by Rosie Sinapi
Sports Editor
Besides the battle for Homecoming Queen, there will be another battle in Ortmayer Stadium tomorrow. While Homecoming booths are coming down, the University of La Verne football team will be battling the University of Redlands at its 1 p.m. Homecoming game.
When these two teams last saw one another, it was the Leopards who came out on top, 36-6. But a year has changed both teams. La Verne is the No. 23 team in the nation according to the Columbus Multimedia Division III poll, with an overall record of 5-0 and 3-0 in SCIAC.
The Leos are coming off a win against Whittier College, 35-6. The Bulldogs, like the Leos, are also coming off of a win and are 3-1-1, overall, and 2-0, conference.
Both teams have strong defensive units. The Leos have kept their opponents to 14 points on average per game. Likewise, in Redlands’ game against Cal Lutheran last Saturday, the Bulldogs held the Kingsmen to seven points.
The main concern for both defensive units will be limiting the running backs, the Leos with senior Darren MacLellan and the Bulldogs with Anthony Jones and junior Matt Figueroa.
Also a concern for the defenses will be the quarterbacks, the Bulldogs have an experienced player in senior Bobby Hendrix, while the Leos have the Division III total offense leader, junior Ryan Campuzano.
According to La Verne Head Coach Rex Huigens, if the Leos throw the ball and the offensive line gives good pass protection, they will win.
“Redlands has a big, physical defense. If our offensive lineman play well, we’ll win,” he said.
The Leos have been averaging 40 points per game, in part because of their offensive linemen’s pass protection and opening holes for their teammates.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” said freshman offensive lineman Dan Fewx. “Hopefully when Saturday comes around, we’ll be ready to rock and roll.”
In order to keep Redlands from using their damaging running game, Huigens is focusing on the key Bulldogs.
“If we don’t stop them [Jones and Figueroa], we’re going to lose. We’re designing our defense to stop the running game,” he said.
In the past three years, the winner of this game has went on to win SCIAC. Huigens said, “If you can’t get excited about this game, what can you get excited for?”
Keeping the enthusiasm and stopping the running game may be the key to tomorrow’s game, but in last Saturday’s romp at Whittier College, the Leos found another way to beat the Poets by limiting the Poet passing game.
“We didn’t play with the enthusiasm we like to,” said Huigens. “I feel good that we won. We got the job done.”
La Verne did not score until late in the first quarter when MacLellan took the ball in for a 20-yard touchdown run. MacLellan ended the night with 140 yards on 28 carries. He is currently the fifth most prolific rusher in Leo history, with 1,806 yards on 287 carries and 22 touchdowns.
Thanks to the Leopard defense, ULV was able to keep the Poets offense from producing on their next offensive series.
The start of the second quarter saw a new dawn for the Leos, scoring early off Juan Contreras’ 23-yard field goal. Five minutes later, he kicked another one, giving the Leos a 12-0 lead.
Doing most of the damage to the Whittier offense was the defensive line. Junior Sean Fenison, senior Kelly Mattson, senior Ty Youngblood, senior Bob Gleason, senior Lou Parra and junior Doug Dubois and the rest of the defense did an excellent job in limiting yards. They held the Poets to just over 200 total yards. Likewise, junior defensive back Cory Cofer offered no hope for the Poets, limiting their main receiver, junior Art Cuellar, to only two receptions.
The Leos ended the half by scoring one more time, with a 2-yard Campuzano keeper. Campuzano finished the game with 205 passing yards.
In a long third quarter, the Leos scored twice, once on a Contreras field goal and another on a 30-yard pass to sophomore Rob Graves.
Whittier saw no savior in the fourth as the Leos continued to dominate, scoring off another MacLellan run.
Knowing they were in over their heads, the Poets opted for a new quarterback to end their scoreless night.
Freshman Bryan La Vigne, who threw for 48 yards on three passes, was pulled for junior Tyrone Phillips who threw for 163 yards on nine passes. It was too little too late. Phillips in his half-a-quarter produced for the Poets. He connected with Cuellar for a 44-yard pass to the 1-yard line. Senior Rene Barton took the ball in for the only Whittier touchdown of the game.
Rosie Sinapi
