LA VERNE, CA — The University of La Verne Leopards dropped their first conference home game on Saturday afternoon, losing by a final score of 27-18 to the CMS Stags despite two touchdowns from Jimmy Rumsey.
After falling behind by two scores early, the Leopards stormed back, scoring twice in just six minutes. The first came on a big chunk play to senior Jimmy Rumsey. Brian Rudden threw a pass over the middle that looked like a decent gain, but Rumsey never went down despite a near tackle from the Stags. Rumsey rolled on top of the defender and never touched the ground. He was the only player to realize the whistle was never blown and sprinted all the way for a 44-yard score.
After forcing a three-and-out, La Verne put together a more methodical offensive drive. Rudden used both Rumsey and Ronald Ropke to get into the red zone before connecting with Rumsey on a 4-yard fade to the corner of the end zone.
The third Leopard touchdown came courtesy of Jordan Hernandez. After Rudden showed off his arm to drive down the field, the legs of Hernandez proved to be a difference maker, and he ran in for a six-yard touchdown to bring La Verne within two.
The Leopards couldn't manage to get a fourth-quarter stop, and the Stags iced the game with a touchdown with 3 minutes left to secure the win.
Rudden had one of his best games as a Leopard, passing for 299 yards and two touchdowns. His arm kept La Verne in the game and provided a much-needed offensive spark. His favorite target was Rumsey, who hauled in 12 catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns. He was accompanied by Tyson Walter, who had 61 yards, and Ropke, who went for 50.
The rushing attack was led by quarterback Jordan Hernandez. The senior rushed 9 times, picked up 66 yards, and scored once. Tyler McCown added 38 of his own.
On defense, Brooklyn Pasten led La Verne with 11 total tackles, including 3 solo takedowns, while Kaleb Harrison contributed 7 tackles with 2 solo stops. Devin Martin recorded 5 tackles, including half sacks for 2 yards. David Vega added 4 tackles and made an impact in the backfield, combining with Martin on the sack.
The Leopards fall to 2-3 on the season and will take on Redlands this Saturday, October 17th at 7 P.M.
