CLAREMONT, Calif. (Oct. 2, 2021) – The Whittier College football team had its first multi-takeaway game of the season in Saturday's SCIAC rematch at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, and came out of the game having won the takeaway battle with the Sagehens, 2-1.

Whittier's first takeaway came on the game's very first possession. Junior linebacker Aaron Martinez (Oak Harbor, Wash. / Oak Harbor) picked off the Sagehens' quarterback, giving the visiting side an immediate shot in the arm to begin the game. From there, junior place kicker Noah Handel (Laguna Beach, Calif. / Laguna Beach) knocked home a 41-yard field goal to spot the Poets to an early lead. Both Handel's made field goal attempts in 2021 have come from at least 41 yards out. Meanwhile, the Poets' second forced turnover of the game also came on the first play of a drive, this time early in the second quarter. Senior defensive lineman Hussayn Abdul-Qawi (Fontana, Calif. / Pomona) greeted the quarterback two yards behind the line of scrimmage, forcing the ball out before making the recovery himself, giving the Poets their best field position since Martinez' interception.

Abdul-Qawi went on to make another nice play in the fourth quarter, when he sacked the home quarterback for a 13-yard loss. Whittier's other sack came courtesy of linemate Nicholas Hanamaikai (West Covina, Calif. / Bishop Amat) on the Sagehens' last drive in the fourth quarter. Offensively, sophomore Juan Estrada (Bassett, Calif. / Bassett) led with a season-high 19 carries for 41 yards, and senior Hakim Williams Jr. (Covina, Calif. / Covina) led the Poets in receiving with three catches for 48 yards.

Head Coach Mike Neale and the Poets will have an opportunity to put any improvements they make on full display when they travel to Chapman University (3-1) on Saturday, Oct. 9 for a 7 p.m. tilt.

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