Photo by Alan Barcenas
Sophomore running back Mark Mitchell III was the engine of the offense across both games, highlighted by a 3-touchdown performance against La Verne and the game-opening score against Whittier.
By David James Heiss
Redlands News Collective
REDLANDS — The University of Redlands football team has blasted its way through its last two contests, following a 48-0 home shutout of the University of La Verne on Oct. 17 with a 69-14 road victory over Whittier College on Saturday, Oct. 24. The 69-point performance against Whittier tied the Bulldogs' single-game school record with 10 touchdowns.
Against Whittier, Redlands took control immediately. Seven minutes into the opening quarter, sophomore running back Mark Mitchell III, of Fontana, capped a six-play drive with a 19-yard touchdown run. Over the next 25 seconds, the Bulldogs added two defensive touchdowns: an interception return by sophomore Mosese Afemui, of Maui, Hawaii, and a forced fumble return by freshman Jesse Vega, of Fontana. The defensive barrage pushed the lead to 27-0 with 7:06 remaining in the first quarter.
Photo by Isaiah Noriega
Freshman defensive back Jesse Vega has been making massive, game-changing defensive plays—recording a forced fumble return touchdown against Whittier and an incredible end-zone interception against La Verne to preserve the shutout.
After forcing a three-and-out, junior Dylan Williams, of Torrance, returned a punt 12 yards to the Whittier 44-yard line. Highlighted by a 19-yard second-down rush from junior Taylor Bowie, of Rancho Santa Margarita, Redlands capped the drive with a Bowie touchdown run. On the ensuing kickoff, sophomore Roman Juni, of San Jose, forced and recovered a fumble. Senior quarterback Tobey Schmidt, of Tustin, quickly capitalized, finding senior Julian Borrayo, of Covina, for eight yards before hitting senior Nathaniel Barnes, of Seattle, for a 23-yard touchdown pass to make it 41-0.
In the second quarter, senior Jakai Torres, of Baltimore, added a rushing touchdown. Whittier answered with a 56-yard touchdown pass to make the score 48-7 at halftime.
Photo by Isaiah Noriega
Senior quarterback Tobey Schmidt ran the show brilliantly, accounting for multiple touchdowns through the air and on the ground (including his 41-yard scamper against La Verne and efficient passing against Whittier).
A week earlier at Ted Runner Stadium, Redlands posted a 48-0 shutout victory against La Verne, falling just one point shy of its 49-0 mark set in 2013. The Bulldogs set the tone early with a third-down sack by junior Zaveon Jones, of Edmonds, Washington, setting up an opening drive finished by Mitchell III.
Schmidt added a 41-yard rushing touchdown late in the first quarter, followed by an 81-yard drive that consumed nearly eight minutes and ended with Mitchell III’s second score. Schmidt later connected with senior Roshawn Lacy, of Yorba Linda, for a 55-yard touchdown pass, taking a 28-0 lead into halftime.
Redlands extended its lead in the third quarter when Mitchell III punched in his third touchdown of the night. The defense preserved the shutout with end-zone interceptions from Enrique Ybanez III and Vega to stop La Verne's deepest drives. Schmidt scrambled for his second rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter before backup quarterback Keenan Jackson, of Compton, connected with junior John Brown, of Los Angeles, for a one-handed 9-yard touchdown pass to seal the 48-0 win. Redlands controlled time of possession (42:47 to 17:13) while outgaining La Verne 537 to 212 total yards.