Bulldogs close with win at Laney, earn fourth straight Bay 6 title; CSM gets No. 1 seed for NorCal Playoffs

SAN MATEO – No. 3 state-ranked College of San Mateo secured a share of the National Bay 6 League championship with a commanding 52-20 victory over Laney College in its regular-season finale at home on Saturday. It marked the Bulldogs' fourth straight Bay 6 League title and eighth over the past nine seasons under head coach Tim Tulloch.

CSM shares the Bay 6 crown with Diablo Valley and City College of San Francisco, who all ended with identical 4-1 records in league play. DVC knocked off San Francisco 34-21 on Friday night to earn its piece of the title.

Thanks to a higher RPI rating, the Bulldogs were named the No. 1 seed on Sunday for the upcoming 3C2A Northern California Regional Playoffs that get underway on Nov. 22. With a new six-team format this season, San Mateo receives a first-round bye and will begin its state championship title defense on Nov. 29 at home in the NCFC semifinals.

Valley League champion Modesto (8-2, 5-0 NVL) is the No. 2 seed and also gets an opening-round bye. Bay 6 foes Diablo Valley (9-1, 4-1 Bay 6) and CCSF (7-3, 4-1 Bay 6) are the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, respectively, and will host first-round games. The Valley League's Fresno City (6-4, 4-1 NVL) is seeded fifth, and National Norcal champion Butte (8-2, 4-1 NNL) took the sixth and final spot for the playoffs.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs took care of business by dispatching Laney for their first win at College Heights Stadium since having their 26-game home winning streak snapped on Oct. 25. CSM took a 24-13 lead into halftime before outscoring the Eagles 28-7 over the final two quarters to cruise to the victory.

Dominick Gonzalez broke out again for the Bulldogs, rushing for 100+ yards for the second straight game. He had a season-best 141 yards on 21 carries, also a season-high, with touchdown runs of 10 and 16 yards.  

Quarterback Luke Alexander connected with BJ Thurman for a pair of touchdown receptions, going for one and 27 yards. Alexander also snuck in for a one-yard TD in the third quarter.

Tyreece Bramwell ran in from five-yards out for his second touchdown of the season, Dieter Kelly knocked in a 35-yard field goal, and the defense sealed the victory with a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown by Bruce Uperesa late in the fourth quarter.