No. 1 Golden West Looks to Close Out Perfect Regular Season at No. 10 Fullerton

No. 1 state-ranked Golden West College (9-0, 6-0 NCL) travels to No. 10 Fullerton College (7-2, 5-1 NCL) to close out the regular season schedule on Saturday, November 8. The National Central League finale is set for a 12 p.m. kickoff at Sherbeck Field in Fullerton

The Rustlers are looking match their 10-0 regular season in 2021. That year, Golden West was 9-1 before having its lone loss overturned after Bakersfield College forfeited a narrow 20-19 win in Week 3.

Golden West has already secured at least a share of the 2025 Central League championship but can earn the title outright with a win over the Hornets. At 5-1 in the NCL, Fullerton and Cerritos College both sit one game back heading into Saturday's action.

The Rustlers are also looking to earn the South's top seed for the upcoming Southern California Regional Playoffs. No. 2 Ventura College is also perfect at 9-0 heading into a huge game at home against No. 4 Mt. San Antonio College (8-1).

TICKETS | Tickets are available the day of game at the Sherbeck Field ticket window. Please note, cash is the only accepted form of payment.

Ticket prices are as follows:
General Admission - $12
Seniors 60+ - $8
Children 6-12 - $8

LIVE STREAM | The game will be broadcast live by Fullerton College Athletics on YouTube. Live play-by-play stats will also be available online at the GWC Athletics website.

RANKINGS | Golden West has taken a slight lead over Ventura for sole possession of the No. 1 spot in this week's JC Athletic Bureau poll for the California Community College Football Coaches Association. After deadlocking with Ventura atop last week's poll, Golden West took 10 first-place votes this week and totaled 416 points to move slightly ahead of Ventura (413 points) -- which gathered the seven remaining first-place nods.

LAST WEEK | Golden West hammered College of the Canyons 58-14 in its regular-season home finale to move one step closer towards a perfect 10-0 season. The Rustlers' win, combined with a Fullerton loss on Saturday night, wrapped up at least a share of the National Central League championship.

Golden West cruised to its rout of the Cougars. The Rustlers jumped out to a 14-0 lead before the Cougars broke through the defense for a 58-yard touchdown run at the 2:09 mark in the first quarter.

Golden West took over from there, scoring 44 unanswered points. The Rustlers led 37-7 at halftime and was up 58-7 midway through the fourth when COC finally broke its scoring drought.

Quarterback Kauna'oa Kamakawiwo'ole had another solid outing, completing 11 of 14 passes for 107 yards with 3 TDs and no interceptions to lead the Rustlers. Brandon Soleau sparked the defense with a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown.

ABOUT FULLERTON | Fullerton lost for just the second time last week, getting walked-off by Cerritos on the road by a final score of 19-17. The Hornets rallied late to grab a 17-16 lead with two and a half minutes left in the game. Cerritos had other plans moving the ball down the field to get within field goal range. With three second left, Jonathan Arreola kicked in the game-winner for the Falcons from 36 yards out.

Fullerton's other loss came in Week 2. On the road in Ventura, the Hornets dropped another close one, 45-42 to the Pirates in an early-season battle.

LAST MEETING | Golden West and Fullerton are facing off for the first time since 2022. Playing for the Southern League championship, the Hornets came out on top by a final score of 26-6. Nick Kennewell caught a 32-yard TD pass from quarterback Ui Ale for the Rustlers' lone score of the game.  

Fullerton has won two of the last three meeting between the squads.

2022: L, 26-6
2021: W, 12-7
2019: L, 38-33
2018: Fullerton Forfeit
2017: Fullerton Forfeit
2016: L, 59-27
2015: W, 24-17

UP NEXT | The Rustlers will wait for postseason matchups in the Southern California Regional Playoffs that get underway on November 22.