Keyshawn Davis| Staff Writer| [email protected]
Sept. 23, 2019
The Sacramento City College Panthers lined up in victory formation as the clock ticked to zero Sept. 21 at Hughes Stadium. Thanks to good defense, the Panthers snapped a two-game skid and came from behind to beat Diablo Valley College 13-10.
The Panthers also scored their first touchdown three games into the season against the DVC Vikings. Running back Tyrone Roper scored the first touchdown of the game, bringing the score to 6-10. The kicker missed the extra point. Then scored again with a go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
The Vikings scored one touchdown on a passing touchdown right before halftime, making the score 7-0. Then a field goal in the third quarter making the score 10-0.
After the game the players knelt as coach Dannie Walker talked to the team.
Walker later said he “just reiterated what we’re built upon—continue development of growth. They have to take the good and bad from this experience and continue to push forward and be better than next time. Trying to instill in them to think like winners. That’s really huge for us right now.”
Walker said that he felt that the players were thinking like winners, and that’s what helped them win the game.
“First half defense is just battling and battling. They played a phenomenal game,” said Walker. Man, those guys deserved to win that game.”
Roper said he was proud of himself and his teammates.
“We knew we had a tough opponent—Diablo Valley came out to play—but throughout the game we battled hard. It was a great team win,” Roper said. “I made two touchdowns all thanks to the team. We needed that win. At the end of the day we needed to score— we needed that victory. Looking forward to the rest of the season. It’s all up from here.”
In the Panthers’ next game City College (1-2) will go head-to-head against the undefeated Shasta Knights Saturday, Sept. 28, at Shasta College in Redding.
