LA VERNE, Calif. – The Chapman University football team closed out the regular season with a 42-21 victory over La Verne. The Panthers will travel to Pomona-Pitzer for the SCIAC Championship Game next week.
Chapman improved to 6-1 in the SCIAC with the victory but Pomona-Pitzer was able to defeat Redlands 21-10 to clinch the right to host the title game rematch.
La Verne opened the scoring with a 71-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the game but Chapman responded with 42 unanswered points before halftime to put the game out of reach.
The Panthers scored four touchdowns on the ground and two through the air to build a sizeable 42-7 halftime lead. Gio Ursino scored twice, Joey Yellen ran for one and threw one to Tyler Pacheco and Luke Peterman threw another to Jordan Bruce.
The Panthers defense sacked the La Verne quarterback five times with Alexander Terriquez sacking him twice. Zecariah Dunham and Collin Keefe each caused fumbles when the sacked Brian Rudden. After their 71 yard touchdown play, the Leopards gained less than 70 yards the rest of the first half as the Panthers'' offense scored a touchdown on all six first half drives.
La Verne scored twice in the second half although Joey Bustos grabbed Chapman's 16th interception of the year and gave the Panthers a pick in each of the last seven games.
Kickoff for the SCIAC Championship Game is set for 1 p.m. next Saturday at Pomona-Pitzer.
