Football: Fourth Quarter Comeback Propels Rustlers to Victory

Chula Vista, Calif. - The Golden West College football team went on the road and had to come from behind in the fourth quarter to beat Southwestern 24-20. 

The Rustlers held the lead for three and half quarters until Southwestern took the lead for the first time with four minutes left to play in the game, 20-17. It took the Golden West defense and defensive back Ryan Rains to force it's first turnover of the game with a 1:48 left to setup the offense for a game winning two play drive. Quarterback Beau Kalbacher and the Rustlers offense took over on the Jaguars own 22 yard line and wide out Jonathan Earl caught the game winning touchdown with one minute on the clock. 

Both teams started the game by trading possessions trying to figure each others scheme before the Rustlers took the lead on a seven yard touchdown throw from Kalbacher to Ben Ratzlaff to take an early 7-0 in the first quarter. Southwestern wouldn't respond till early in the second quarter from their field goal unit 37 yards out, to cut into the lead 7-3. Again both teams traded short offensive possessions until Southwestern would use its kicking unit again, this time from 50 yards to make it a 7-6 halftime lead for the Rustlers. 

Golden West received the second half kickoff and drove down the field to setup a 33 yard field goal for Jose Arredondo, who extended the lead 10-6. Midway through the third quarter, the Rustlers would strike again, this time a touchdown. Kalbacher would connect with Earl for his first receiving TD from 24 yards out to take control of the game at 17-6. 

The game remained in a holding pattern of stalled drives with mistakes and penalties until that four minute mark in the fourth quarter that awoke both teams offenses. With the win, the Rustlers keep their bowl hopes alive as they move to 5-4 on the season with one game to play. 

The Rustlers will travel to Grossmont on Saturday, November 10th for a 1pm kickoff at Grossmont HS.