The football team proved Friday with a 43-17 win against Los Angeles Southwest College that it’s ready to get rid of the chip on its shoulder.

After a devastating season with the first four wins forfeited due to an ineligible player and another four losses, the Warriors are ready to move on and win.

“At the end of the day, we’re a whole new team and it’s a whole new year,” Ricky Johnson, running back, said. “We’re going to stick to the game plan and run it as hard as possible.”

For Ricky Johnson, the first play of the game was the best play.

“After being shot three years ago, it was just a blessing to get back out there. I didn’t get much playing time last year, so this meant a lot,” Ricky Johnson said. “And of course, winning the game was the second best feeling.”

With a total of 536 offensive yards, Omar Herrera, quarterback, completed 18 of 27 passes for 268 yards and a touch down during Friday’s game.

“Our offense outperformed itself,” Ricky Johnson, runningback, said. “We have a state championship offense and we’re only going to get better.”

In the first quarter, Ricky Johnson rushed for 5 yards giving the Warriors a first down, which would eventually setup a field goal attempt to put them ahead 3-0. With nine minutes, left Herrera put the ball in Peter Walton’s, running back, hands who rushed for 3 yards and a touchdown.

After going up 9-0 with 1:22 on the clock, Ivan McLennan, linebacker, intercepted Southwest’s quarterback, Shas Alexander’s pass on the first play of the drive.

Ricky Johnson added to the Warriors lead in the second quarter after rushing for 6 yards and a touchdown in a third-down-attempt putting them on top 23-10.

But after a 64-yard drive, A.J. Johnson rushed for a 2-yard touchdown giving the Warriors the lead, 29-10.

Southwest started the third quarter with a 50-yard scoring drive, but after Sule Tate recovered a fumble late in the quarter, the Warriors responded with a touchdown drive to put then ahead 36-17.

A 15-yard completed touchdown pass from Herrera to Jarrad Shaw, wide receiver, in the fourth quarter gave the Warriors a 43-17 lead and a win.

“The offense gave a solid performance,” John Featherstone, coach, said. “We had a good blend of running and passing the ball.”

Ricky Johnson compiled almost half of the rushing yards alone for a total of 110 yards.

Brady Luckner, wide receiver, had 88 receiving yards on five catches, while Kenneth Holmes, wide receiver, caught six passes for 81 yards making them the leading receivers of the game.

Freshman linebackers Ivan McLennan and Derek Largent helped lead the defense in limiting Southwest to only 91 passing yards.

“They played good defense overall,” Featherstone said. “They’re an anxious group though and they knew they had too many penalties.”

The Warriors will meet Grossmont College at home 6 p.m. Saturday where Featherstone believes the team will truly be challenged.

“We’re both young in some spots,” Featherstone said. “They have a good running backs and a quarterback who can scramble.”

Though it’s early in the season and hard to tell just how far the Warriors will go, Featherstone said as long as they get better on both sides and avoid turning over the ball, they look good.