Box Score Box Score
Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
AZUSA PACIFIC, Calif. – The Whittier College football team opened their 2011 season as they traveled to Azusa Pacific on Saturday evening but was unable to come away with the win as they fell 51-3.
The Poets who have a whole new coaching staff including new Head Coach Kirk Jellerson and offensive coordinator Todd Stratton have a highly talented team that includes transfers Charles Scicli from San Jose State, Dameron Fooks from Oklahoma State, and Idean Vandi from De Anza College to name a few.
1st Quarter (Azusa – 7, Whittier – 0)
Entering the game, Whittier was poised to get revenge on the Cougars from last season's 46-21 loss. In the first quarter, Whittier received the ball as John O'Malley brought it back for 19 yards. The first series of the season the Poets had one first down but was forced to punt after gaining 20 yards. Azusa then came down the field in 5 plays for 80 yards and scored on a John Van den Raadt rush from 13 yards out.
The purple and gold came right back and put together a nice series themselves as they marched down in 12 plays for 42 yards and attempted a 35 yard field goal but it was blocked. The Poet defense then forced a three and out on the Cougars next series and then Chris Lopez the quarterback for the Poets marched Whittier down the field with 16 plays for 81 yards that ended in a 23 yard field goal by Douglas Soriano.
2nd Quarter (Azusa – 27, Whittier – 3)
On this drive Lopez completed a 16 yard pass to Cardell Turner, a pass to Kimble Tillman for 15 yards, while Tillman came back to rush for 10 yards that brought the ball down to APU's 32. Lopez completed another pass to Turner for seven yards and then rushed for 11 yards himself that got the Poets down to APU's 14 yard line and a first down. The ball was then spotted on the APU's six yard line and Soriano then converted the 23 yard field goal.
The Cougars turned right back around to take the ball down for seven plays for 51 yards to put up another touchdown from Johnell Murphy.
On the ensuing possession Whittier was three and out and the Cougars got the ball on Whittier's 45 yard line but on the next series for the Cougars, Alex Mitchell intercepted a Van den Raadt pass and returned it 38 yards to get the ball back for the Poets. With this play, Whittier became energized and had the momentum shift with an opportunity to put more points on the scoreboard but a minute later Jake Mittel from APU intercepted a Lopez pass and stopped the Whittier drive.
On the next Cougars series, they had a 60 yard run from Murphy that brought the ball all the way down to the WC 2 and then from there Terrel Watson rushed it in to put Azusa up 21-3.
Azusa then ended up forcing Whittier in a three and out situation and on their next series they went six plays for 40 yards with Van den Raadt completing a two yard pass to Tyson Hetzer letting the Cougars take a 27-3 lead into halftime.
3rd Quarter (Azusa – 44, Whittier – 3)
Beginning the third quarter, Azusa received the ball and the kickoff was kicked out of bounds so the Cougars started from their 40 yard line. David Trifeletti rushed for a 53 yard touchdown and put the Cougars up 34-3. On the ensuing drive for the Poets, Keaton Herrera was forced to punt and the Cougars started on their own 45 and on the first play from scrimmage Van den Raadt rushed for a 55 yard touchdown that put APU up 41-3.
With 10:32 remaining in the third quarter, Charles Scicli forced a fumble of Oliver Petty and Karsten Tindal recovered it at the WC 39. So the Poets took over and began their drive but Lopez was sacked for a six yard loss and Herrera was forced to punt again. So there was still life in the Poets and they continued to fight against the more experienced Azusa squad.
Whittier then forced a three and out on the Cougars next series and then Kelly McGuire was brought in for the Poets but lost a fumble on APU's 29.
Azusa then came down on their next possession with eight plays for 68 yards and tacked on a 20 yard field goal to move the score to 44-3.
McGuire then took the next series and marched the Poets down with a 21 yard completion to Makale Ruiz-McCobb and began the fourth quarter with back to back first downs as Tillman caught a pass for 11 yards and Turner for 12.
4th Quarter (Azusa – 51, Whittier – 3)
In the fourth, McGuire led the Poets down to the APU 24 and went six plays for 56 yards but was unable to come away with a score. Azusa then got the ball back and went down 76 yards in nine plays to score their final touchdown by Watson who rushed it in from 26 yards out that put the score at 51-3.
The Poets had one final possession with only 49 seconds remaining and McGuire brought Whittier down in seven plays for 33 yards with a first down completion to Fooks for 15 yards, but that would be as far as they would get as time expired.
Wrap-up
For the game, Whittier was outrushed 441-50 and in total offense 619-263. Lopez rushed for 47 yards for the game, while Osby and Tillman each ran for 16 yards. Lopez was 10-29 for 88 yards passing, while McGuire was 12-22 for 125 yards.
Turner for the game had seven receptions for 74 yards, while Oreese Hoyes had four receptions for 43 yards. Herrera had a long of 47 yards on punting, and O'Malley had a total of 72 yards returning.
After the game Coach Jellerson explained to his players that they had just played in a title fight (boxing), and that their opponent had more fights under their belt, they were just the more experienced team. As the season progresses, the team will become stronger and even with the loss, Jellerson is optimistic that the team will make an impact in SCIAC.
The Poets return to the field as they play in their home opener against Puget Sound Saturday, September 24 with kickoff beginning at 1:00pm. Last year's game against the Loggers ended in a six overtime win for the Poets 42-39.
