Costa Mesa, Calif. – The Golden West Rustler football team played one of their best games Saturday night, but came up short against the Griffins in a 26-23 loss.

The game kicked off with a 27-yard field goal from Grossmont's Connor Derby, putting the Griffins on the board first. Golden West responded in kind when Hector Solis (Costa Mesa, CA/Costa Mesa HS) converted on a 31-yard field goal. The first quarter ended tied 3-3. 

Rustlers gained ground in the second quarter when Marcus Hays (Buena Park, CA/Western HS) rushed for 56-yards and scored the first touch down of the game. Solis put through the extra point and Golden West took lead 10-3. After an incomplete pass on third down, the Rustlers chose to punt, Brett Beighton's (Anaheim, CA/Los Alamitos HS) 37-yard punt was returned only 7-yards when Kapena Olsen (Orange, CA/Villa Park HS) forced a Griffin fumble, Harley Shoffner (Huntington Beach, CA/Lakewood HS) recovered the ball at Grossmont's own 4-yard line and the Rustlers were back on offense with four more chances to find the end zone.  It took Golden West all four attempts to get the ball accross the line.  Rustler's Roman Lewis (Compton, CA/Cabrillo HS) split the defense and was able to put 6 more on the board.  Solis found the uprights and Rustlers went up, 17-3. In the last seconds of the half, Grossmont completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to bring the Griffins within seven.

The Rustlers' wheels came a little loose in the second half with a safety in the 3rd quarter and another touchdown in the begining of the 4th for the Griffins put Grossmont ahead 19-17.

Lewis's pass was intercepted by Grossmont's Kweishi Brown and returned the ball 79-yards for a touchdown increasing their lead 26-17.

Golden West started their drive with 10:06 on the clock.  Lewis utilized his receivers to move the ball down the field in a 6-play, 67 yard drive that was capped off by connecting on a 37-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Manuel.  Unfortunately, Solis failed his extra point attempt and the Rustlers could not recover the last 3 points, dropping their fourth consecutive game.

Marcus Hayes led the Rustlers in rushing for 108-yards.  Robert Van Deripe (Cypress, CA/Cypress HS) finished with a total of 8 tackles for Golden West.

Rustlers hit the road to face Santa Ana College on Saturday, October 20th at 1pm.