NO. 10 CSM SURVIVES AT SIERRA, 37-36, AS SHAWN AKINA PASSES FOR STATE LEADING 422 YARDS.

COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO SPORTS NEWS   September 9, 2017   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Contact: Fred Baer   baerf@smccd.edu

NO. 10 CSM SURVIVES AT SIERRA, 37-36, AS SHAWN AKINA PASSES FOR STATE LEADING 422 YARDS.

ROCKLIN -- It took a fourth quarter comeback and a goal-line stand at the end but College of San Mateo survived, 37-36, at Sierra College Saturday afternoon to remain the only undefeated (2-0) Bay 6 League football team after the second weekend of non-conference play.

Sierra (0-2) drove 69 yards to the Bulldogs' 4-yard line in the final two minutes. On fourth down, with eight seconds remaining, the host Wolverines set-up for a potential game winning field goal. But the holder could not handle the snap and was tackled before a kick could be attempted. San Mateo, ranked No. 10 in the state by coaches, took over with three seconds remaining and ended it with a kneel down.

The Bulldogs had scored with 7:06 left in the game, completing a 77-yard drive that needed a key penalty to get going --- with Cameron Taylor rushing into the end zone from the one to make it 37-36. CSM had punted on 4th-and-12 from its own 21 but Sierra was called for roughing the kicker, giving the Bulldogs new life. San Mateo eventually reached the one on quarterback Shawn Akina's 19-yard pass to Jared Latu.

422 YARD STATE'S TOP PASSING PERFORMANCE: Akina had the state's top passing performance of the young season (through Saturday afternoon games), 422 yards (24 of 37). That included a pair of long scoring plays – 79 yards to Rajae Johnson and 73 yards to Latu. Johnson had nine catches for 227 yards and Latu was eight or 131.

Taylor had reached paydirt on a 16-yard run just after halftime to give the Bulldogs a 24-14 lead. The Wolverines, however, rebounded with three straight scores to go ahead, 30-24, before the end of the third period. San Mateo bounced back with Akina's 73-yard connection to Latu as the final period began and the Bulldogs were on top again at 31-30.

Sierra came right back with a 65-yard drive to take the lead at 36-31 with 11:53 remaining on a 29-yard run by Ryan Graham before San Mateo mounted the winning 77-yard drive.

AKINA STATE PASSING LEADER: Akina, a 2016 graduate of St. Francis High School (Mountain View) leads the state with a remarkable 203.0 efficiency rating after his first two collegiate games and has a 68.9 completion percentage (35 of 45, best in Northern California). He leads the Bay 6 in passing yards (556) and touchdown passes (5). He lives at Stanford, where his father Duane Akina is the defensive backs coach.

--The CSM single game passing record is 593 yards, set by Sal Genilla in 1985 against De Anza.

Taylor had 53 yards on 11 carries and his two touchdowns. Damani Sistena led Bulldogs rushers with 64 yards on 14 carries and a score. CSM had 523 yards of total offense compared to 308 for Sierra (which netted only 39 on the ground).

STAT UPDATE: After Saturday's night games, only one other quarterback at the CCCAA's 68 teams, Grant Lowary of Long Beach CC, has passed for more than 400 yards this season. He had a 416-yard opening week performance on Sept. 2. On Saturday night (Sept. 9) Lowery retook the state lead from Akina  with a 480-yard night in a 45-35 losing effort against Saddleback. Top 2017 passing performances: 480 – Grant Lowary, Long Beach (Sept. 9 night game); 422 – Shawn Akina, San Mateo (Sept. 9 afternoon game); 416 – Lowary (Sept. 2).

SCHEDULE GETS TOUGHER: San Mateo remains on the road Saturday (Sept. 16) at 6 p.m. at No. 15 Fresno (2-0), which expects to move higher after a 31-10 win over Santa Rosa. The Bulldogs finally return home Sept. 23 to host No. 3 Butte and then No. 2 American River (Sept. 30) in final non-league games. Those are perhaps the top three teams in the north – in a row.