MSJC plays final football game at San Jacinto stadium

Construction continues on the football stadium that will be home to the MSJC football team next fall. (Staff photo)

Press release from Mt. San Jacinto College:

The Mt. San Jacinto College football team is scheduled to host Antelope Valley College at noon Saturday in the Hemet Sportsman's Club American Championship Bowl on the college's San Jacinto Campus.

It's set to be the final game at Carl Quandt Stadium as MSJC plans to move into a new stadium at its Menifee Valley Campus next season. The Eagles began playing at Carl Quandt Stadium in their final game of the 1996 season.

MSJC and community leaders on March 23 ceremoniously broke ground on the $41 million MSJC Athletics & Kinesiology Complex at the Menifee Valley Campus. The project will feature a 5,000-seat stadium and field house, softball field, and sand volleyball courts. The site is scheduled to host games and other events as soon as Fall 2022.

The college district’s 2014 voter-approved Measure AA, a $295 million facilities bond, is funding construction of the stadium, which will also include large classrooms and faculty offices, fitness/weight rooms, lockers, team rooms and a press box.

Measure AA also funded renovations of a Menifee Valley Campus building into a new Student Center; and -- along with matching state funds -- is funding the construction of Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) buildings at the San Jacinto and Menifee Valley campuses in the next few years. It also funded the purchase of the Temecula Valley Campus that opened to students in August 2021, among other improvements at the district's four campus locations.

The Hemet Sportsman's Club American Championship Bowl appearance is the second in a row for MSJC and the Eagles’ third bowl game in Coach Casey Mazzotta's 14 seasons at the helm of the Eagles.

The Eagles finished the regular season 8-1, with their only loss on Nov. 6 in a nail-biter against Pasadena City College, 28-26. The Eagles were co-champions of the American Mountain League along with Pasadena and Grossmont but had the highest rating performance index (RPI), which gave them the opportunity to host the game Saturday.

MSJC and Antelope Valley (8-2), the champions of the American Pacific League, met Sept. 18, with the Eagles winning, 23-13. The Antelope Valley Marauders are on a seven-game winning streak.

MSJC has put up some impressive numbers this year, especially on the offensive side of the ball. The Eagles led the entire Southern California Football Association (SCFA) in total yards per game at 515. They were third in passing yards per game and sixth in rushing.

The quarterback duo of Devan Freedland and Robert Coleman combined to throw for more than 2,700 yards with almost identical numbers as Coleman threw for 1,358 and Freedland 1,344. They spread the ball out as well with seven different players making more than 12 catches on the year, led by Rashoud Shelton, who had 47 receptions for 753 yards and 10 touchdowns. Taliq Brown had 34 catches on the season for 452 yards and six TDs, while Taylor Tosches was a big play threat with 17 receptions for 404 yards and five scores.

On the ground, Sherod White was the Eagles' big threat as he ran for 953 yards in nine games -- good enough for third in the SCFA. White also had 14 rushing touchdowns and five more receiving.

On defense, the Eagles were led by Darryl Moody, who recorded a team-high 53 total tackles and led the team with four interceptions. Demond Young and Nathan Ortiz also had strong seasons for the defensive unit as Young made 42 tackles and had a pair of interceptions while Ortiz had 41 tackles and two sacks. Kelvin Davis and Hunter Rapolla tied for the team lead in sacks with four apiece.