Comets Battle but Fall to No. 10 El Camino

TORRANCE, CA (10/18/2025) -- Palomar went on the road to face another top-10 opponent on Saturday night, trading blows with No. 10 El Camino College before falling 45-31 in a high-scoring, hard-fought contest in Torrance.

After an early El Camino touchdown and field goal put the Comets in a 10-0 hole, Carson Beard got Palomar on the board in the second quarter with a booming 47-yard field goal to make it 10-3. The Warriors added another score before the half to take a 17-3 lead into the locker room.

Palomar came out of the break with renewed energy. On the ensuing kickoff, Bubba Garcia electrified the crowd with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 24-10. The special-teams spark ignited the offense, and on the next drive, Logan Cella found the end zone on a 23-yard run, pulling the Comets within 31-17 late in the third.

Early in the fourth quarter, KJ Chatham connected with Michael Perry-Mack on a 26-yard touchdown strike, trimming the margin to just seven points. Later, Chatham orchestrated another long drive capped by a four-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Landry IV, bringing the Comets within 31-38 with just over six minutes to play. But El Camino responded on its next possession to secure the win.

Palomar posted 402 yards of total offense and scored in all three phases of the game. Chatham completed 11 of 16 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns, while Jakob Harris added 125 yards through the air. Cella led the rushing attack with 78 yards and a score, and Chris Bausch chipped in 62 yards on 19 carries. Furious Hoskins hauled in six receptions for 59 yards, and Perry-Mack added four catches for 53.

Defensively, the Comets faced one of the most powerful rushing attacks in the state and continued to battle in the trenches. Lucas Valencia notched Palomar's lone sack and added seven tackles, while Isaiah Strong, Tanner Doyle, and Evan Surray each recorded multiple stops. Caden McDonald made an impact with eight tackles, and Zaire Bush added six of his own as the defense forced three El Camino fumbles.

Though the Comets (1-6, 0-4) came up short, they once again showcased resilience and explosiveness against another top-10 team. Palomar has now faced five ranked opponents through seven games and continues to compete with a balanced offense and improving defense.

The Comets will look to turn that fight into a breakthrough victory when they return home next week to host Saddleback College in another league matchup.