BOX
SCORE
POMONA, Calif. - Jacob Caron's nine-yard
touchdown pass to Robert McNitt with 21 seconds left completed a
furious fourth quarter comeback to the upset for Pomona 33-28 over
Lewis & Clark at Merritt Field in Pomona, Calif.
The Pioneers (0-2) saw glimpses of victory throughout the game,
matching the Sagehens point for point through the first half of
action, before jumping to a 28-21 lead shortly after the start of
the third quarter. A victory seemed within the Pioneers reach after
senior Danny Lockard blocked Duncan Hussey's kick attempt
with 3:06 to play in the third quarter, to keep the Pios lead at
28-27.
The Pioneers had started the fourth quarter with the lead and the
momentum on their side. The Sagehens began the quarter with the
ball but were unable to get anything going being forced to punt.
The Pioneers were all over the punt, blocking Caron with sophomore
Ryan Jameson recovering the ball on Pomona's 34-yard
line.
Senior Andrew Foote nearly put the Pioneers up 31-21 on the
Pioneers drive, attempting a 45-yard field goal that sailed just
past the post with just over nine minutes remaining in the game.
The two sides battled up and down the field for the next two drives
before Pomona received the ball back on their own 29 with just
under two minutes left. The Sagehens slowly moved up field before
Caron hooked up with McNitt.
The Pioneers seemed to be in great shape heading into the locker
room at halftime, holding possession nearly two minutes longer than
the Sagehens, while matching them point for point.
Freshman quarterback Keith Welch opened the scoring for the Pios
with a four-yard rush with 1:26 remaining in the first quarter.
Welch's rush tied the game 7-7 after the Sagehens scored in a
four-yard quarterback rush of their own on an earlier drive.
Welch once again ran the ball in to counter act a Pomona score,
this time running the ball in from the two-yard line in the second
quarter. The drive started with back-to-back rushes by senior
Harrison Keller for 18 total yards. A huge 37-yard pass to tight
end Shawn Evans put the Pioneers on the Pomona one-yard line.
The Pioneers took their first lead of the game with 2:09 left to
play in the first half, with another rushing touchdown from Welch.
This time Welch found himself without anyone to throw to before
deciding to hold onto the ball for a 20-yard run into the end
zone.
A six-yard flick to Robert Maki from Caron tied the game 21-21
with 19 second on the clock for the Sagehens as both teams retired
to the locker room.
Welch threw for 141 yards, completing 13-of-16, while rushing 11
times for 87-yards and three touchdowns. Junior Tucker Laurence
took some snaps for the Pios, completing 6-of-13 for 62 yards while
throwing one interception.
Evans led all receivers with 13 catches for 168 yards, while
Keller rushed for 31-yards on seven carries.
Sophomore Chris Kelly led the defense with 10 tackles, while also
intercepting the ball and returning it for 34-yards. Freshman Lamar
Curry had eight sacks, while Louis Baltazar finished with five.
The Pioneers don't return to the field until Oct. 3 when
they head to Tacoma, Wash. for a Northwest Conference match-up with
Pacific Lutheran at 12:30 p.m.
