After losing two straight games, the Leopard football team returned to the win column in a big way using a tough second-half defense en route to easily winning 35-15 over non-conference opponent Chapman University Saturday night at Chapman Stadium.
With the victory, the Leopards improve their record to 3-4 on the season.
The Leopards built a 25-15 halftime lead and shut out Chapman (4-4) in the second half on their way to the victory. Deandre Valencia and Gabe Segovia led the Leopard defense with 12 and 10 tackles, respectively.
“The defense stepped up big for us,” head coach Don Morel said. “We had an excellent game plan and they executed it to perfection.”
Quarterback Brian Guerrero led the offense with 214 yards in the air on 12 for 26 passing and one touchdown to go along with one rushing touchdown.
Roger Logan, the beneficiary of the touchdown pass, amassed 240 yards of total offense.
Logan rushed for 32 yards on one carry, caught six passes for 106 yards and a touchdown and had three kick-off returns for 102 yards.
“I just played my game,” Logan said. “More importantly I am proud of how our team played and the victory.”
As a team, the Leopards dominated the line of scrimmage out-gaining the Panthers in total offense with 522 yards compared to 353, with both teams running the same amount of plays.
On the ground, the Leopards had their way with the defense, running for 309 yards led by Phillip Craig who racked up 99 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown and Mike Anello who had 87 yards on eight carries.
“We all stepped up as a team,” Craig said. “That is how you play a football game, for four complete quarters.”
Craig scored the first touchdown of the game for the Leopards from two yards out. The Leopards connected on a two-point conversion and added a 19-yard Dan Rinderknecht for the early 11-0 lead.
Chapman’s Marvin Davis scored from seven-yards out and with a two-point conversion of their own, the Panthers cut the lead to 11-8.
The Leopards scored two touchdowns in the second quarter with the first being Guerrero running it in from one-yard out.
Chapman came back with a touchdown strike when quarterback Patrick Josten hit Harrision Dull on a 14-yard touchdown pass.
Guerrero hit Logan on a 62-yard touchdown pass with 1:15 left in the half to give the Leopards a 25-15 lead at the break.
The Leopard defense took the game over in the second half not allowing the Panthers to score again while the Leopard offense added a Joe Camacho two-yard touchdown run and a 21-yard field goal from Rinderknecht in the second half.
The Leopards have two games remaining and currently stand in a tie for third-place in SCIAC, looking to push their way up the standings.
The Leopards continue play tomorrow against Occidental.
“We have to use this game as momentum,” Morel said. “The season is not over yet we have to continue to play tough, turnover-free football.”
Jonathan Corral can be reached at jcorral@ulv.edu.