The Pomona-Pitzer football team came out strong against the Occidental Tigers, demolishing their rival 28-0 with solid performances all around. The Sagehens retained the coveted trophy drum for the fifth straight season in what has become the longest standing football rivalry west of the Mississippi. Pomona-Pitzer defense managed to shut out the Tigers while quarterbacks Brian Ferrette ’01, who was injured late in the third quarter, and backup quarterback Teohua Sanchez ’01 led the team to four touchdowns.

Defensive back Ronnie Tamale ’00, who delivered a total of six tackles, said, "It felt really good to beat them after they talked it up so much before the game. Our defense held them to 16 passing yards."

Grayson Schaffer Running Back Ryan Hattersley ’01 braces for impact with defenders on a carry.

Defensive lineman Dan Wire ’01 agreed with Tamale, saying, "We put up a solid showing. You can’t complain too much when you hold a team scoreless. We came out without too much energy in the first half, but played a really strong second half." Wire led the defense with eight tackles.

Other notable defensive performances came from defensive lineman Dave Rothwell ’01, who had a key sack in the second quarter on third down and nine yards to go, and defensive back Rob Richardson ’02 who had an interception.

The Tigers, who have a 70-man roster as opposed to the Sagehen’s 50-man squad, showed some early signs of vigor, playing solid defense and forcing some key turnovers early on. However, they could never move the ball effectively on offense. They achieved a meager seven first-downs on 92 yards total offense. Considering their pre-game parade and abundant cheering section, which toted one sign reading "We are the Best," their lackluster performance looked particularly pathetic.

Sagehen Coach Roger Caron was not impressed with the Tigers game strategy. "They tried to come out there and just kick our butts…you’ve got to be a far superior team to be able to beat someone with that philosophy," he commented. Caron went on to say, "We played up to our abilities. A lot of the young guys stepped up big for us."

Caron was no doubt referring to receiver Michael Kirtman ’03 and transfer backup quarterback Teohua Sanchez ’01. Kirtman stunned spectators with a spectacular 47-yard diving catch within the Tigers five-yard line and then again with a beautifully executed 20-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. He finished the game with 107 receiving yards.

Sanchez, who filled in for the injured Ferrette, also put up a strong performance passing for 98 yards on five out of eight completions, throwing for one touchdown and running for another.

Ferrette’s injury came with around three minutes remaining in the third quarter on a scramble toward the Pomona-Pitzer sideline. Up to that point he was having a solid performance passing for 190 yards on twelve out of seventeen completions and one touchdown. "I should be alright for next week’s game," he said.

The Sagehens were already playing without a number of other key offensive starters, including star receiver Jake Howard ’00, who is out for the season with a broken wrist. Among others, young defensive back and wide-receiver Alan Flores ’03, offensive lineman Jake Waasted ’01, and tight end Chris Ryan ’00 are all out with season-ending injuries. Coach Caron, although disappointed, was not distressed, saying, "We’re not going to make any excuses. We play the best we can with what we have."

Shawn Hochuli ’00 and Matt Lacoss ’01 helped pick up some of the slack for the Hens, each playing offense, defense and special teams.

Running back Ryan Hattersley ’01 also did his best to insure that the Sagehens would not feel the dire implications of a shorthanded roster. Hattersley, in fact, seems to embody Coach Caron’s philosophy of playing up to one’s full potential. At 5’6", 170 pounds, Hattersley has had his way with defenses from three different states totaling 315 rushing yards in three games. Against the Tigers Hattersly ran the ball 29 times for 113 yards and a touchdown, and received for another 31 yards. Hattersly said, "I’m having a lot of fun. This is an exciting season because the playoffs are a real possibility. We just have to maintain our focus."

The Sagehens are now undefeated in three games, winning by a total margin of 93-22. This weekend they travel to Ohio to play Oberlin’s Fighting Yeomen.

The Hens’ next home game will come on October 9 against a formidable LaVerne team. "LaVerne is going to be a good match. They should be one of our toughest opponents. That game will be a good measure of our capabilities this season," Hattersley said.