National Champions 1991, 1993, 1998

CALIFORNIA STATE CHAMPIONS 1991, 1993, 1998 | CONFERENCE/DIVISION CHAMPIONS 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006 | POST-SEASON APPEARANCES 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014

2015 Schedule, Results | 2015 Stats | 2015 Roster |2015 Coaches

Records, Leaders (Through 2015 Season)

2014 Season | 2014 Schedule, Results | 2014 Stats | 2014 Roster | 2014 Coaches

2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014

Palomar Football History Comets Currently in NFL, 4-year College Football | View, Download Hugh Cox's Photos

Off-Season

All-time Palomar great Toby Flanagan dead at 76

BISHOP (1-29-2016) -- Legendary Palomar football star JonPaul "Toby" Flanagan, who scored 32 points for the Comets in an 83-0 victory over Santa Barbara City College in 1958, died in his present home of Bishop, CA on Monday following a three-year battle with cancer.

Flanagan, the 1956 Avocado League Player of the Year at Vista High School where he was a three-sport, three-year letterman, a two-time football Player of the Year at Palomar and two-time leading scorer in the old South Central Conference, scored all 32 points in the first half of that game on five touchdowns and a two-point conversion. 1958 was the first year that college football used the two-point conversion.

The 32 points still stands alone as the Palomar record. Flanagan's five touchdowns in the game set a Palomar mark that has since been tied by Lafo Malauulu vs. San Diego Mesa in 1984, Markeith Ross vs. Mt. SAC in 1992 and Daviante Sayles vs. Santa Ana this past Nov. 14.

Playing both ways, Flanagan returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the 1958 game, setting a Palomar record that was tied by the late Kevin Kelly vs. Cypress in 1967.

Flanagan received a football scholarship to Colorado State but never played after leaving Palomar. He and his wife Pat moved from Vista to Bishop,CA in 1999. While still living in Vista, he spent 10 years transporting disabled veterans to the V.A. Hospital in La Jolla and, after moving to Bishop, was a volunteer at the Methodist Church soup kitchen.

He was pre-deceased by son JonPaul Jr., brothers Mike and James and his parents and is survived by Pat Flanagan, his wife of 54 years, three daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Flanagan played under late coach Bob Bowman at Palomar.

2015 Season ...

Palomar alum and University of West Georgia junior defensive end Dylan Donahue helped lead the Wolves to a 12-2 record and the NCAA Division II semifinals. Donahue, who had 12 sacks in 12 games while missing two games due to an injury, was one of eight national finalists for the Gene Upshaw Award, presented annually to the nation's best lineman, on either offense or defense, in NCAA Division II. -- University of West Georgia photo

Donahue celebrates a dominant junior season

CARROLTON, Georgia (12-15-2015) -- Missing an opportunity to take his considerable talents to the NCAA Division I FCS level due to a clock issue, former Palomar All-Southern California defensive end Dylan Donahue didn't slow down a beat in his debut Division II season at the University of West Georgia.

The junior from Billings, Montana helped lead the Wolves to a 12-2 record, a Gulf South Conference co-championship, the Super Regional 2 championship and a spot in the NCAA Division II semifinals, where they lost to eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State at Maryville, Missouri. West Georgia was ranked No. 3 by the American Football Coaches Association in the final post-playoff D-II national poll.

Donahue had 12 sacks in 12 games while missing two games due to an injury.

"(Donahue) has generated a tremendous amount of pass rush for us this season, and he's been very good against the run. Also, Dylan has played his best in our biggest games", West Georgia coach Will Hall said when Donahue was announced as one of eight finalists for the Gene Upshaw Award, presented annually to the nation's best lineman, on either offense or defense, in Division II.

Sophomore running back Daviante Sayles, the Southern Conference's leading rusher, and freshman tight end Robert Ursua (No. 80, blocking for him) are pictured in Palomar's victory over San Diego Mesa. They were among eight Comets who made first-team all-conference. -- Photo by Hugh Cox

3 Comets make first team; 5 on second team

MISSION VIEJO (12-8-2015) -- Palomar landed three players on the 2015 All-Southern Conference first team and five on the second team in balloting among conference coaches.

Sophomore running back Daviante Sayles (Rancho Buena Vista High School), who led the conference in rushing, was selected first-team offense along with freshman tight end Robert Ursua (Bakersfield Liberty High / U.S. Navy) . Sophomore defensive end Devyn Comer (Morse High) also was named to the first team.

