ORANGE, Calif. – A 14-point fourth and a last-minute goalline stand sent the Chapman University football team to the top of the SCIAC Surf Division with a 14-10 road win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps. Kyle Sieben and Collin Keefe combined on the stop that put an end to the defensive battle between the Panthers and Stags.
The Panthers were shutout for the first three quarters, punting three times and turning it over on downs three times in their first six drives. CMS had taken a 10-0 lead with a touchdown in the second and a field goal early in the fourth quarter that capped a 15-play, nine-minute drive.
With Chapman taking over with 14:15 to go and down 10-0, Luke Peterman led the Panthers on a 10-play, 75-yard drive that took less than five minutes to put Chapman back in the hunt. He opened the drive with a 22-yard strike to Gian Lagemann to put Chapman near midfield.
A pass interference call took Chapman across the 50 on third and 12 and Amir Adams converted another third down with an eight-yard reverse. On third and 6 from the 23-yard line, Peterman found Lagemann again over the middle and Lagemann took the pass into the end zone to put Chapman on the board.
The Chapman defense responded by forcing a three-and-out, which Kyle Sieben ended with a 12-yard sack of Walter Kuhlenkamp, to force a quick punt. As the Panthers took over on their own 38-yard line, Peterman again led the Panthers down the field to take the lead with less than four minutes left.
Isaiah Woods and Brendon Manzano each had runs of over 10 yards to move the chains but Peterman once again found Lagemann over the middle on third and seven from the CMS 15 to set up the Panthers on the 1-yard line. Peterman punched it in on a QB sneak to put the Panthers on top.
On its final drive, Kuhlenkamp led CMS back down the field and set up the Stags with first and goal from the 5-yard line with under one minute to play. Kade Jordan met Justin Edwards at the line of scrimmage on first down and knocked down a pass at the line on second down. Renick Martin broke up a fade in the end zone on third down.
On fourth down, Kuhlenkamp was forced out of the pocket and rolled into some open space on his right. Keefe was first to meet Kuhlenkamp before he could lunge for the goalline and Sieben finished off the tackle, forcing him down a full yard short.
The Panthers were able to fall forward with Peterman twice to run out the clock and celebrate the win.
The Chapman defense was once again able to contain the CMS run game, holding the Stags to just 77 yards rushing. Kuhlenkamp threw for 167 yards. Isaiah Woods led Chapman on the ground with 50 of the Panthers' 116 rushing yards. Peterman threw for 139 yards with Lagemann grabbing three passes for 59 yards and the touchdown.
Hunter Headlee led the Chapman defense with nine tackles while Sieben and Jordan added eight.
The Panthers finish off the regular season schedule next Saturday when they host La Verne at 7 p.m. A win over the Leopards will put Chapman into the SCIAC Championship game against the winner of the Sun Division on Nov. 11.
