by Laura Czingula
Staff Writer
Though it was an extremely cold Saturday night in Whittier, the University of La Verne’s football team was hot, defeating the Whittier Poets 38-22.
Right away in the first quarter, both teams were hungry for a win. Whittier quarterback Bryan Perez had an 82-yard run for the first touchdown on the Poet’s opening drive.
Senior running back Jeff Parness answered with a 6-yard run for the second touchdown of the game to tie the score 7-7 with 7:01 remaining in the first.
Whittier came into some trouble when junior linebacker Anthony Russo from ULV knocked out Perez, breaking his collar bone. The game was delayed for about 10 minutes waiting for an ambulance to take him off the field. After the ambulance was gone, both teams were ready to play and La Verne took over.
In the second quarter, the Poets fumbled and freshman defensive lineman, Michael Barreiro was there to scoop it up giving ULV the ball on the 1-yard line.
Senior running back Anthony Rice finished the play with a pick off for a 1-yard gain and a touchdown. Freshman kicker Armando Hernandez added the extra point for a 14-7 La Verne lead with 14:10 left in the half.
It was La Verne’s ball, at 12:06 in the half, and it was on the 20-yard line first and 10. Rice carried the ball to the 28-yard line. A pass to junior wide receiver Fred Coffee was slightly bobbled, but caught for 19 yards and the Leopard first down.
Sophomore quarterback Ryan Hawkins, passed the ball to Rice which was completed for a 6-yard gain, while junior wide receiver Ervie Barnes also carried the ball, but a penalty for holding was called again against La Verne.
At second down and 10, Rice carried the ball 14 yards for the first down. On fourth down, ULV attempted the kick from the 16-yard line. The 26-yard field goal by Hernandez was good, and La Verne led 17-7 with 1:48 left in the half.
Though there was little time left in the half, Whittier fought down the field for a touchdown. Another pass interference penalty against ULV did not help, giving Whittier the ball at the 9-yard line. The pass was good to Poet Dan Young in the end zone, giving Whittier a touchdown at 47.8 seconds left ending the half 17-14.
“I think we started up slow, taking them lightly in the first half,” said senior defensive back Mike Dillard. “At half coach (Don) Morel was upset because we weren’t doing our job. We could have lost if we did not pick it up in the second half.”
The second half La Verne did pick it up and started out with an interception by junior defensive back Darryl Jackson who returned it 13 yards to the 2-yard line. Rice had a touchdown run and the kick by Hernandez was good, making the lead, 24-14 at 9:37 in the third quarter.
Jackson intercepted a Poet ball again at 6:21 in the third quarter and the Leopards took the ball over. Rice gained 7 yards on a the third down, and carried again for 7 yards for the Leopards first down.
Rice ended with 36 carries and 157 yards in the game.
Whittier saw what was coming and took a time out, so they could try to prevent a touchdown. The time out was no good and Rice found a wide open hole through Whittier’s defense for another touchdown and a 31-14 score.
In the final quarter of the game, Hawkins started out with a completed pass to Barnes who gained 22 yards. Rice then carried the ball 7 yards for a first down.
Hawkins looked for an open man in the end zone, but was sacked on the play at the 13-yard line, for a 9-yard loss. Rice regained the yards which brought up a third and goal from the 3-yard line. Coffee fought his way through the defense tumbling himself into the end zone for a touchdown, 38-14.
As the clock ran down, the Poets fumbled another ball and senior linebacker Roger Armijo was there to receive it and run 60 yards. Unfortunately, La Verne was unable to capitalize on the turnover.
The Poets answered right back minutes later with a 77-yard run by Battles, for a touchdown with 1:54 left and a score of 38-22.
“We played more focused in the second half, ” said Dillard.
“We did not play up to our potential,” said senior offensive line backer Pat Samsonas. “We still have to work a lot harder, especially if we want to beat Chapman next week. It was an ugly win but we will take it.”
The Leopards have a bye this weekend but play at Chapman next Saturday at 7 p.m.
