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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ORANGE, Calif. – Eight years ago, the Chapman University football team posted an overall record of 5-4 with a high-powered offense that averaged over 36 points per game. It was the last time the Panthers produced a winning record…until now. The Panthers will win at least that many games this year as Chapman defeated host Pomona-Pitzer Colleges 28-14 at Merritt Field on Saturday afternoon to clinch its first winning season since 1999. The victory was Chapman’s fourth straight and also snapped a four-game road losing streak dating back to the 2006 season. Chapman (5-2) had to shake off a little rust after a week of cancellations and indoor practices due to poor air quality from local southland wildfires. However, the Panthers got out to an early lead thanks to touchdowns on back-to-back late first quarter-early second quarter possessions. Chapman took advantage of good field position after one of four Pomona turnovers and only had to go a total of 16 yards for its first touchdown – a 1-yard run from junior QB Eric Marty. On their next drive the Panthers went 76 yards on six plays, capped by a 42-yard touchdown pass from Marty to sophomore WR Kaleo Perez and led 14-0. The Panthers built a 21-0 halftime lead thanks to another efficient performance from their passing offense. Chapman quarterbacks, led by Marty, combined to go 18-of-30 for 264 yards with just one interception. Eight different players caught passes for the Panthers, including junior WR Harrison Dull who had a team-high 71 yards. Last week Dull became Chapman’s all-time leading receiver in yardage. He now has 1,802 career receiving yards. Defensively, the Panthers took a shutout into the fourth quarter before surrendering a pair of late touchdowns. Junior LB Nick Gaitan led the Chapman defense with three tackles for loss, a quarterback sack and a forced fumble. The Panthers secondary also picked off Pomona-Pitzer QB Jake Caron three times. Junior CB Chris Shiramizu had a pair of interceptions – one that led to a Panthers touchdown – while junior FS Garrett Earls made his team-leading third pick of the season and ran it back 29 yards. Chapman will travel to Occidental on Saturday to face No. 24 Occidental in Eagle Rock. The Tigers slipped from No. 14 in the D3Football.com national poll after an upset by Cal Lutheran 43-25 ended Occidental’s 32-game regular season winning streak. The Panthers had been the last team to beat the Oxy in the regular season, a 31-28 win in the 2004 season opener for both teams.
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