Redlands fails on field goals in narrow defeat to Pomona-pitzer

Special teams mistakes cost the University of Redlands football team over and over again on Saturday night.

Three missed field goals were the difference as the Bulldogs lost 10-9 to Pomona-pitzer in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at Ted Runner Stadium.

“Really disappointed, and usually when you have an all-american kicker you can feel pretty good… but if you don’t protect him,” Redlands coach Jim Good said.

It’s the first loss in conference play for Redlands (3-2 overall, 2-1 SCIAC), which watched as starting quarterback Tyler Tremain was carted off the field in the fourth quarter.

“He’s in the hospital right now. It’s a lower leg injury,” Good said.

Nick Kim was 15 of 20 passing for 178 yards and a touchdown as Pomonapitzer (3-2, 2-1) escaped with a win despite getting shut out in the second half.

“Beating Redlands is really difficult, but we just scored one more point than them today,” Pomona-pitzer coach John Walsh said.

Redlands’ issues with special teams started early when Vincente Garcia missed a field-goal attempt in the first quarter, and then the Bulldogs had their first punt of the game blocked by Pomona-pitzer’s Elliott Grazian.

The Sagehens recovered and quickly turned the possession into a 39-yard field goal off the foot of Cameron Shirang.

“We knew we had to play well on special teams to have a chance, and I think our players responded well,” Walsh said.

Pomona-pitzer added to its lead late in the second quarter when Kim found a diving Joaquin Valdez at the right pylon for a 3-yard touchdown.

Redlands had an opportunity to get on the scoreboard in the final seconds of the first half, but again Garcia missed wide right on a 35-yard attempt.

Pomona-pitzer began the second half with the ball, but the Sagehens’ drive was dismantled by two Redlands sacks and a tackle for loss in the backfield.

Tremain made the Bulldogs’ first possession of the third quarter count, running 30 yards down the right sideline for a first down before finishing off the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run.

Redlands’ Tony Williams, the SCIAC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 100-plus yards and two touchdowns in a 24-7 win over La Verne, finished with a game-high 17 carries for 68 yards.

In the fourth quarter, Redlands was stopped twice on fourth-and-short but got a late possession. Jordan Ford went long to Graig Padgett for a first down with about one minute remaining. Unable to get another first down, however, the Bulldogs tried a third field goal, but it was blocked and recovered by Pomona-pitzer at the 3.

The Sagehens attempted to run out the clock but were pushed back for a safety as time expired.