LA VERNE, CA — The University of La Verne football team put together its strongest performance of the season on Saturday afternoon, leading and controlling much of the game before a dramatic final minute saw undefeated Cal Lutheran escape with a narrow 23–19 win at Ortmayer Stadium.
Late in the fourth, Cal Lutheran pieced together a late drive capped by a 23-yard touchdown run with less than a minute remaining to reclaim the lead, 23–19. The Leopards made one final push, advancing near midfield off completions of 16, 13, and 11 yards from backup quarterback
Brian Rudden to star receiver
Jimmy Rumsey. With two seconds left of the Cal Lutheran 39-yard line, Rudden made one final heave toward Rumsey in the endzone, but the Kingsmen defenders knocked down the would-be game-winner to spoil the comeback.
Quarterback
Ahmias Hart finished with an efficient performance, completing 14 of 23 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 56 yards. Rumsey led all receivers with six catches for 135 yards and two scores, all season-highs.
Noah Allen added 31 yards and a touchdown on two receptions. Out of the backfield,
Tyler McCown provided balance with 40 rushing yards and 30 receiving yards, and the offense totaled 325 yards on the day.
The Leopards struck first midway through the opening quarter when Hart connected with Allen for a 15-yard touchdown, putting La Verne on top 7–0. The score was set up by a special teams blunder by the Cal Lutheran special teams when a pair of Kingsmen collided and fumbled after a punt from La Verne, putting the Leopards just 15 yards from the goal line.
The defense followed with a stout first half, holding the Kingsmen to just a single field goal and sending the Leopards into halftime ahead 7–3.
La Verne extended its lead in thrilling fashion on the first play of the third quarter. Hart found Rumsey streaking down the sideline for an 88-yard touchdown, the longest reception of his career, igniting the Ortmayer crowd and stretching the Leopards' lead to 13–3. Cal Lutheran responded with a pair of rushing scores late in the quarter to edge ahead 16–13.
Refusing to back down, the Leopards answered early in the fourth when Hart again linked up with Rumsey, this time for a 14-yard touchdown to put La Verne back on top 19–16.
Defensively,
Dylan Reiner anchored the Leopards with 10 total tackles and a pass breakup,
D'Artangion Martin added nine stops, and
John Whisnant V contributed eight tackles and a tackle for loss.
Jomar Brown recorded six tackles, a blocked kick, and a tackle for loss.
Justin Mondini added an interception for the second game in a row to highlight a disruptive effort from the secondary and contributed six tackles.
The Leopards head to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps next Saturday, October 18, for a 1 p.m. kickoff against the Stags.
