second-ranked Lobos are 6-1 and 3-1.

This story was originally published October 22, 2016 at 7:22 PM with the headline "Fresno City lets 2-TD lead slip away in loss to Modesto."