The numbers didn’t make sense. The conventional wisdom didn’t make sense. Perhaps that’s why the decision made all the sense in the world to University of La Verne football coach Chris Krich.
His Leopards trailed defending SCIAC champion Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 17-14 in overtime of their conference opener last Saturday. With La Verne staring at fourth-and-8 from the CMS 23, Krich called time out – then sent his offense back on the field.
Moments later, Krich was being fitted for genius status, courtesy of a 23-yard touchdown pass from Matt Albright to Nathaniel Sagastume. The improbable outcome gave La Verne a 20-17 victory over a Stags team that not only won a share of the SCIAC title last year, but was one of the preseason conference favorites.
Earlier, Albright and Sagastume linked up on a play that sent the game into overtime. With CMS leading 14-6 midway through the fourth quarter, Albright scampered 17 yards for a touchdown. He then found Sagastume on the two-point conversion to tie the game at 14.
CMS took the ball first in overtime, but managed only 3 yards before turning matters over to kicker Alessandro Maiuolo, who gave the Stags the lead with a 39-yard field goal. La Verne managed only 2 yards before Krich turned matters over to Albright and Sagastume.
That the Leopards left scratches on CMS is surprising on numerous fronts, not the least of which being the statistics that showed the Stags dominated every facet of the game. CMS outgained La Verne, 450-209, earned more first downs (21-12) and held the ball more than twice as long (40:46-19:14). On top of that, the Stags forced four La Verne turnovers.
Then there is the history factor. For much of this century, La Verne has been one of the SCIAC football afterthoughts. Since 2005, the Leopards haven’t finished higher than a tie for third, a feat they accomplished in 2006, 2010 and 2011 with 3-3 records each season. That 2005 season was the last time La Verne was north of .500 for the season – at 5-4.
Since that 2005 season, La Verne is 38-87, a .304 winning percentage. This decade, the Leopards are 29-55, winning 34.5 percent of their games.
This year, however, could be different for the Leopards because of a bend-but-don’t break defense that features linebacker Preston Carr, safety Robert Franklin and cornerback Torii Hilbert.
Carr, a former standout at Don Lugo and Chaffey College, added to his SCIAC-leading 11.8-tackles-per-game total with 13. Franklin broke up four passes and racked up 11 tackles (five solo). Hilbert, an all-SCIAC selection in 2017, intercepted CMS quarterback Zach Fogel at the goal line to end a first-half threat.
Highlanders enjoy early home cooking
UC Riverside announced its 2019-2020 men’s basketball schedule, and it includes eight nonconference home games. That’s the most nonconference games the Highlanders have enjoyed since the 2015-16 season.
Before UCR takes the SRC floor on Nov. 9 for its home opener against Idaho, the Highlanders will open their second season under head coach David Patrick at Nebraska on Nov. 5. It’s the first ever meeting between UCR and the Cornhuskers and the first of two games for UCR against Power Five teams; the second being at Washington State on Dec. 15.
The Highlanders will play four consecutive games at home in November: Redlands (Nov. 21), Denver (Nov. 23), Longwood (Nov. 26) and Southern Illinois (Nov. 29). That serves as a prelude to a quick trip across town for the “Crosstown Showdown” with Cal Baptist University on Dec. 4.
“I think having a challenging home schedule gives us an opportunity to be tested early on our home floor and gives us an opportunity to grow as a team in front of our home fans,” Patrick said.
The Highlanders open Big West play on Jan. 9 at UC Davis. Two days later, they welcome Cal State Fullerton to the SRC for the conference home opener.
You look familiar
There were no secrets in Sunday afternoon’s ITA West Regionals singles final. Just CMS teammates Nikolai Parodi and Jack Katzman staring at each other over the net like warm-up partners. But the pleasantries ended when the tennis ball went in the air and Parodi enjoyed the final smile with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over his teammate and fellow All-American.
That earns the pair a trip to Rome … Georgia for the 16-player ITA Cup next week. It will be their first singles appearances at the ITA Cup. Parodi earned a third-place finish in doubles as a freshman three years ago.
Earlier Sunday, Katzman and doubles partner Robert Liu fell to top-seeded Brad Cummins and Brycl Libao in the doubles semifinals. Cummins and Libao then took apart Caltech’s Varun Shanker and James Wei, 6-2, 6-4 to win the doubles title.
You look familiar, too
CMS enjoyed a familiar look in the ITA West Regional women’s bracket as well, with the Athenas comprising all four doubles teams in the semifinals. The top-seeded tandem of Catherine Allen and Justine Leong prevailed over teammates Crystal Juan and Anna Kern, 6-4, 6-4 in the finals. All four earned berths in the ITA Cup Doubles Championship.
Earlier that day, Allen and Leong handled Anastasia Bryan-Ajania and Devon Wolfe, 8-4, while Juan and Kern dispatched teammates Madison Shea and Sydney Lee, 8-2.
A score of saves – times two
California Baptist University water polo goalkeeper Gabe Thorne earned a spot in the CBU record book – and a spot on a cushy bed. Because he was probably the busiest athlete in the Inland Empire last week.
In five games over three days last week — four of those in the Gary Troyer Tournament at Claremont – Thorne stopped 75 shots. Included in the barrage was a 21-save effort against Fordham and a 20-save outing against Whittier College in what was the Lancers’ lone win in that span, 12-11.
Those were the first two 20-save outings in the junior’s career and the 21 saves tied him for the third-most for a single game in CBU history.
He capped the weekend by making 24 saves in two games: losses to CMS and Pomona-Pitzer.
Thorne’s previous high in saves came last year against Santa Clara, when he stopped 19 shots. Fordham was already familiar with his work, since Thorne stopped 18 shots against the Rams last year.
