Redlands Bulldogs at Whittier Poets
Saturday, November 5, at 1 p.m.
Wallace "Chief" Newman Field at Memorial Stadium
Available through Live Stats, Stream, and Audio
The University of Redlands football team heads to Whittier College on Saturday, November 5, for a 1 p.m. Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) showdown at Wallace "Chief" Newman Field at Memorial Stadium. Following their comeback win over Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, the Bulldogs sit in position to secure the program's 30th conference title with a triumphant effort in their eighth game of the regular season.
Last weekend, Redlands used an exciting play in the final ticks of the second-quarter clock to provide the necessary spark to overcome the then-co-leaders of the conference on the road. Junior quarterback Mitch Kidd (Salinas, CA) connected with junior wide receiver Christian Guzman (Desert Hot Springs, CA) on a 51-yard strike into the end zone.
"That was a fun, exciting play that made halftime much more positive," commented Head Coach Mike Maynard. "It confirmed that we had the potential to be successful in that game."
Redlands went on to win the game by two points with freshman Alex Raya's (Jamul, CA) 48-yard field-gal sealing the deal. For his performance he was named the Bulldogs' kicking game's player of the week.
In addition, sophomore running back Conner Kennedy (Olympia, WA) collected back-to-back such honors for the offense as a result of his tough yards, especially in the second half, against the Sagehens. Defensively, senior defensive back Connor Hoffman (Tustin, CA) came up with a key interception and provided big tackles en route to his player-of-the-week nod.
As the prep player of the week, freshman wide receiver James Herold (Greenwood Village, CO) received a standing ovation from his teammates for providing the Bulldogs with a quality look at Pomona-Pitzer's passing game during the previous week.
Up next, Redlands squares off against winless Whittier in a game that would clinch at least a share of the conference title, marking the Bulldogs' 30th championship and 12th under Maynard's direction. The opportunity is there for the taking. However, the Maroon and Gray refuses to be distracted by the possibilities but is rather inspired to achieve the team's best showing yet this season.
"We are trying to emphasize our own potential and determine how we play rather than who we play," Maynard added.
Last week, Whittier put together its best offensive outing by scoring 38 points against the high-octane Occidental College offense. The Poets registered 34 first downs, 585 yards of total offense, carried the ball for nearly 400 yards, and converted two-of-three on fourth down. The squad used a two-quarterback rotation in Michael Campbell and Miguel Avina, with Bryson Sanders hauling in five catches for 51 yards and Brandon Wolford recording four receptions for 57 yards. On the ground, Whittier gained 100-plus yards each from Miguel Redmond and Drew Lewis, with Lewis firing off an impressive 10.5 yards/carry.
The Maroon and Gray anticipate the return of junior defensive back Adam Goss (West Covina, CA) in the secondary, while sophomore defensive back Jordan Ortiz-Pallen (Oakland, CA) and senior linebacker Miguel Betancourt (San Bernardino, CA) continue to provide quality minutes on defense. Furthermore, the Bulldogs welcome back sophomore kicker/punter Nathan Hierlihy (Redondo Beach, CA) and senior kicker/punter Albert Reyes-Villareal (Pomona, CA) to further solidify the team's already successful kicking game.
The Bulldogs know what is at stake but also understand the opportunity in front of them. In order to succeed against Whittier, Redlands strives to maintain possession, avoid turning over the ball, and fully utilizing its quality depth in the roster, including the twos and threes in many positions.
"Our emphasis is on playing to our potential, which we haven't done in a full, four quarters yet," stated Maynard. "We want our team to prepare to perform at a high level against Whittier."
