Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
LA VERNE, Calif. – The Whittier College Football team tried to act as spoiler Saturday evening against the University of La Verne during their Homecoming and despite putting up 30-points couldn't stop the Leopards offensively as they fell 50-30.
The Purple & Gold made it a six-point game early in the 4th quarter but saw ULV put up 21 points across the final 11:03 that handed them the home victory. Whittier moves back to .500 at 3-3, 1-2 SCIAC.
Whittier totaled 505 yards of total offense (410 Passing/95 Rushing) led by Miguel Avina (Indio, Calif.) who combined for four touchdowns. He was 25-for-38 passing for 367 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed 18 times for 52 yards and another TD.
It was a low scoring 1st quarter with ULV holding an 8-3 lead. La Verne struck first with a 52-yard pass and catch from Matt Albright to Matt Holiday. Then with 5:38 to play in the frame Whittier mounted a 10-play, 50-yard drive ending with Sam Aseh (El Monte, Calif.) knocking down a 28-yard field goal.
A big rush of 50 yards for Sam Taylor set the Leos up for another touchdown this time from Taylor who brought it in from four-yards out. The Poets though were able to answer on their first play from scrimmage on their ensuing drive as Avina found Hakim Williams Jr. (Riverside, Calif.) down the sideline for a 68-yard touchdown.
These though would be the only points put up by WC in the quarter as they trailed 22-10. In the 3rd quarter each team added touchdowns. ULV struck first with Holliday running it in from two-yards out, which ended a 9-play, 73-yard drive. Whittier then responded with Avina leading a 9-play, 73-yard drive himself capped off with a touchdown to Moises Gonzalez (Long Beach, Calif.) from 14-yards out. In the 4th, the Purple & Gold made it a six-point game at the 11:03 mark. They started with the ball and went 9-plays covering 89-yards in 4:26. During the series Avina found Gonzalez for hook-ups of 18-yards and 23-yards, and Williams Jr. for an 11-yard catch before running it in for a three-yard touchdown.
La Verne responded with another score on their next series pushing the advantage back to 13. But again WC was able to get within a score this time with a 5-play, 80-yard series, which included Avina finding Williams Jr. for a 47-yard hook-up, capped off with Gonzalez hauling in a 25-yard touchdown moving the score to 36-30.
With 7:22 to play, ULV added to their lead with Holliday taking it 49-yards to the house. Tough field position on Whittier's next series put them at 4th and 18 from their own WC2. They however would get stopped turning the ball over on downs, which led to ULV rushing it in from a yard out for the final points of the game.
Gonzalez led the receiving core with 14 catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Williams Jr. brought in five catches for 149 yards averaging 29.8 yards per catch and a score.
Andy Alvarez (West Covina, Calif.) joined Avina in the rushing attack with six attempts for 27 yards and Alex Retana (Whittier, Calif.) was held to just four carries for 10 yards. On kick-offs Zurie Clark (Upland, Calif.) was solid with six returns for a total of 118 yards, averaging 19.7 yards per return with a long being of 25. Aseh handled the kicking duties for the Poets going 3-for-3 on extra points along with a field goal of 28 yards. He also conducted kick-offs with six combining for 350 yards averaging 58.3 yards per kick.
On defense the Poets were tough all night forcing two fumbles and collecting an interception. Sean Hamilton (Henderson, NV) and Mark Tolmachoff (Hacienda Heights, Calif.) each add 10 tackles a piece with Tolmachoff adding a forced fumble. Meda Mazon (Riverside, Calif.) from the end spot added six solo tackles along with a forced fumble and Nickolas Perez (Shafter, Calif.) finished with five stops and a pick.
Whittier returns home this Saturday, October 26 to host Pomona-Pitzer beginning at 1:00pm.
