CMS Dominates Second Half In 50-21 Win Over Whittier

CMS scored 30 straight points in the second half to turn a 21-20 deficit into a blowout victory at Whittier on Saturday evening.  CMS improved to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in SCIAC while Whittier fell to 3-4 and 2-2.  CMS next plays at La Verne (0-7) and concludes the season with Pomona-Pitzer (2-5) at home.

The game went back and forth for two and half quarters as there were three lead changes and two ties before the Stag offensive explosion.  After falling behind 7-0, CMS drove to Whittier three-yard line, but suffered their only turnover of the game.  The Stag defense forced the Poets to punt from their own territory and the offense drove 45 yards and tied the score with a two-yard run by D.J. Lillard (SO, Phoenix, AZ [pictured]).  CMS also scored on their next two possessions with nine and 51-yard touchdown passes to Travis Nishioka (SO, Honolulu, HI) from Ryan Larsen (JR, Seymour, IN).  The second touchdown gave the Stags a 20-14 lead heading into halftime.

Whittier scored on their first possession of the second half to take their final lead at 21-20.  CMS dominated on both sides of the ball for the remainder of the half.  The offense scored on five of their final six possessions (missing a 45-yard field goal on their sixth).  Nick Marineau (SO, Portland, OR) caught 11 and 76-yard touchdown passes, Nick Shepherd (JR, San Diego) scored on a one-yard run, Lance Rutledge scored on a 35-yard run and Zach Mallove (JR, Bainbridge Island, WA) kicked a 36-yard field goal.  The defense forced four turnovers and a punt on Whittier's five possessions after they took their last lead.

Lillard led the team with a season-high 175 yards rushing on 27 carries.  Larsen completed 12 of 26 passes for 259 yards and four touchdowns.  Nishioka had 139 yards receiving (six catches) and Marineau had 107 yards receiving (five catches).  The team had 520 yards of total offense and held Whittier to 303 yards (only 113 in the second half).  Landon Patoc (SO, Honolulu, HI) and Patrick Atwater (SO, La Canada) led the team with seven tackles each.