The defending NJCAA DIII champions concluded their final regular season game at home with an overwhelming 70-6 win over Hocking College on Oct. 19. The Chaps set the tone early, scoring three touchdowns in the first five minutes of the game. COD made its presence felt on both sides of the ball, causing Hocking College to struggle to find its offensive rhythm throughout the game.

“We preach to the kids all the time that no matter what happens out there if adversity hits, if there’s questionable calls, if the other team is running their mouths at us, as long as we play as a team, [that score] is what we are capable of,” said head football coach Matthew Rahn. “We know that everyone’s target is on our back and if we do what we need to do, the score is going to tell them all they need to hear. We let our play, and the score do the talking.”

Chaps’ running back Jamareon Dale set the tempo for the team after scoring a 6-yard touchdown on their first drive of the game, which was the beginning of the end for Hocking College. Dale finished the game with two rushing touchdowns.

“We took care of what we had planned for this week and treated the opponent how they are,” Dale said. “We needed to be a dominating factor, and my mindset was to just dominate. On the first drive, I scored to set the tone, and I could’ve [done] some things better and gained more yards. [Our team] has found our identity and are able to face adversity.”

Chaps’ quarterback Justin Bland finished the game with five touchdown passes. Despite throwing two interceptions off an underthrow to a receiver and a misplaced ball in the back of the end zone, Bland was pleased with the team’s performance and looks forward to returning to MacDougall Field in December for the NJCAA DIII JUCO Championship.

“It was a good overall win for the team and I feel like we executed very well,” said Bland. We took care of the ball besides the two plays I had. Since we started in July, it has put us in an advantage over all the schools we’ve faced and feel like we have a step ahead of everyone. It put us in a position to be better than last year. Our offense is going to be something decent when it comes to the National Champion game and will be a show for everyone.”

Hocking College managed to score on one possession after a defense breakdown with six minutes left in the first quarter. Despite giving up a touchdown, the Chaps’ special team unit blocked the extra point attempt to maintain the momentum and demolish any hopes Hocking had for a comeback. Chaps’ running back Ernest Temple made a play on special teams after blocking a punt in the first quarter and returning it for a touchdown.

Chaps’ wide receiver Daion Gaston finished the game with two touchdowns, showcasing COD’s wide receiver depth.

“We played a great game and had a lot of backups that got in and progressed and did what they were supposed to do,” said Gaston. “I had a great performance, but my job today was to pay attention to detail and make sure I did everything right as far as my assignments and everything. In the beginning of the season, we had a lot of transfers and didn’t connect well, but once we came together and built off each other, we made it work.”

Clayton Bone was notable for scoring an early touchdown in the first quarter. He made an impressive catch that required him to fully extend his arms over the head of a Hocking defender.

“We came out and played strong early and had a week off last week,” said Bone. “I’m glad we didn’t have any slow starts or anything and jumped on them and kept it rolling on them. We knew in the beginning of the season that having some new guys coming in would make us have to click and we got that chemistry going and it just feels good to be rolling the way we are today.”

During the 70-point performance by the Chaps, it appeared as if everyone on the offensive unit had an opportunity to score following the scores from Dylan McDonnell’s and Michael Cervantes’ five-yard touchdowns. Ethan Quaye also secured a 26-yard touchdown pass. It wasn’t even close.

The Chaparrals (7-1) will take on Sussex County Community College (1-4) at noon. on Oct. 26 in Sparta, NJ.