Quarterback Austin Early (Orange Glen High) and Micah Suh (El Camino High) were selected to the offensive second team. Suh was picked as a utility player. The Comets' three first-team picks on defense were sophomore tackle Hunter Moore (Mission Hills High), freshman inside linebacker J.D. Fox (Escondido High) and punt returner Wayne Ganan (Del Norte High).

Quarterback Johnny Stanton of Saddleback, which will play City College of San Francisco in the state community college championship game this Saturday afternoon in San Francisco), was named Offensive Player of the Year. Linebacker Thomas Cletcher (Fullerton College) was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year.

QB Early is voted Palomar MVP honors by team

SAN MARCOS (12-10-2015) -- Austin Early (left), who began the year as the third-team quarterback, worked his way up to starter and was the only QB to take a snap over the final six games -- beginning with 404 yards passing and three touchdowns in a 43-24 win vs. San Diego Mesa -- received the Comets' Most Valuable Player Award on Tuesday at the team's awards lunch at Hometown Buffet.

The award was voted on by the team.

Other awards voted on by the players went to running back Daviante Sayles (Outstanding Offensive Player), linebacker Devyn Comer (Outstanding Defensive Player), tight end Robert Ursua (Most Improved Offensive Player), linebacker/safety Christian Prince (Most Improved Defensive Player), center Charlie Long (Offensive Captain) and linebacker J.J. Taele (Defensive Captain). The two captains both missed much of the year with injuries but continued to show season-long leadership.

Early also took home the Kevin Kelly Award, named after the dominant undersized Palomar linebacker of the 1970s who died of cancer. Other awards went to Nigel Ward (Special Teams Hammer Award), Garrett Fiehler (Special Teams Iron Man Award), Micah Suh (Outstanding Special Teams Player), Luke Davis (GPA Award, 4.0) and Arnold Voa and Hunter Moore (Coaches Awards).

TOP PHOTO:Daviante Sayles hurdles two Santa Ana defenders on Saturday afternoon. He rushed for 137 yards on 20 carries and five touchdowns, the latter to tie Palomar's all-time single-game touchdown record and break the mark for rushing TDs. Sayles led the Comets to a 37-27 season-ending victory at Eddie West Field/Santa Ana Stadium. -- Photo by Hugh Cox. BELOW: Devyn Comer, who had three of Palomar's eight sacks DIRECTLY ABOVE: Quarterback Austin Early sets up Sayles' first touchdown with a 24-yard run on a quarterback keeper. -- Photos by Hugh Cox. BELOW: Devyn Comer, who had three of Palomar's eight sacks

Sayles' 5 TD runs tie, set PC marks in 37-27 win

SANTA ANA (11-14-2015) -- Palomar finished its football season with a 37-27 Southern Conference victory over Santa Ana College on Saturday afternoon at Eddie West Field/Santa Ana Stadium as running back Daviante Sayles, playing his last game as a Comet, went out in record-setting style.

Sayles tied a Palomar record for touchdowns in a game by scoring five times on runs of 1, 55 and 2 yards in the first half and 2 and 12 yards in the second half. He finished with 137 rushing yards on 20 carries

The sophomore out of Rancho Buena Vista High School tied the mark set by Toby Flanagan in the Comets' 83-0 victory over Santa Barbara City College in the sixth week of the 1958 season and equaled by Lafo Malauulu in a 55-19 win over San Diego Mesa on Thanksgiving Day 1984 and Markeith Ross in a 45-28 victory over Mt. SAC in the 1992 Simple Green Bowl.

Sayles now has the Comets' sing-game rushing TD record by himself with 5. Flanagan, playing both ways, returned 2 interceptions for touchdowns as part of his now 57-year-old record performance. Malauulu's touchdowns came on four pass receptions and a punt return. And Ross had a TD reception to go with four rushing touchdowns.

Sayles accounted for 30 of Palomar's 37 points Saturday, tying him for second on the all-time Palomar list for that category with Malauulu and Ross. Flanagan holds the record for points in a game with 32 points in that 1958 game. Along with his five touchdowns, he also had a two-point conversion run. 1958 was the first season the two-point conversion was used in college football.

Santa Ana took its only lead of the game 3-0 on a 43-yard field goal by Jonah Mack with 4:37 remaining in the opening period. The Comets answered back with a nine-play, 53-yard drive that culminated with Sayles' 1-yard touchdown with 7:08 to play in the quarter. Sayles' 55-yard run with 4:50 left made it 13-3 as the first period ended.

It was 20-13 at halftime and 23-20 entering the final quarter. Sayles upped Palomar's advantage to 37-20 by scoring his last two touchdowns of the day in the quarter's first 2 minutes and 7 seconds.

