SAC football falls to No. 23 Chaffey in home opener

The Santa Ana College Dons opened their season on Sept. 5, hosting No. 23 Chaffey College with a score of 44-21. SAC put together a solid performance on offense, racking up six touchdowns, but ultimately dropped the home opener against the state ranked Panthers. Despite their strong statistical line across the board, the Dons fall to 0–2 in the early season as they prepare for their next non-conference matchup.

Chaffey took control early, establishing a 23–0 lead by halftime. Santa Ana generated offense in the second half behind quarterback Frankie Villalbazo, who completed 18 of 31 passes for 200 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, while adding a rushing touchdown. Receiver Julian Lofton-Lundy hauled in 10 receptions for 94 yards and two scores, while running back Jeremy Lenore scored twice on the ground and Travante James-Reek broke loose for a 37-yard run.

In the receiving game, Lofton-Lundy served as Villabazo’s primary target, hauling in 10 receptions for 94 yards and two touchdowns, featuring a long catch of 31 yards. Devin Chapple-Love snagged a 24-yard reception, Zarrius Watson added a 20-yard catch, and Justin Benson caught an eight-yard touchdown pass. Theodore Edquilang (19 yards), Jay Frazier (13 yards), and Aureliano Bedoy (7 yards) each contributed single receptions to round out the passing stats.

Defensively, the Dons forced turnover opportunities in the secondary, led by Darion Flucker’s two interceptions alongside picks from Jacob Ericson and Jayceon Johnson. Special teams stayed clean as kicker Brandon Penaloza converted all six extra-point attempts and booted a long punt of 55 yards.

Santa Ana College football carries a long history in California community college athletics, highlighted by mid-century success including a 1962 Junior Rose Bowl victory. 

In recent decades, however, the Dons have faced extended periods of inconsistency and rebuilding, frequently struggling to maintain winning records or keep pace against ranked Southern California opponents. While current head coaching transitions reflect an ongoing effort to rebuild roster depth and establish consistent success, games like the loss to Chaffey show the program is still working to bridge the gap against top-ranked regional opponents.

Despite the hard fight against Chaffey, the Dons fell to 0-2 early in the season as they prepare for their next non-conference matchup, hitting the road for an away game, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. vs East Los Angeles.