Jolene Nacapuy
Sports Editor
Hal Hargrave
Staff Writer
Coming onto the field to play its last home game of the season, the La Verne football team was hoping to send out its 14 seniors on a good note against the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens.
With that in mind, the Leopards did just that and earned their first win, 41-37, in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
With two interceptions made in the game and a strong second half, the Leopards were able to get past the Sagehens.
The team is 1-5 in SCIAC and 2-6 overall.
“Our attitude throughout the game was much more positive and we seemed more together as a team regardless of the highs and lows,” junior running back Travis Sparks-Jackson said. “Throughout the season, we have not lost the mentality of continuing to have fun in each game but it definitely felt good to come out with a win for our seniors today.”
Pomona-Pitzer scored early in the first quarter with 9:22 left in the game with a pass by sophomore quarterback Alex Bresler to sophomore tight end Ian Schiffer, 7-0.
With multiple first down conversions made by senior quarterback Justin Gomez, the Leopards answered back.
At the 18-yard line with 4:26 left, Gomez gave the ball to junior wide receiver Alex Villalobos, scoring a touchdown, tying the game at seven.
To start the second quarter of the game, Gomez passed the ball to senior wide receiver Jon Lilly, for a 17-yard reception.
Lilly finished the game with 86-yards.
Tied at 14 with 11:12 to go, junior linebacker Kason Kennedy intercepted the ball that was intended for Pomona-Pitzer freshman running back Jacob Fowler on the 18-yard line.
“On my first interception I dropped into coverage in the right spot and all I had to do was make sure I caught it to complete the play,” Kennedy said.
Unable to get a touchdown, the Sagehens had another touchdown, 21-14 taking back the lead.
“Our defensive game plan was to stop their run game and their running back Asseal Birir,” head coach Chris Krich said. “Their quarterback Alex Bresler did an exceptional job of throwing the ball when we were queued in on their running game and picked crucial spots in our coverage to throw the ball downfield where even I thought we had their players covered well.”
Heading into the third quarter with a 27-24 lead, the Leopards started off quick with first down conversions.
A touchdown from Gomez to Sparks-Jackson to Villalobos gave La Verne a 34-24 lead.
“Coach assured us that the defense was going to get things squared away in the second half, which they did with some big plays down the stretch in some key moments,” Gomez said. “It put our offense in a position to give us a strong chance to win.”
It was a back-and-forth ball game as both teams tried to take back the lead.
Sophomore running back Dallas Parent returned the ball for 78-yards to start the ball on the 9-yard line in the fourth quarter.
With 7:32 left in the fourth quarter and the Sagehens in the lead 37-34, the Leopards continued to push.
Gomez and Sparks-Jackson worked phenomenally together, pushing across the field, ultimately scoring a touchdown, putting La Verne back in the lead, 41-37.
“Travis did what he has done all season and performed at a high level, even along with our other running backs including Dallas Parent,” Krich said.
“Travis has the ability to put a team on his back and run the ball hard and carried his team to victory.”
Sparks-Jackson ran for 138 yards and Parent had 76. Gomez was 18-for-28 with 256-yards and three touchdowns.
“Today I played for my aunt who passed away earlier this week from breast cancer. She has been fighting it for ten years,” Gomez said. “I played with her in my thoughts and I still wear this pink sleeve for her and those still fighting.”
The two-minute warning sounded, putting pressure on the Leopards defense to hold it together and they did just that.
Kennedy once again found an easy pass by Bresler and took the ball at the 48-yard line.
“The second interception was a broken play on the Sagehens offense and I saw one of their receivers start to come into my zone so I jumped the route and made sure to catch the ball,” Kennedy said.
The Sagehens hoped to win the game with a Hail Mary, but because of all the defenders in the end zone, they were unsuccessful, resulting in a Leopards win.
The Leopards had a total of 506-yards offensively.
“Next week for me will be bittersweet with seeing some of my close friends, my brothers and some of my teammates play their final game alongside of me,” Sparks-Jackson said.
The Leopards will face the Cal Lutheran Kingsmen for their final game of the season Saturday at 1 p.m. at William Rolland Stadium.
“We always have a lot of energy when we play Cal Lutheran,” Lilly said. “We just have to come out again next week with a lot of energy against the team that plays man coverage and use our better athletes to just beat them one-on-one.”
Jolene Nacapuy can be reached at jolene.nacapuy@laverne.edu.
Hal Hargrave can be reached at hallett.hargrave@laverne.edu.