Reggie Wilson had the Comets' other seven points on four extra-point kicks and a 32-yard field goal.

Palomar spent most of the fourth quarter running down the clock.

Trayce Cauley added 60 yards rushing on 10 carries for the Comets, including a 36-yard run that set up a touchdown. Quarterback Austin Early added 103 yards passing and broke off a 24-yard run on a keeper to set up Sayles' first TD. LaMont Chaney was the leading receiver for Palomar with four catches for 31 yards, and tight end Robert Ursua had two receptions for 35 yards.

Palomar's defense was a huge factor in the victory. The Comets held the Dons to 5 yards rushing on the day, got interceptions fro Michael Moore and Malique Taylor, and fumble recoveries from Roger Mann and J.D. Fox. Michael Almodovar forced two fumbles.

Meanwhile, the Comets made life miserable for Santa Ana quarterback Thomas Becerra, sacking him eight times for 53 yards, led by Devyn Comer with 3 sacks for 20 yards. Hunter Moore and Mann each had a sack and combined on an additional sack, while Rafael Sangenes and Almodovar had a sack apiece.

In all, Palomar accumulated 12 tackles for losses for 61 yards. Diovanni Brewer was the tackle leader with 7. Michael Moore, Almodovar and Hunter Moore each had 5 tackles.

Punter Sam Tapia, playing with an injured kicking foot, had a 52-yarder that got the Comets out of questionable field position and deposited 2 punts inside the 20-yard line.

The Comets finished an injury-plagued season 4-6 (2-4 in the Southern Conference). Santa Ana concluded its season 1-9 (0-6).

GAME STATS | SEASON STATS

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Sayles is both Athlete of the Week, Player of Week

LONG BEACH / SAN DIEGO (11-17-2015) -- Palomar football player Daviante Sayles has been honored as Athlete of the Week in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference for all men's sports, as well as Offensive Player of the Week for the Southern California Football Association's Southern Conference.

Sayles, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound sophomore running back out of Rancho Buena Vista High School by way of a redshirt season at Eastern Illinois University in 2013, tied a 57-year-old Palomar record for touchdowns in a game on Saturday. He scored five TDs in a 37-27 season-ending Southern Conference victory on the road over Santa Ana, his last game in a Palomar uniform.

Sayles' touchdowns came on runs of 1, 55 and 2 yards in the first half and 2 and 12 yards in the second half as he equaled the record set by Toby Flanagan in 1958 and previously tied twice, in 1984 and 1992.

ABOVE: Quarterback Austin Early (No. 9) and running back Daviante Sayles (No. 6), pictured in last week's game with Fullerton, will play their final games for Palomar on Saturday at Santa Ana. -- Photo by Hugh Cox. BELOW LEFT: Freshman tight end Robert Ursua, who has been cleared to play Saturday after an neck injury scare on the final play last week

PC closes out season on the road Saturday

SANTA ANA (11-13-2015) -- Palomar will try to close its injury-ridden 2015 football season on a positive note on Saturday when the Comets visit Santa Ana College (1 p.m., Eddie West Field at Santa Ana Stadium) in their final game.

The Comets will be trying to end the season with a 4-6 record. The Dons come into the game 1-8.

Freshman tight end Robert Ursua, who has come on strong late in the season, has been cleared to play after a scare on the final play last week against Fullerton when he sustained a possible neck injury. He was released after spending the night at Palomar Medical Center and cleared by doctors to play Saturday.

Quarterback Austin Early, running back Daviante Sayles, receiver/kick returner Wayne Ganan, center Charlie Long, offensive tackle Mike Stevens, defensive tackle Hunter Moore, linebacker Michael Almodovar, cornerback Diovanni Brewer and strong safety Malique Taylor are listed starters for Saturday that will be playing their final game as Comets.

SATURDAY'S PALOMAR LINEUP

TOP PHOTO: Garrett Fielder takes a handoff on his 23-yard run for Palomar's second touchdown on Saturday. The hidden blocker for the Comets, who is engaging Fullerton's 6-foot-3, 295-pound defensive tackle Dominic Sanchez, is Matt Kesling, who came in when starting center Charlie Long aggravated an injury DIRECTLY ABOVE: Quarterback Austin Early straight-arms the Hornets' Steve Everette on a keeper. -- Photo by Hugh Cox

Hornets sting injury-ridden PC in home finale

ESCONDIDO (11-06-2015) -- Last week, Palomar nearly upset Golden West, ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 3 in the nation, and the Comets have been in the game against almost every opponent during what has been a disappointing football season.

