Football falls to Bulldogs in last-minute battle
REDLANDS, Calif. – The Chapman football team fell 28-24 to the Redlands Bulldogs in a close battle on the road. The Panthers remain second in the SCIAC.
The Panthers held the Bulldogs to negative eight rushing yards in the first half and finished the game with 156 net rushing yards compared to the Bulldogs 39. Chapman topped Redlands in third down efficiency but failed to convert two out of three attempts on fourth down, costing them the game.
The Panthers found themselves in Bulldog territory within seconds of the first quarter after a Nico Ragas return to the Chapman 30. Spencer Corona and Tanner Mendoza combined efforts to put the Panthers up 6-0. The Jonston Maclntyre handoff to Mendoza was good for the one-yard rushing touchdown. Ken Baierl secured his first successful PAT on the game putting Chapman ahead early.
A Dillon Keefe sack and Blake Siemsen tackle forced Redlands to punt on fourth and 17 to complete their first drive. Chapman answered again in the first and kept the momentum strong. Corona was critical in the Panther movement in the quarter and the second drive ended in a handoff to Marcos Reyes for a ten-yard rushing touchdown.
The Tony Williams Jr. 60-yard kick return for Redlands jumpstarted a scoring drive that ended in a third and long 16-yard Nathan Martinez pass to Evan Aguon in the end zone. The Brendan Marmion PAT was good and the score was set 14-7 going into the second.
Reed Vettel stepped in at quarterback for the Panthers in the second quarter. Chapman set themselves inside the ten with a 27-yard pass to John Krall. Vettel aimed for the end zone on second and goal but the pass was intercepted by Jadin Michaels to end the Panther drive.
The Panthers entered the half adding three more when Maclntyre found Will Mudie with a 30-yard completion at the Bulldogs eight. Baierl secured the field goal sending Chapman into the half on top 17-7.
The Bulldogs tightened the Panther lead to 17-14 early in the third with a 57- yard pass to Kai Kang who put the ball at the Chapman one. Williams secured the rushing touchdown. Chapman wasted no time and responded with a one-play drive 73-yard rushing touchdown from Krall. The Panthers ended their scoring efforts on the night with a Baierl PAT setting the board ay 24-14.
The battle became a three-point game when Williams Jr. ran the ball in three yards with a Marmion PAT. Chapman suffered their second turnover of the night in the drive following when the Maclntyre pass was intercepted by Scott Tinsley at the 50.
The Bulldogs ended the night with a dive up the middle from Dominic Bettini for another six followed by the PAT setting the finals score of 28-24. The Panthers finished their efforts with a fourth and ten incomplete pass in the end zone.
Mendoza led the Panthers with 67 rushing yards on the game followed by 39 from Reyes. Krall tallied 105 receiving yards for Chapman while Ryan Haith led with three solo tackles.
Chapman hits the road again next Sat., Oct. 30 to face the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens at 7 p.m. in their second to last road game of the regular season. The Panthers return to Wilson for their homecoming celebration to face Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Sat., Nov. 6 at 7 p.m.