Ethan Anderson
Assistant Editor
The Leopards hosted northwest foe Puget Sound in front of 1,246 fans at Ortmayer Stadium on Saturday night for their home opener. Little did they know they were in for an exciting double overtime night, unfortunately ending with a 49-41 Leopards’ loss.
“We came to fight. It turned into a shootout, and it didn’t end up in our favor, but it shows we’ve got what we need to play,” sophomore quarterback Brian Rudden said.
The Leopards opened their season with a 27-24 overtime loss to Willamette in Oregon on Sept. 7.
“With two back-to-back double-overtime games, you can’t ask about the energy or effort,” assistant coach Augustino Adams said. “We’ve just got to find a way to get the football gods on our side.”
On the defensive side, the Leopards set the tone early. On the Loggers’ opening drive, senior defensive back Vicente Zepeda penetrated the Loggers’ line of scrimmage uncontested and forced a fumble during the handoff.
Senior linebacker De Lante’ Moore pounced on the ball and returned it 52 yards for the first touchdown at Ortmayer this year.
“This is the best start to a season we’ve had in the three seasons I’ve been here,” Adams said. “One break here and one break there, and it would be a different story.”
Rudden posted 281 passing yards and three touchdowns. In the second quarter, he found junior Isaiah McNaught-Thornton for a 46-yard completion, setting the stage for a 32-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Jayson Lopez.
The game was back and forth all night, with Puget Sound seemingly having an answer for every scoring play from the Leopards.
Following the entertaining halftime performance, the score was knotted up at 17. The Leopards opened scoring first when sophomore wide receiver Jimmy Rumsey caught a 14-yard pass. Loggers senior quarterback Mason Binning responded with a 67-yard pass to junior receiver Joe Gallagher.
“It really came down to what happened on the field,” freshman defensive back Justin Mondini said. “On the sideline, we were communicating with our coaches very well, a lot of good things going on.”
The Leopards entered the fourth quarter leading 31-24, but the Loggers tied the game with a 72-yard, 17-play drive, then took the lead with 1:25 remaining. Rudden and Rumsey maintained their connection and tied the game with a 31-yard passing touchdown, sending the game to overtime.
The game was tied at 38 going into overtime, where the Leopards couldn’t quite get back to the end zone for a touchdown.
“Battle, tough, and a learning experience,” senior defensive lineman and long snapper Justin MacAthur said of the Saturday night loss.
A 36-yard field goal by Lopez put the Leopards ahead of the Loggers, 41-38.
The Loggers got within field goal range, tied the game, and carried that momentum into the second overtime quarter, scoring in just two plays.
“We are hoping to come away winning these close games,” Rudden said. “It’s two in a row, both in double overtime. We just need to finish.”
Rumsey was the star of the game, posting 144 receiving yards on six receptions and a career-high three touchdowns, all on his birthday. His performance Saturday ties his touchdown total from all of last season.
Another offensive standout for the Leopards was freshman running back Arthur McCown, who ran for a career-high 110 yards on just 11 carries.
“We played very well at certain times, didn’t play well at others,” head coach Chris Krich said. “Both sides of the ball made plays and had opportunities to make those plays. We need more consistency in what we’re doing,”
“It’s hard to ask more of what these guys are doing. They’re pouring their heart and soul into this program,” Adams said. “We need a few more breaks to go our way, and I think we are going to do some special things.”
Ethan Anderson can be reached at ethan.anderson@laverne.edu.
Ethan Anderson is a senior communications major with a concentration in public relations. He is the LV Life editor and a staff photographer for the Campus Times, and a staff writer and photographer for La Verne Magazine. He has previously been a staff writer for the Campus Times. As a lifelong student-athlete, he has picked up valuable skills that he seeks to apply in his career in public relations, and ultimately make an impact.
Chris Rodriguez is a senior photography major and photo editor of the Campus Times.
