Photo by: Tony Leon/Action West Photography

WHITTIER, Calif. - Claremont-M-S freshman quarterback Patrick Rooney and senior wide receiver Nick Marineau stunned the Whittier College football team on Saturday evening with a six-yard hook up just 19 seconds after the Poets scored what appeared to be the winning touchdown in a wild 21-17 game at Memorial Stadium.

Through three quarters the teams managed just 10 points but combined for 28 in the final seven minutes which includes 14 in the final 34 seconds.

Whittier (3-5, 1-4 SCIAC) faced a 14-10 deficit with 2:40 to play in the fourth quarter but needed only 1:59 to reclaim the lead. Sophomore quarterback Alesana Sausau led a nine-play, 60-yard, drive that was aided by two fourth down conversions to put the Poets up 17-14.

On fourth and six from the CMS 24 Sausau tossed a screen to senior Paul Schilling who found his way to the 14-yardline for a new set of downs. Three incomplete passes later the Poets faced their second fourth down of the drive but this one resulted in six points.

Sausau found Josh Ollison in the corner of the endzone for the fifth lead change of the game.

Claremont (4-4, 2-3 SCIAC) needed only two plays following the kick return to score the game winner. On its first play from scrimmage Rooney found Jacob Tobis for 46 yards and on the ensuing play it was Marineau who hauled in the winning pass.

CMS and Whittier entered the game as two of the top rushing offenses in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Poets outgained the Stags on the ground, 208-173, and for the game, 280-274.

Pete Mitchell, who was the fourth different quarterback to start under center for the Poets this season, led all ball carriers with 73 yards. DJ Lillard was the top rusher for Claremont with 53 yards on 14 carries.

Whittier struck first with 32-yard field goal from Roman Ferreira in the first quarter. Aaron Alonzo sacked Rooney for a loss of 14 yards and forced a fumble that was recovered by Ryan Kirkpatrick. The offense then traveled 18 yards to set up Ferreira's kick.

The Stags scored the only points of the second quarter on a 17 yard run by Andrew Segal.

Jared Cato had a game-high nine tackles (1.0-7 for loss) while Josh Lomeli and Chris Syfers each had eight. Tyson Schilling had a game-high 2.5 tackles for loss.

The loss is the eighth straight in the series against Claremont-M-S. The Poets last defeated CMS in 2001 (10-3) but still hold a 28-24 series advantage.

Whittier returns to the field next weekend for its annual showdown with SCIAC rival Occidental in the Battle for The Shoes. The game is set for a 1 pm kickoff at Memorial Stadium on November 14.