CLAREMONT, Calif. – The University of Redlands Football team suffered a heartbreaking loss Saturday night on the road against Pomona-Pitzer, falling on the last play of the night as time expired seeing the Sagehens come away with the 21-20 victory. The last time the Bulldogs lost to the Sagehens was back in 2004 (28-25).
The Maroon and Grey are still searching for their first win of 2022 as they drop to 0-2 to start the season. Since 2005 the Bulldogs have started 0-2 on six different occasions, with the most recent coming in 2015 when they fell to both George Fox and Linfield.
Redlands accumulated 304 yards of offense with 297 coming in the air and just seven on the ground. Myles Herrera (Yucaipa, CA) threw for all of those 297 yards on 22-of-34 passing to go with three touchdowns. Andrew Kellstrom (San Bernardino, CA) ran the ball 12 times for just 25 yards, while Evan Aguon (San Diego, CA) led the receiving core with 11 catches for 136 yards and all three scores. He averaged 12.4 yards per catch with a long being for 53 yards. He also added two kick-off returns for 42 yards, averaging 21 yards per return and another three punt returns for 38 yards, averaging 12.7 yards per run.
On the defensive side of the ball the Maroon and Grey gave up 342 yards of offense to the Sagehens, but held them to just 58 yards (1.9 YPR) on the ground. Scott Tinsley (Capitola, CA) finished with a game high 14 tackles (6 Solo/8 Assisted). Craig Hunter (Murrieta, CA) also saw double-digit tackles with 12 along with a sack and four tackles for losses. Jacob Sega (Oceanside, CA) posted 11 tackles with another sack for a ten-yard loss and Luke Purcella (University Place, WA) would put up three tackles and a fumble recovery.
PP used a short field to start their first offensive possession and they would use it to put up the first points of the game. Trailing 7-0 after the opening quarter the Bulldogs bounced back with a pair of touchdowns in the second period, putting them both up over the final 2:35 of the half. Herrera connected with Aguon for a 53-yard touchdown scamper that covered just :38 seconds. Then after a short 21-yard punt that was shanked out of the bounds by the Sagehens, Redlands would then go 35-yards in 5-plays, covering another :36 seconds, ending with Herrera finding Aguon again, this time from 19-yards out.
This momentum carried over into the 3rd Quarter with the Bulldogs defensive unit holding tough against the Sagehens offense, keeping them off the scoreboard for the second straight period. UR had an opportunity for a quick three points on their first possession out of the break, going 51-yards in nine-plays, earning themselves a 49-yard field goal from Vicente Garcia (Fontana, CA), but his ensuing kick would get blocked. The very next series Herrera would take control marching UR down the field in 5:12, which covered 75-yards in 12-plays. He connected with Michael Mindnich (Bellingham, WA) for a 36-yard completion and then found Aguon for his third score on the night, this time from 10-yards out. But the extra-point from Garcia would be off the mark, moving the score to 20-7.
Trailing by 13 with 12:38 remaining the Sagehens would rally, putting together one of the biggest comebacks in program history. They were forced to start a drive from their own 1-yard line and would take it 99-yards in 10-plays, which covered 2:59 that broke their offensive slump. One of the big plays in the game then came with 6:33 left when PP lost a fumble deep in their own territory. Purcella fell on it setting the Bulldogs up on the PP30. The Maroon and Grey tried to run time off the clock, and were faced with a 4th and 1 situation and instead of kicking a field-goal elected to go for it, in order to ice the game, but UR was stopped at the line turning the ball over on downs.
This then led to the miracle drive for Pomona-Pitzer, covering 79-yards in 15-plays and 4:28. They got down to the Redlands three-yard line with three seconds left on the clock, forced to spike the ball to get one final attempt off. Skylar Noble then scrambled to his right and on the run, fired a strike to Sander Wimmer by the front pylon, while falling out of bounds, tying the game up at 20-20 with zeros on the clock. All the Sagehens needed was a PAT, which Cameron Shirangi would secure then sending PP to the comeback win.
Redlands remains on the road next Saturday, September 17 for another non-conference game. This time they will travel up to the Pacific Northwest to take on Linfield University. In 2021, both losses Redlands suffered were to the Wildcats, the second of which came in the NCAA Division III National Championships.