Sat., Oct. 26, at 7:05 p.m.
Ted Runner Stadium
University of Redlands
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The No. 23 University of Redlands football team returns to Ted Runner Stadium on Saturday night to face the University of La Verne Leopards in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) tilt. The Bulldogs look to continue their recent dominance during Homecoming weekend in front of a packed crowd of family, friends, and alumni.
After its 45-6 victory over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges last Saturday, the Maroon and Gray now holds a 5-1 overall record and 2-1 mark in SCIAC play.
Against the Stags, the Bulldogs took the lead early and never looked back while building a 31-3 lead by halftime.
"We came out hard and fast and ready to play. On our first drive, first-year running back Andrew Kellstrom (San Bernardino, CA) executed a successful fourth-down conversion that led to a score, which really set the tone for the rest of the game," commented Head Coach Mike Maynard.
The Bulldogs went 7-for-7 in the red zone en route to 402 yards of total offense. Junior quarterback Nathan Martinez (Redlands, CA) converted 23 passes for 202 yards and two scores while also carrying the ball 11 times for 68 yards and four touchdowns.
"It was actually Nathan's birthday, so it was a fun way for him and his teammates to celebrate," mentioned Maynard.
Defensively, the Bulldogs held the Stags to just 200 yards of total offense. Senior defensive lineman Elias Hackney (Santa Monica, CA) continues to dominate in the trenches, with two tackles for a combined 10-yard loss and a sack that backed up CMS by eight yards.
Redlands now ranks second in the nation with a plus-15 turnover margin. The defense has snagged 12 interceptions and forced seven fumbles so far this season. First-year defensive back Jerrell Calhoun (East Riverside, CA) had the first pick of his young career and ran it back for 48 yards to seal the win against CMS in a big way. His brother, junior linebacker Jermaine Calhoun Jr. (Oceanside, CA), also got up for an interception and 13-yard return.
Due to the large lead throughout the game, multiple players saw the field and provided effective minutes for the Maroon and Gray. First-year defensive back Marwan Phillips (Chula Vista, CA), first-year defensive lineman Mikey Duran (Modesto, CA), and sophomore defensive lineman Jonah Brownell (North Central Phoenix, AZ) came up with some big stops in the second half. Senior quarterback Eric Kump (Huntington Beach, CA) and junior tight end Isaiah Archuleta (Palm Springs, CA) contributed solid yardage on the other end of the ball. Altogether, there were 11 ball-carriers and 10 different receivers.
"It really was a total team win," Maynard added.
As the season rolls on, Redlands' ability to use its depth becomes more and more valuable.
This week's opponent, the La Verne Leopards, topped Whittier College, 50-30, to move to 3-3 overall with a 2-1 mark in conference. La Verne currently averages 29.2 points per game to rank fourth in the SCIAC, but the Bulldog defense has held their opponents to a SCIAC-best 14.8 points per game. The Redlands offense ranks second with 36.8 points per game.
Among the Leopards' 50 rushing plays against the Poets, Martaveous Holliday broke out with 15 carries for 96 yards and three touchdowns. La Verne rotated quarterbacks in its win, with three making an appearance last week. However, they combined for only eight passing attempts.
Defensively, Robert Franklin led ULV's effort with eight tackles, one for a loss, one pass break-up, and an interception for a 24-yard return.
While winning the last three with members of his current team, Maynard owns a 27-5 mark against the Leopards.
"We need to play well early and play at a good tempo. Our athletes need to make big plays and create positive momentum. We also need to focus on being penalty-free," commented Maynard on keys to winning the game.
This week's captains include senior offensive lineman Will Soares (Gilroy, CA), junior linebacker Jermaine Calhoun Jr. (Oceanside, CA), junior offensive lineman Matt Oss (Sammamish, WA), and junior defensive lineman Brandon Serrano (Chino, CA).
