Box Score

CLAREMONT, Ore. – The Chapman University football team saw its season come to a close after a 37-34 loss to Pomona-Pitzer in the SCIAC Championship Game. The Panthers saw a 28-7 lead disappear in the second half.

Chapman came out of the gates firing and built a 21-0 lead in the later stages of the second quarter. Tyler Pacheco opened the game with a touchdown run, Joey Yellen found Quentin Biebel in the end zone for a nine-yard TD toss and Luke Peterman scrambled in from four yards out to fuel the early lead.

The Panthers led 28-7 at halftime after a late Yellen-to-Kade Zimmerman touchdown but Pomona-Pitzer quickly seized momentum with five-play touchdown drive to open the second half. Chapman failed to pick up a first down and was limited to -4 yards in the third quarter as the Sagehens closed the gap to 28-23.

In the fourth, Pomona-Pitzer grabbed a one-point lead on an 18-yard TD toss to Sander Wimmer. The Chapman offense started to move the ball once again and drove down the field to reclaim the 34-29 lead on an eight yard run from Gio Ursino with just 3:21 left.

Grady Russo marched the Sagehens right back down the field and continued to find a leaping Quentin Wimmer for big gains. Wimmer grabbed an 18-yard touchdown with just 28 seconds remaining and Sander Wimmer grabbed the two-point conversion.

The Panthers set up a 50-yard field goal to tie the game but it fell short as the Sagehens claimed the title.

Pomona-Pitzer threw for 402 yards – the most the Panthers have given up all year – to key the victory. Chapman's defense sacked Russo six times but did not force a turnover for the first time in eight games.

Chapman ends its season with a 7-3 record and a second consecutive trip to the SCIAC title game.