REDLANDS, Calif. – The University of Redlands football team (0-2) used a 48-yard touchdown pass by Tobey Schmidt (Tustin, CA) to Roshawn Lacy (Yorba Linda, CA) and a 15-yard touchdown to Taylor Bowie (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) in the final two minutes of the first half to take a 14-10 lead over Whitworth University. But the Pirates would respond with the game's final 23 points to beat the Bulldogs 33-14, inside Ted Runner Stadium.
After only managing two first downs in the first quarter, the first play of the second saw Schmidt find Lacy on 3rd and 9 from the Pirate 48 to give the Bulldogs a 7-3 lead only :15 seconds into the quarter.
The next two drives for each team ended in a punt or interception before Whitworth went 10 plays and 80 yards in less than four minutes to reclaim a 10-7 lead.
On the first play of the following possession Bowie ran for eight yards and a first down on 3rd and 6, before Mark Mitchell III (Fontana, CA) went for 42 yards on 3rd and 7 to set up the Bulldogs inside the red zone. After a pair of short runs Schmidt found Bowie for his second passing touchdown of the half with 1:51 on the clock.
A key opportunity then presented itself as the U of R defense forced a punt after a 23-yard gain to begin Whitworth's drive. The problem, though, was Redlands started at their own one-yard line. They would run it up the middle twice for two yards each before a timeout by the Pirates.
Coming out of the break Redlands looked to pass for the first down in order to hold their four-point lead. Whitworth, however, got a sack and took a timeout, which resulted in a punt.
Mikael Khan (Rancho Mission Viejo, CA) did well, with his heels on the back end of the endzone, to get the punt off but the Pirates did start their drive on the Redlands' 31.
Despite the tough situation, the defense held them to a 21-yard field goal as time expired.
After finding 14 points in the first half the Bulldogs were held scoreless in the second with the Pirates' touchdown with under a minute remaining in the third serving as the eventual game-winning score.
Mitchell III finished with 84 yards on 11 attempts, while the rest of the team managed 32 on 13 attempts. Lacy had a big day with seven catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively Nolan Staricka (San Bernardino, CA) led the team with seven total tackles. Aleks Wojcik (San Diego, CA), Mosese Afemui (Maui, HI), and Adrian Silva (Bell Gardens, CA) all had a sack with Andrew Placido (Hayward, CA), Enrique Ybanez III (Ontario, CA), Anthony Hall, and Kenneth Crews III (Colton, CA) adding a tackle for a loss.
In the end three turnovers and six red zone trips allowed were the difference.
Redlands prepares for Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action next Saturday, September 26 as they play California Lutheran University (CLU) on the road in the annual Smudge Pot Trophy game. For the first time since 2012 the Kingsmen will defend the trophy after taking it last season.
