Box Score Photos by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – In the 70th meeting for the "Shoes Trophy" and the 106th meeting overall between Whittier and Occidental the Poets came out victorious holding onto the Coveted "Shoes" Saturday afternoon with a 59-52 victory snapping their seven game losing skid.
Whittier earns their second straight victory over the Tigers holding onto "The Shoes" after they had taken them last year on the road in a 61-30 victory. They also now tie the rivalry series at 35 games apiece.
As the legend has it, members of the Oxy football team stole Myron Claxton's cleats prior to the game in 1939, forcing the star running back to play in his work boots. Claxton still led the Poets to a victory and reclaimed his shoes from the Oxy sideline following the game. A few years later, the shoes were bronzed by the Franklin Society and the rivalry has become the longest standing rivalry game west of the Mississippi in all of Division III.
Prior to the game, Whittier College head coach Todd Stratton recognized his 11 seniors who were taking part in their final home game of their collegiate career. These seniors included Brandon Gladney (Los Angeles, Calif.), Cameron Coon (Whittier, Calif.), Anthony Walker (San Diego, Calif.), Nick Alcantar (Northridge, Calif.), Chucky Vega (Orange, Calif.), Jacob Former (Huntington Beach, Calif.), Tony Jarjoura (Fort Olgethorpe, GA), Matt Asaro (San Diego, Calif.), Alex Jungsten (Orangevale, Calif.), Kelly Maguire (Aurora, Calif.), and Nathan Poole (San Diego, Calif.).
The game that included big plays, a record broken, and one big defensive stand by the Poet defensive unit on the Tigers final drive kept the Poet faithful on the edge of their seats.
Whittier saw Oxy have a chance to tie the game up with a 1st and goal opportunity from the three yard line with under a minute to play after they had gone 10 plays covering 77 yards. But after three straight incomplete passes to Samuel Stekol in the end zone who hauled in a 3rd and 17 reception for 50 yards during the drive, Whittier stopped quarterback Bryan Scott on a quarterback keeper, which sealed the Poet victory.
After an early 33 yard field goal by the Poets' Jungsten Oxy responded capitalizing on a short field with a six yard touchdown reception to Devin Bullock.
Ending the first quarter and opening up the second Whittier put together a strong drive going 77 yards on 11 plays in 4:37 capped off with a two yard touchdown run from Walker. Soon after Diante Jackson (Oakland, Calif.) would get into the mix taking a pass from Steven Rivera (El Monte, Calif.) on their next series on a slant pattern going 48 yards to put the Poets up 17-7.
But Oxy responded on their ensuing drive when Scott found a wide open Cordell Harris down the sideline for a 72 yard reception that pulled the Tigers within three.
After a Poet fake punt failed with 9:47 to play in the half, Occidental would regain their lead with Samuel Crizer punching it in from a yard out. But on the ensuing kickoff, freshman Cody Mucino (Henderson, NV) would break out for a 90 yard kickoff return touchdown, his first of the season that put the Purple & Gold up 24-21.
A late 19 yard field goal from Marc Kuzbari closed out the half for the Tigers knotting the game up at 24.
The third quarter proved to be a high scoring affair as a combined 21 points were scored, the highest scoring quarter of the game. Whittier got things started in the second half thanks to an interception by Jontavious Timmons (Tampa, FL), which set up a 14 yard haul by Mucino that put the Poets back in front by seven. After a big 41 yard return by Harris that gave Oxy great field position and a 56 yard reception by Stekol, Kwame Do capped off the drive with a two yard touchdown run that evened the game up for the second time.
Oxy would force a three out on the Poets next series and would put together yet another strong drive to go back out in front when Scott found Stekol from 31 yards out. Two minutes later, Whittier would respond with Timmons blocking a Kuzbari punt, which would be picked up by Billy Thomas (Bellflower, Calif.) and ran back for a touchdown that evened the game up at 38-38.
Do would eventually break out for a big gain with 4:25 to play in the third when he hit a big hole up front that allowed him to go 55 yards untouched into the end zone. Jackson would bring the next return out 32 yards setting up a long drive that covered 7 plays, and 68 yards capped off with Rivera finding Makale Ruiz-McCobb (Pomona, Calif.) up the seam from 29 yards out that tied the game up once more in the final seconds of the third.
But no sooner could the Poets celebrate the Oxy players would be as the opening kickoff of the fourth quarter would be taken back 99 yards by Harris that again put Occidental in front. Whittier wouldn't back down though and responded with their own scoring strike as Rivera would connect with Jackson on another slant route on the first play from scrimmage that went for 69 yards that evened the game up for the final time.
Oxy had an opportunity to put points on the board with 11:12 to play but Kuzbari would miss his 32 yard field goal wide, which the Poets used to march down the field in 12 plays, 80 yards in 5:44, which included a 20 yard quarterback keeper by Rivera that gave the Poets their final lead.
The game was tied or the lead changed hands 15 different times. Whittier totaled 516 yards of total offense (314 Passing; 202 Rushing) compared to Occidental's 567 yards (312 Passing; 255 Rushing).
Rivera who was getting his first start since Week 2 broke out for his best performance of the season going 17-25 for 314 yards and four touchdowns, while rushing 13 times for 103 yards and a score. Jackson who is the SCIAC leader in receiving yards finished the afternoon with four catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns, his longest being of 69 yards.
Do for Oxy reached a milestone this afternoon breaking the single season rushing record after totaling 197 yards on 24 carries. The previous record holder Gene Moore had a record best 1,084 yards set back in 1968. Do currently has 1,213 yards with one game remaining against La Verne next week.
Defensively, Whittier saw Trevor Phillips (La Habra, Calif.), Mundo Guzman (Covina, Calif.), and Alcantar record eight tackles apiece, with Guzman having three breakups and each having at least one tackle for a loss.
Whittier wraps up their 2013 season on the road next Saturday, November 16 as they take on Redlands beginning at 1:00pm.
