On Sept. 20, the Pomona-Pitzer (P-P) Sagehens lost 3-21 to the Lewis and Clark College Pioneers in a hard-fought home opener.
The energy in the stadium was palpable as rambunctious fans filled the stands under the summer sun. The Pioneers’ supporters were proud and booming, slinging noisemakers in the air, while the home crowd belted a roar of cheers as the Sagehens stormed the field.
Though the Sagehens quickly found a rhythm on offense, with Grady Russo PZ ’27 throwing for 242 yards and 29 completions, they were not able to punch in a touchdown this time around.
Compared to their previous game against Willamette University, where they tallied 205 yards of gain on 33 attempts, the Hens’ running game against the Pioneers trailed noticeably as they only rushed for 30 yards of gain on 22 attempts. With eight sacks on Russo and an interception, the Pioneers’ defense pressured the Hens’ every snap.
Despite the defensive pressure, the Hens still found opportunities through the air. With 10 of the Sagehens’ receivers breaking a total of 248 yards, Russo found time to get the ball downfield to a variety of targets. On special teams, Jackson Irons PO ’28 and Broghan Daley PO ’28 returned a combined 88 yards from kickoff, notching more yards for the Hens’ receiving corps.
A new member of Sagehen football and a transfer from Saddleback College, Daley spoke about the offensive game plan going into the matchup.
“We have weapons on all sides of the ball,” Daley said. “Running backs [and] receivers … but we gameplanned it for Grady to make some small, quick passes to get in our receivers’ hands as fast as possible.”
Although the Hens produced more yards in the air, the Pioneers ran for over three times as many yards with only nine more attempts.
The Sagehens’ defense kept in stride with the Pioneers, ending the game with 36 solo tackles, 56 team tackles and two sacks — a solid defensive performance that was overshadowed by the final score.
The Pioneers also had a potent defensive performance that proved to be a challenge for the Hens. Besides the seven sacks and untimely interception from Lewis and Clark in the third quarter, the Pioneers also secured 44 solo tackles and 56 team tackles.
The Sagehens are learning to adjust where it matters most, with the team captains already rallying for their teammates’ morale. Defensive captain Jake Sugawara PO ’26 expressed that he and the team are taking on the challenges of recovery and readjustment, seeing adversity as a natural symptom of striving for greatness.
“We got punched in the mouth … [but] the guys … we’re a tight-knit group,” Sugawara said. “We’re fighting for each other every down. Good teams deal with adversity, but what separates the great teams from the average ones is how they respond to it.”
The 5Cs are getting ready for the annual Sixth Street rivalry game on Saturday, Sept. 27, at Merritt Field. With the weight of tradition for both the Sagehens and Stags, there’s much at stake for the morale and bragging rights of each team.
Coach Michale Spicer, special teams coordinator and defensive line coach for P-P, is approaching the rivalry game as any other, not letting the hype of the rivalry infiltrate his or the team’s focus.
“We’re doing it [the way] we would normally … watch film [and] see how we can attack ‘em,” Spicer said. “It’s a rivalry game, so to the outside world, the implications are a little bit different, but to us [they’re] just another opponent.”
Sugawara expressed confidence about the corrections the Hens are already making during practice after their loss to the Pioneers.
“For the defense, moving forward for the rest of the season, we got our first taste of adversity,” Sugawara said. “But now we know what we need to work on.”
For the offense, Daley spoke about what the Sagehens are doing to improve before the rivalry matchup this week.
“If I were to point out one thing, physicality-wise, on blocking, Lewis and Clark won it,” Daley said. “This week, we have fire in our stomachs now. We’re hungry to beat the crap out of CMS.”
“This week, we have fire in our stomachs now. We’re hungry to beat the crap out of CMS.”
The Stags have triumphed over the Hens in their past two matchups, with P-P’s last victory being on Nov. 12, 2022. The Sagehens are eager to end their title drought and flip the script on their early season loss against Lewis and Clark.
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