The Delta College Mustangs did everything they could to get their offense into the game but spent most of its time trying to get their defense off the field.
The College of Sequoias used a red-hot ground game to spark the Giants offense which dictated the tempo and momentum to cruise to a 34-9 victory over Delta in a Valley Conference game Saturday afternoon at De Ricco Field.
The Giants’ victory snapped a 24-game conference losing streak in which Sequoias had not won since a come-from-behind 46-45 victory over Delta Oct. 26, 2013.
Sequoias (2-5, 1-1 Valley Conference) amassed 593 yards of offense with 302 yards coming on 43 running plays led by Davonte Green with 22 rushes for 177 yards and teammate Isaiah Hilliard adding 62 yards on 10 carries.
The ground game opened up the airways for Giants backup quarterback Nate Hughes who completed 16 of 26 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns against one interception.
The Mustangs (0-7, 0-2) struggled to get their offense going in the first quarter where they ran just eight plays for 10 total yards against Sequoias’ 206 scrimmage yards on 18 plays.
The Mustangs deferred the opening kickoff to the Giants and gave up a five-play 75-yard drive capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass from starting quarterback Ryan Johnson to Ja-Juan Bell less than two minutes into the tilt.
After a three and out by Delta, Johnson sustained a knee injury on the ensuing Giants drive and Hughes stepped in to quickly complete a 65-yard drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Bre’Aun Heights for a 14-0 lead.
Heights had four catches for 44 yards, including a two-point conversion reception, while teammate Adrian Bryant caught three pass for 121 yards and two touchdowns, including a 92-yard bomb from Hughes midway through the second quarter for a 26-0 advantage.
Delta ran 28 running plays in the game for 57 yards led by Austin Sith with 41 yards on nine carries, while quarterback Shad Nordhal had nine rushes for 32 yards.
Nordhal completed 13 of 19 passes for 133 yards and an 8-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Calderon with 7:16 left in the half to cut Sequoias lead to 26-6.
The Mustangs added a 31-yard Maximo Rodriguez field goal midway through the third quarter to trail 26-9 but the Giants later added a touchdown on a one-yard fumble recovery by Blake Wells in the Delta end zone for the final score.
The Mustangs twice denied the Giants a score inside the red zone as Semise Palefau caused Hilliard to fumble at the one and Delta teammate Tre Worthan scooped the ball and ran out to the 19.
Worthan also leaped up to pick off a Hughes pass at the goal line in the fourth quarter and returned the ball to the 34 but the following Delta drive stalled at the Sequoias one.
Penalties hounded the Mustangs all day which also nullified two scores – a two-yard Nordhal touchdown run and a 24-yard touchdown pass to Calderon.
Delta next hosts Sacramento City College at 1 p.m. next Saturday.
By Scott Niendorf / Record Correspondent