Football Loses Season Opener in High-Scoring Affair

Josh Scurlock '08 accounted for 252 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, but the Whittier College football team lost its season opener 35-28 to visiting Carthage College on September 15. 

The Poets started off strong, scoring a touchdown on their first offensive possession when Scurlock and Shawn Briggs '08 connected for a ten-yard touchdown pass.  The touchdown capped off a 14-play, 7:22 drive that gave the Poets the early lead.  On the ensuing kickoff, Whittier recovered an on-side kick, but they were unable to put together a scoring drive to increase their lead. 

The Carthage offense came alive and showed their capability for the big play in the second quarter.  Quarterback Dan DeBouf threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Luke Musselman to tie the game with 11:05 left in the second stanza.  The Poets were forced to punt on their next possession, giving the ball back to the Red Men at their own 31-yard line.  Carthage marched down the field with a ten-play 69-yard drive that resulted in another DeBouf touchdown pass, this one an eight yard pass that found Nick Merchut alone in the end zone.  The extra point gave Carthage a 14-7 lead.  The next Poets possession started off strong, as the offense picked up two first downs, but on the fifth play of the drive, a tipped pass resulted in Scurlock's only interception of the day, and gave the ball back to Carthage with great field position.  Two plays later, the Red Men struck big again, with a 43-yard pass from DeBouf to Merchut to extend their lead to 21-7 heading into halftime.

After the break, the Poets cut the lead in half with a six-play, 56-yard drive that ended with Scurlock using his legs to get into the end zone, scrambling three yards for the touchdown.  The Poets blocked a field goal attempt on the Red Men's next possession, to keep them within one touchdown.  But the Poets were unable to capitalize on their next possession, giving the ball back to Carthage with six minutes left in the third quarter.  Carthage produced another big play on their ensuing possession; this one a 25-yard touchdown pass that capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive with 3:15 left in the third.  The Poets went three-and-out in their next possession, and the Red Men struck big again, four plays later.  A 35-yard touchdown pass from DeBouf to Rick Loisi gave Carthage a 35-14 lead heading into the final fifteen minutes.

Half way through the fourth quarter, Scurlock led the Poets on a ten-play, 54-yard drive that ended with him leaping over a Carthage defender for a two yard touchdown run, his second of the day.  The Poet defense forced a Cathage turnover on downs on the next possession, giving Whittier the ball with 3:27 left and down 35-21.  Once again the Poets moved the ball down the field and found the end zone.  Scurlock found Briggs for a 14-yard touchdown pass that cut the lead to just one touchdown.  However, the scoring drive took 2:16 off the clock and forced the Poets to attempt another on-side kick on the ensuing kickoff.  Whittier was unable to recover the kick, and gave the ball back to Carthage, who ran out the clock and took the 35-28 victory.

Scurlock completed 21 of 40 passes for 177 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.  He also rushed for 75 yards and two scores.  Briggs was his favorite target, catching nine passes for 84 yards and two touchdowns.  Ricky Carroll '11 caught four passes for 24 yards.  Anthony Pomponio '09 carried the ball 13 times for 53 yards.  The 28 points by the Poets are the most points scored against Carthage in three games this season.  Whittier picked up 27 first downs in the game, ten more than Carthage.  They also dominated the time of possession, holding the ball for nearly 14 minutes longer than the Red Men.  Defensively, Arlo Castelo '08 led the Poets with 5.5 tackles.  Sean MacNeil '09 made five tackles for the Poets.  Nick Enriquez '09 recorded the only sack for the Whittier defense.

For Carthage, DeBouf went 18-for-26 with 235 yards and five touchdowns.  Jeff Koeneman made five receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown.  Merchut caught three passes, two went for touchdowns. 

The Poets are in action again on September 22, when they travel to the University of Puget Sound for a non-conference game.  Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30pm.