Last-minute drive comes up short in 19-13 loss to No. 13 Redlands
ORANGE, Calif. – A last-minute drive by the Chapman University football team came up just four yards short of a potentially game-winning score, as the No. 13 University of Redlands held on for a 19-13 win on Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field. The last three games between Chapman and Redlands have each been decided by six points or less.
After Redlands missed a 38-yard field goal by sophomore K Kevin Grady, Chapman took over on its last drive at its 21-yard line with 3:06 remaining in the fourth quarter and a chance for the win. Chapman marched the ball down to Redlands' 13-yard line in five plays. Three of the plays were pass completions by senior QB Bret Visciglia including a 41-yard play to junior WR Kali'i Kunitomo.
A costly personal foul penalty pushed back Chapman's offense to the Redlands 28-yard line. Visciglia then hit senior WR Mike Lambesis for a 13-yard completion on third down to Redlands' 15-yard line which set up a last-ditch fourth down play. The Panthers needed 12 yards for the first down to extend the drive, but managed to get just 11 yards as Kunitomo was stood up near the down marker by Bulldogs' junior DB Scott Payton. Visciglia connected with Kunitomo seven times on the afternoon for 153 yards and a long completion of 47 yards. Kunitomo had a career day, as did Visciglia who threw for 303 yards.
Payton made arguably two of the most important plays of the game for Redlands (8-1). He ended the game with the tackle of Kunitomo, and on Chapman's first possession, he scooped up a fumble by Lambesis and returned it 38 yards for a touchdown to give his squad a 6-0 lead at the 12:25 mark of the first quarter.
On its next possession, Chapman (4-5) put together an 8-play, 75-yard drive to take a 7-6 lead with 8:18 remaining in the first quarter. A 47-yard pass from Visciglia to Kunitomo set up the touchdown by sophomore RB Kyle White on a 3-yard dive up the middle.
Chapman freshman DB Jordan Williams made a diving interception of Redlands junior QB Chad Hurst on the next possession giving Chapman the ball at midfield. Chapman's offense turned the ball back over on a fumble by junior RB Chad Milburn three plays later. Redlands then went 42 yards in 10 plays and scored on a 39-yard field goal by Grady to take the lead back at 9-7 with 3:16 remaining in the first quarter. The Bulldogs added another field goal with 11:12 remaining before halftime to take a 12-7 lead.
With eight second before halftime, Chapman narrowed the score to 12-10 on a 32-yard field goal by junior K Mauricio Alfonso.
On the opening drive of the second half, Redlands pounded out an 11-play, 62-yard scoring drive to extend its lead to 19-10 with 9:58 remaining in the third quarter. The drive was capped by a 5-yard TD pass from Hurst who found senior WR Mark Richardson wide open in the back of the endzone. Richardson had a team-high four catches for 71 yards on the afternoon receiving.
Redlands held a 19-10 lead until the 9:55 mark of the fourth quarter when Alfonso booted a 46-yarder to get Chapman within one score at 19-13. Alfonso's field goal tied a career-long. It was also his ninth field goal of the season which tied a Chapman single-season record.
Chapman's defense kept Redlands in check for much of the afternoon, limiting the team to 335 yards of total offense which is well below its season average. Redlands was able to run the ball efficiently, rushing for 173 yards as a team. Three Redlands players rushed for 58 yards or more, while Hurst had a team-high 59 yards. Chapman's secondary limited Hurst to 13-of-27 passing and 162 yards through the air. Junior LB Kellen Matsuno had a team-high eight tackles for Chapman while junior LB Jordan Garcia led the way for Redlands with seven.
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by Chris Watts
Sports Information Assistant
Boxscore: http://chapmanathletics.com/sports/fball/2011-12/boxscores/20111112_0xyi.xml