Football drops battle of big plays at La Verne
LA VERNE, Calif. – In a game that featured big play after big play, the Chapman University football team was unable to complete a comeback in a 49-42 loss at La Verne. Senior running back Jeremiah McKibbins made more history with a huge first half.
The Panthers (2-5, 2-3 SCIAC) led 28-21 after an explosive half from McKibbins. He had 15 rushes for 210 yards and four touchdowns in the first half alone. He broke off big TD runs of 44, 39 and 24 yards in addition to his eight yard TD run on Chapman's first drive to give Chapman the edge.
The second half wasn't quite as fruitful for McKibbins as the Leopards (6-1, 5-0 SCIAC) put their big play ability on display. He was held to 22 yards on 12 touches in the second half. However, McKibbins' 232 total yards on the ground made him the first Chapman player to rush for 3,000 yards in his career.
Although McKibbins put together a highlight reel in the first half, he wasn't alone. Senior Hakeem McGrew had two rushes of 50-plus yards – one in the first half that set up a McKibbins score and a 57-yard touchdown run that ended La Verne's run 35 unanswered points.
The Leopards had three different players go over 100 yards rushing for the day in Travis Sparks-Jackson, Dallas Parent and quarterback William Livingston. Sparks-Jackson led the three-pronged attack with 197 yards and three TDs while Parent went for 126 yards and a pair of TDs. Livingston needed only seven rushes to total 102 yards and two TDs.
Sparks-Jackson 37-yard TD run in the second quarter got La Verne on the board. With 36 seconds left in the first half, he found the end zone on a seven yard run and began the momentum swing that ultimately led to a La Verne victory.
The Leopards were down 28-14 when Sparks-Jackson ran in for the score just before the half, bringing the Leopards within a touchdown at the break. The Leopards received the ball to open the third quarter and tied up the game when Livingston scored from six yards out to cap a nine-play drive.
With the momentum swung to the home side, the Leopards forced a three-and-out from the Panthers. Livingston took the ball 63 yards on the first play to give La Verne its first lead. The Leopards defense came up with another huge play as it stopped Chapman on fourth-and-one on the 10 yard line. Parent rewarded the huge stop with a 90-yard touchdown run on the next play.
Sparks-Jackson rattled off a 46-yard run to start the fourth quarter to make it a three score game. McGrew's big TD run ended the Leopards run and junior Andrew Chavez found senior Sean Myers late in the fourth to keep the Panthers hopes alive. Down by a touchdown, Chapman tried the onside kick but the Leopards pounced on it and ran out the clock to remain undefeated in the SCIAC.
McGrew ended the game with 124 yards on the ground and Drew DeMarco's 13 tackles led the defense.
Chapman finishes out the season with its final two games at home. Next week, the Panthers take on Redlands at Ernie Chapman Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m.
by Steven Olveda
Sports Information Director
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