But Palomar, banged up by injuries, were never in the game on Saturday, when it fell 42-14 at Escondido High's Wilson Stadium to an up-and-down Fullerton College team that has defeated defending state champion Mt. SAC and clobbered Riverside City College 52-21 when the Tigers were ranked second in the nation.

The Hornets (6-4, 3-3 in the Southern Conference), who were playing their last regular-season game, jumped in front 4 minutes, 32 seconds into the game on Trey Tinsley's 1-yard quarterback sneak. They were never in trouble.

An inability to defend against vertical pass routes and more injuries to key players during the game destroyed the Comets' chances as Tinsley, Tanner Hodges and Colin Kearon passed for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Hodges came in for an early series to throw for a TD, Phillip Butler scored on a 1-yard run and Deryck Fletcher returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown.

For Palomar (3-6, 1-4), Austin Early was 20-for-36 passing for 186 yards including an 18-yard touchdown to running back Daviante Sayles. Garrett Fiehler scored the Comets' second TD on a 23-yard run with 2:56 left in the game.

Reggie Wilson kicked the PAT after the first touchdown, then switched with regular holder Sam Tapia, so Wilson held as Tapia, the Comets' punter, kicked the second extra point.

Sayles finished with 134 total yards, 9 rushing on 11 carries and 85 yards on eight pass receptions. Tight end Robert Ursua also had eight catches for 78 yards, but the game was ended 10 seconds early after Ursua sustained a neck injury being tackled at the end of a 17-yardreception of an Early pass for a first down.

Ursua was transported by ambulance to a local hospital for precautionary reasons and was expected to be released later in the evening.

Devyn Comer had 2 sacks for the Comets for 14 yards. Taylor Thorne contributed 7 tackles including a tackle for loss, while Christian Prince had 5 tackles and broke up a pass. Diovanni Brewer and Hunter Moore each had five tackles.

The Comets played most of the game without Wayne Ganan (injury), and the complete game without leading tackler Brad Dozier (injury), J.D. Fox (illness) and long snapper Austin Parades (season-ending injury. They lost center Charlie Long, receiver Dakota Jones and Moore during the game with injuries.

Palomar will end the season against Santa Ana College next Saturday afternoon at Santa Ana Stadium's Eddie West Field.

GAME STATS

Palomar's Daviante Sayles breaks into open against state No. 1 and nationally No. 3-rated Golden West last week. Sayles rushed for 100 yards on 18 carries and caught seven passes for 31 yards in a near-upset against the Rustlers. The Comets host Fullerton on Saturday afternoon in their final home game. -- Photo by Hugh Cox

PC hosts Hornets in rare day game Saturday

ESCONDIDO (11-06-2015) -- Palomar, coming off a near-upset against now state No. 1-ranked and nationally No. 3-ranked Golden West, will close out its home season on Saturday with a rare afternoon game against Fullerton College.

The Comets need two wins against the Hornets and Santa Ana College next week on the road to finish the regular season at .500 (at 5-5 and 3-3 in the Southern Conference) and become bowl eligible.

Fullerton, a national Top Ten team in the preseason, comes in to Saturday's game at 5-4, 2-3 in the Southern Conference.

Austin Early (35-for-48 passing for 353 yards with 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions), Daviante Sayles (100 yards passing on 18 carries and 7 receptions), Wayne Ganan (10 catches for 106 yards and 2 TDs) and Robert Ursua (8 catches for 110 yards) all had big games against Golden West.

But it wasn't enough to pull the Comets through as the Rustlers scored on two late pass plays to break a 21-21 tie and pull out a 34-21 win.

Due to injuries, Palomar probably be without its leading tackler, Brad Dozier, while the availability of receiver / kick returner Wayne Ganan will be a game-day decision.

Fullerton quarterback Trey Tinsley has passed for 1,743 yards and 11 touchdowns with six interceptions. The Hornets have a bye next week and will be closing their regular seson Saturday.

SATURDAY'S PALOMAR LINEUP

TOP PHOTO: Brad Dozier (No. 30) and Christian Prince (24) put a hurt on Golden West running back Johnny Hills. The Comets held the Rustlers to 62 yards rushing. DIRECTLY ABOVE: Quarterback Austin Early flips the ball to running back Daviante Says (not pictured) for an 8-yard gain on a shovel pass late in the second quarter. -- Photos by Hugh Cox. BELOW LEFT: Wayne Ganan, who caught 10 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns. BELOW RIGHT: Daviante Sayles, who rushed for 100 yards. Both Ganan and Sayles returned to the game after sustaining injuries

PC upset bid is short vs. nation's No. 5 team

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