Menlo Hurts Occidental Playoff Bid Early, 16-14

It was only the season opener but the ramifications of its outcome branded it as a potential season ender.

At Occidental College where conference football championships have become almost expected, and somewhat unfairly, the measure of true success is making the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. Division III playoffs.

Saturday night at Occidental, the Tigers made their chances of gaining their first playoff invitation in four years more difficult by suffering a 16-14 nonconference defeat to Menlo College.

“You can go 8-1 and make the playoffs,” Occidental Coach Dale Widolff said, “but you have to win eight in a row now. Before tonight we had the luxury of a loss or tie.”

Occidental spotted Menlo a 13-0 lead before getting its offense into gear in the fourth quarter.

Behind senior quarterback Tony Werbelow--who completed a nine-yard touchdown pass to Rob Leinbach--and sophomore running back Steve McClaskey--who scored on a two-yard run--the Tigers rallied to take a 14-13 lead with 9:03 to play.

But on the ensuing kickoff, which took place from the 50-yard line because of a penalty against Menlo on the extra point, Dan Wahl caught the ball on the Menlo five and weaved through Occidental defenders for a 76-yard return. With 4:26 left Blair Naegle kicked a 28-yard field goal that gave the Oaks the margin of victory.

“When he started running the ball out, I was happy because I didn’t think he’d get past the 20,” Widolff said of the return. “We’d like to think of ourselves as a field-position team, but we gave them great starts the whole night.”

Occidental’s final threat ended when John Till intercepted a pass by Werbelow at the Menlo 46 with two minutes left. Werbelow completed 15 of 24 passes for 135 yards and threw two interceptions.

The loss tarnished an outstanding debut by McClaskey, a transfer from Azusa Pacific who rushed for 109 yards in 24 carries.

Senior quarterback Greg Clark was the standout performer for Menlo, completing eight of 17 passes for 133 yards and two scores.

On a first-and-15 situation from the Occidental 40 on the last play of the first quarter, Clark took the snap and rolled right to the sideline where he encountered a mass of Tigers. While Clark wheeled around and sprinted to the left hash mark, wide receiver Chris Lupenui stood alone doing jumping jacks in the right corner of the end zone.

Clark pivoted and fired a pass to Lupenui for a touchdown that capped an 13-play 87-yard drive and a 7-0 lead.

Clark’s second touchdown pass, a 41-yard play, came with 3:19 left in the third quarter.