The game opened with a broken coverage by LBCC to give up a 70-yard touchdown to Bakersfield on the Renegades’ opening drive, a mistake that unfortunately set the tone for the Vikings’ evening. LBCC wasn’t able to overcome Bakersfield kicker Nathan De Jager in a 22-17 loss.
The defeat drops LBCC to 3-4 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
“We’re just finding ways to lose right now instead of finding ways to win,” said LBCC coach Brett Peabody. “It’s frustrating, to say the least.”
De Jäger was the star of the show for the Renegades, hitting five field goals on five attempts, including a 50-yarder. Bakersfield didn’t reach the end zone after that opening-drive touchdown but didn’t need to thanks to 15 points from their kicker.
The 50-yarder would have been good for 55 yards, landing well behind the uprights; De Jager’s 5/5 evening tied a school record for most field goals in a game.
The news for LBCC was less enjoyable. The Vikings had three red-zone turnovers.
“That’s a recipe for disaster, obviously,” said Peabody.
Starting quarterback Drake Peabody has been playing through injuries since the Vikings’ loss to Riverside, and he was knocked out of the game early against Bakersfield, seen later on the sideline wearing a sling.
“Right now we just don’t know,” said Peabody when asked about the extent of the injury.
LBCC got good play from freshman QB Jonathan Murphy, who helped the Vikings to a 10-10 tie early in the second half. Four field goals alter, LBCC trailed 22-10 and looked out of it, until Mason Bowen brought LBCC to within 22-17, but the Vikings couldn’t get the ball back and do anything with it.
LBCC will travel to Moorpark next week.
