THOUSDAND OAKS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Football team (2-4, 2-2 SCIAC) won their first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) road game 17-15 at California Lutheran University (CLU) on Saturday night as they maintain the Smudge Pot Trophy for the 11th consecutive season.
After CLU won the toss and deferred to the second half, Redlands received possession and earned 20 yards from Deo Robinson on their first play from scrimmage. The drive, though, would end with an Aidan Petruescu (La Habra, CA) punt.
After a muffed punt almost cost the Bulldogs possession after their defense got off the field, the offense went 24-yards on seven plays ending with a Petruescu made field goal from 44 yards giving UR a 3-0 lead. The Kingsmen responded on their next series with a field goal of their own, from 25-yards out following a pair of completions and a 15-yard penalty.
Following another CLU field goal that made it 6-3, Bulldog sophomore Quarterback Jayden Mckey (Tracy, CA) ignited the offense with a 79 yard run to the house on the longest play from scrimmage this season putting the Maroon and Grey ahead 10-6 with only a minute remaining in the half.
The Kingsmen had a great response marching down to the Redlands 36, but the drive would end with a missed 46-yard field goal, which proved crucial in the final score.
After a scoreless start to the half from both teams, highlighted by an interception from Craig Hunter (Murrieta, CA) the Bulldogs took over at their own 20 and got a huge play to start the drive from Calel Olicia-Aramboles (Westfield, IN) who went 40-yards.
Robinson and Olicia-Aramboles combined for rushes of 22, 15, and 15-yards as they capped the drive off with a one-yard touchdown run from Olicia-Aramboles to make it 17-6 with 1:34 remaining in the third.
In the fourth quarter the Bulldogs maintained their two-score lead deep into the period, but with six minutes to play the Kingsmen had first and goal at the six.
The Redlands' defense proved tough though forcing a fourth down at the five as CLU would settle for the field goal moving the score to 17-9 with 5:19 to play.
The UR offense had a chance to put the game away, but they went three and out. The Kingsmen then got the ball back but on a muffed punt of their own UR's Enrique Ybanez III (Ontario, CA) recovered the ball at the CLU 45.
Another three and out forced and two timeouts later the Kingsmen got the ball back on their own 20, down by eight with 2:23 to play.
They methodically moved the ball down the field before a 38-yard reception put the ball at the Redlands one. On the next play they would punch it in, but they still needed a two-point conversion for the tie, which ultimately came up empty.
The onside kick then went out of bounds and Redlands would take a knee securing their second straight win.
Mckey attempted only nine passes as Redlands ran it 44 times for 276 yards, which included 104 net yards for Mckey, 78 for Olicia-Aramboles, and 52 for Jared Johnson.
C. Hunter finished with 10 tackles, a tackle for a loss (TFL), and an interception. Laurence Williams (Corona, CA) had eight tackles and Ybanez III, Connor Green (Wilsonville, OR), and Smith added six tackles.
Redlands will look to take the momentum back home with them as they host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps for Homecoming next Saturday, October 26 at 7:00 p.m. inside Ted Runner Stadium.
