Karina Rodriguez
Sports Editor
The Leopards lost the Homecoming football game against the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, 34-12, Saturday at Ortmayer Stadium. La Verne began the game with two early touchdowns but could not keep up the momentum.
“We started off hot and then we obviously couldn’t convert first downs on offense … and defense is getting tired which is unacceptable,” head coach Richard Sanchez said.
Sanchez is hopeful to grant the Leopards a victory soon.
“The battle, the fight is still good,” Sanchez said. “We’re just not football smart right now.”
At 12:02 in the first quarter junior quarterback Ahmais Hart passed the ball to junior wide receiver Jimmy Rumsey.
Rumsey caught the ball and ran 16 yards to give La Verne their first touchdown of the game.
Rumsey credits his touchdown to reading the Sagenhens’ safety’s body language to trick him.
“His hips were square,” Rumsey said. “I stepped right and made him open that way and broke left and outran him and caught the ball right over the shoulder, textbook catch.”
Rumsey believes that while he had good plays, he thinks he has room for improvement.
“I can work on getting more open, you know, help my quarterbacks out,” Rumsey said.
After Rumsey’s touchdown, La Verne was unsuccessful in their extra point attempt.
Pomona-Pitzer defensive back Duncan Lee received the kick and returned it 98 yards to give the Sagehens their first points of the game, bringing the score to 6-2.
With 10:24 minutes left in the first quarter, junior running back Tyler McCown ran six yards to give La Verne another touchdown, bringing the score up to 12-2.
“Saw an open hole, got there … if I make a miss it’s a touchdown and if I don’t make a miss, I’m down to the 3 or 2 (yard line),” McCown said.
He credits his ability to better read players as something that helped him in this moment during the game and beyond.
“I think I did a much better job blocking today and making my reads and being able to get quick passes to allow the quarterback to have some sort of relief back there,” McCown said.
La Verne did not score another touchdown for the rest of the game.
Pomona-Pitzer scored three times in the second quarter to take the lead, 19-12.
During the third quarter, sophomore free safety Justin Mondini intercepted a pass by Pomona-Pitzer quarterback Luke Levitt.
“I saw the quarterback’s eyes because we were in the zone,” Mondini said. “He was looking right behind me so I just played it underneath.”
Mondini thinks it is easier once you are actually in the moment to be able to accomplish such plays.
“It actually felt a little easier at the moment and as I caught it, just trying to find some open grass and get moving,” Mondini said.
At 10:40 in the third quarter senior kicker Jack Walker of Pomona-Pitzer hit a successful field goal to bring the score up to 22-12.
In the fourth quarter Pomona-Pitzer scored an additional two times to make the final score 34-12.
The Leopards are currently 0-2 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and 0-3 overall. They will play against Cal Lutheran at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Ortmayer Stadium.
Karina Rodriguez can be reached at karina.rodriguez3@laverne.edu.
Karina Rodriguez is a senior journalism major with a concentration in broadcast journalism, and editor-in-chief of the Campus Times. She has previously served as sports editor, social media editor, arts editor and a staff writer.
CC Flaherty is a staff photographer for the Campus Times and La Verne Magazine, and a junior communications major with a concentration in public relations. She is also a broadcast announcer for La Verne Athletics and has previously been a staff writer for the Campus Times.
