GLENDORA, Calif. – Conference football returned to the Whittier College schedule Saturday night for the first time in nearly four years.
The Poets opened SCIAC play against Azusa Pacific University at Citrus Stadium, falling 35-17 while getting career and season-best performances on both sides of the ball.
Saturday marked Whittier's first SCIAC game since November 12, 2022, giving the Poets their first look at conference competition in the program's return to league play.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Whittier struck first early in the second.
Preston Yado lined up for his first field goal attempt of the season and connected from 47 yards, giving the Poets a 3-0 lead with 12:32 left before halftime.
Azusa Pacific answered with two touchdowns before the break and carried a 14-3 lead into halftime.
The Poets found their biggest offensive play of the night midway through the third quarter.
James Mertz connected with
Alex Cobbs for a 59-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 21-10. The play was Whittier's longest gain of the game and gave Cobbs his first reception of the night in a big spot.
Azusa Pacific answered later in the quarter, but Whittier continued to move the ball through the air.
Early in the fourth, Mertz led an eight-play, 66-yard drive before finding
Brandon Solaita for a 13-yard touchdown to bring the Poets within 28-17.
Solaita turned in the best receiving performance of his career, finishing with seven catches for 119 yards and his first touchdown in the Purple & Gold.
The triple-digit performance marked a new career high for Solaita, who also added 14 yards on a kickoff return.
Mertz finished 16-for-28 through the air for a season-high 231 yards and two touchdowns.
Whittier totaled 302 yards of offense, with 231 coming through the passing game.
Eddie Don added four catches for 42 yards, while
Marco Joseph also hauled in four passes.
On the ground,
Ashton Keyes led the Poets with 49 rushing yards on 16 carries.
Defensively, freshman linebacker
Jordan Barber turned in the strongest tackling performance of his young career.
Barber finished with a career-high 10 total tackles, including four solo stops and six assists, to lead the Whittier defense.
Sergio Carillo followed with eight tackles, while
Angel Escandon and
Brandon Morris each added seven.
Whittier also forced multiple turnovers.
Malachi Dhanifu forced a fumble, while
Logan Jones and
Austin Henry each recovered one.
The Poets stayed competitive on special teams as well.
Yado converted his 47-yard field goal in the second quarter and made both extra-point attempts.
Jayden Icasiano averaged 43 yards across three punts, including one that traveled 50 yards.
Although Azusa Pacific controlled much of the rushing game, Whittier continued to create explosive plays through the air and produced scoring drives in three different quarters.
The result opened the Poets' SCIAC schedule and gave Whittier several performances to build on as conference play continues.
Whittier remains on the road for its next matchup, traveling to Orange, Calif. on Saturday, October 3, to face reigning SCIAC champion Chapman University. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Ernie Chapman Stadium.
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