REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands Football team (3-6, 3-4 SCIAC) closed out their 2024 home schedule Saturday afternoon celebrating their 28 seniors/graduate students before falling 21-10 loss to Pomona-Pitzer.
The afternoon started quickly with Taylor Bowie (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) getting the first touch of the game, which he took for 32 yards to the Sagehen 43. The offense, though, went backwards, losing 18 yards forcing an Aidan Petruescu (La Habra, CA) punt.
In the second quarter trailing 14-0 Will Reid (Portland, OR) found Evan Aguon (San Diego, CA) for five yards and then on 3rd and 1 Jared Johnson ran for 13 yards earning a fresh set of downs.
Logan Sperline (Moses Lake, WA) and Calel Olicia-Aramboles (Westfield, IN) combined for another 17-yards as they got to the Pomona-Pitzer 11 where Petruescu converted on a field goal from 29 yards out.
The defense would then get off the field in less than two minutes thanks to a tackle for a loss (TFL) from Craig Hunter (Murrieta, CA) and Anthony Hall (Seattle, WA) followed by a sack from Hunter on 3rd and 8.
On the subsequent possession Redlands converted a first down on the second play of the drive when Reid found Cal Northcroft (Pullman, WA) for 13 yards.
They would make their own life difficult though with a negative run and a personal foul that forced a 3rd and 22. Reid, though, completed a pass to Ethan Knight (Chula Vista, CA) for 17 yards, but Reid would get sacked on 4th and 5 and UR went into the break down 14-3.
It was a quiet third quarter for the Bulldogs' offense as they trailed by 18, 21-3, heading into the fourth.
Across the final 15:00 minutes Reid began his opening drive with an incompletion that brought up 3rd and 6. On the ensuing play Reid connected with Knight for an 80-yard touchdown that made it a two-possession game with 14:43 still to play.
The Sagehens looked to put the game away with a drive that took more than eight minutes off the clock, but on a 4th and 2 at the Bulldog 28 they had their pass broken up by Cole Smith (Gaston, OR).
With the ball back Redlands took over at their own 28 with 5:44 on the clock.
It was a tough start to the drive for the Maroon and Grey combining for no yards rushing on the first three plays. Then on 4th and 10 Knight came up big again with a catch for 12 yards. Then on another fourth down conversion Reid found Julian Walker (Fontana, CA) for six yards.
They got to the Pomona-Pitzer 16 after a Sagehen personal foul. Then Knight got it down to the 10. But on 2nd and 4 a holding penalty pushed them back to the 20.
Following a sack at the 25 the Bulldogs took a timeout with 1:44 left. Coming out of the break Pomona-Pitzer made it back-to-back sacks as they forced a turnover on downs.
The Sagehens were able to then take a knee erasing the final 1:35 to seal the season sweep.
Reid played mistake free with 173 yards and a touchdown in the air and 11 more yards on the ground. Knight had a career-high 115 yards on four catches and the touchdown.
Hunter had a career-high 13 tackles with three TFL's and a sack. Matthew Perez (Fontana, CA), Maximus Susi (San Diego, CA), Aaron Muniz (Fontana, CA), Smith, and Hall each added a TFL. Connor Green and Chase Hunter (Murrieta, CA) broke up three passes.
Redlands will end their 2024 season at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps next Saturday, November 16 at 1:00 p.m. in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Third Place Game.
