SPOKANE, Wash. – The University of Redlands Football team (2-0) upset Whitworth University, 34-17, who was receiving votes in the Division III National Polls Saturday afternoon with the Bulldogs putting up the final 21 points, all coming in the fourth quarter.
The Bulldogs fell behind 7-0 early but would see their offense respond on the very next possession when Luke Coleman (Sacramento, CA) found Kev Markossian (La Verne, CA) for an 81-yard touchdown catch and run finishing off a four play, 92 yard drive.
The defense complimented the touchdown by forcing a punt, which set up a field goal for the offense on the subsequent possession.
The big plays on the drive included a a pair of rushes of 10-yards and 36-yards by Jakai Torres (Baltimore, MD), which proceeded with a 40-yard field goal by Aidan Petruescu (La Mirada, CA).
Early in the second quarter the Pirates started their drive off with a 62-yard rush, which eventually ended up being finished off with a one-yard rushing touchdown putting them back on top, 14-10.
Coleman then led a two-minute drive to end the first half. The possession ended with a 36-yard field goal by Petruescu that made it 14-13 Pirates after 30 minutes.
Mark Mitchell III (Fontana, CA) had a big run of 23 yards and Jack Ryan (San Diego, CA) caught a 17-yard pass to get the Bulldogs into field goal range.
The only points put up in the third quarter came via a Whitworth field goal that extended their lead to four, 17-13.
Beginning the fourth quarter the Bulldogs connected on passes of 26 yards to Markossian and a 34 yard touchdown grab by Trevor Cadam (La Verne, CA), giving the Bulldogs the lead, 20-17.
A few possessions later the Pirates started a drive with five minutes to play after they forced a punt, but Jaeden Thorn (Seattle, WA) recorded a sack driving them backwards and then on 2nd and 16 Laurence Williams (Corona, CA) had a 20-yard pick six.
The second-to-last drive for Whitworth went incomplete pass, sack by Aaron Muñiz (Fontana, CA) and Jax Lee (Richland, WA), incomplete pass, and then a third incomplete pass that forced a turnover on downs.
Whatever chance there was for a late comeback by the Pirates ended on a 10-yard Taylor Bowie (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) rushing touchdown.
The Bulldogs dominated the game with a 415-207 total offense advantage, which included a 239-123 edge in passing yards and a 176-84 mark in rushing. This all coming from a great game by the offensive lineman, which included Luke Ozier (Fontana, CA), Dominic Vargas (Riverside, CA), Pedro Navarro (Beaumont, CA), Isaac Williams (San Bernardino, CA), and Benjamin Fitchett (Whittier, CA). Combine that with the pick six and more than nine minutes of time of possession advantage and Redlands would get their first road non-conference win since 2023 when they beat Pacific Lutheran University (PLU).
Coleman ended with 239 yards and two touchdowns on 30 attempts. Bowie ran for 67 yards and Torres added another 59. Markossian went over 100 receiving yards with 104 and a touchdown.
Defensively Thorn added six tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss (TFL), and a sack. Williams had the pick six and added four tackles and two TFL's. Lee had two tackles, 1.5 for a loss. Then Shepard Cope (Murrieta, CA), Muñiz, and Jaylen Ephraim (Fontana, CA) would add TFL's.
Redlands returns to Ted Runner Stadium next Saturday, September 27 at 7:00 p.m. when they host California Lutheran University (CLU) for the annual Smudge Pot Trophy Game.
