Reedley College may have lost its conference football opener in Sacramento Saturday afternoon. But according to head coach Rob Hartenfels, don't blame the Tiger defense.

" The defense played an outstanding game and gave us a chance to win," said the coach after the 16-14 conference loss to a 2-4 Sacramento City College Panther team. "Our offense just did not execute well."

Reedley takes a 4-2 season record into Saturday's 1 pm matchup at the Reedley High School Stadium and Sal Gonzalez Field against the 4-2 Modesto Junior College Pirates. MJC opened conference play Saturday night with a 65-14 Homecoming win over the winless West Hills College Falcons. The Pirates averaged 11.7 yards per play against West Hills and recorded seven rushing touchdowns. Modesto's two losses this season have come against unbeaten College of San Mateo (ranked first in both polls) and unbeaten City College of San Francisco (ranked second in one poll and third in the other).

Going into this week's play, Modesto was ranked 12th in the sports information directors pool two spots ahead of the Tigers, and was 11th in the JC Athletic Bureau poll.

In Sacramento, the Tigers were trailing 10-0 when on the final play of the first half Devin McGee picked up a blocked field goal attempt and ran about 70 yards for a Tiger touchdown.

The Panthers increased the lead to 16-7 late in the third quarter before Reedley closed out the scoring with just under 3 minutes remaining on a 67-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Solomon to Jaylin Jackson.

The Tigers out game the Panthers to 222 to 151 but sac City picked up six first downs on Reedley penalties.

By: Will Goldbeck