Comets Power Past Chaffey for Road Victory

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA (11/1/2025) -- Palomar broke through in a big way on Saturday afternoon, defeating Chaffey College 31-27 in a complete team effort that featured explosive plays on offense, multiple takeaways on defense, and clutch moments down the stretch.

The Comets wasted no time setting the tone. On their opening drive, Jakob Harris connected with Evan Hiremath on a 48-yard touchdown strike to give Palomar an early 7-0 lead. After Chaffey evened the score, Carson Beard hit a 22-yard field goal late in the first quarter to put the Comets back on top, 10-7.

Both teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter, with Giovanni Harte punching in a three-yard run to send Palomar into halftime tied 14-14. The Comets came out of the break firing, as Harris found Michael Perry-Mack for a 48-yard touchdown to reclaim the lead, 24-14.

The highlight of the day came in the fourth quarter. Backed up at their own two-yard line, Harris dropped back and hit Hunter Stowe in stride for a 98-yard touchdown — the second-longest scoring play in program history — extending the lead to 31-14. Chaffey answered with two quick scores to close the gap to four, but Palomar's defense held strong in the final minutes to secure the win.

Harris finished with 397 passing yards and three touchdowns, completing 19 of 35 passes. Nine different receivers caught passes, led by Furious Hoskins with six receptions for 102 yards, Perry-Mack with 75 yards, Hiremath with 52, and Stowe with 98 on his record-setting grab. Harte added 16 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Chris Bausch chipped in 24 yards on the ground.

The defense was relentless, forcing four interceptions and recovering a fumble. Bubba Garcia led the way with two picks, while Lucas Valencia and Mason Thomas each added one — with Thomas returning his 53 yards to flip the field. Isaiah Strong tallied nine tackles, Tanner Doyle added 10, and Valencia recorded seven more to go along with his interception.

With the win, Palomar improved to 2-7 overall and 1-5 in Southern League play, snapping a six-game skid and showing the balanced potential that's been building all season. The Comets will look to carry that momentum into their season finale when they host Mt. San Jacinto College on Saturday at 6 p.m.