Whittier Acts Part of Spoiler as Occidental Falters, 26-16

Whittier College entered Saturday night’s football game against Occidental with the worst offense in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

The Poets, however, looked anything but the part against Occidental and the conference’s second-best defense, posting a 26-16 victory at Whittier.

Occidental is 5-2 overall, 3-1 in conference play.

The loss dropped the Tigers into second place in the SCIAC behind unbeaten Redlands, a 35-21 winner over Claremont.

Whittier improved to 2-5, 2-2.

Operating most of the night out of a set that featured a lone running back and four receivers, Whittier quarterback Mike Haney completed 13 of 22 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns.

The Poets outgained Occidental, 383-278.

“We don’t have a chance for the championship so our thing is to be the spoiler,” Haney said.

“We just put in this offense a few weeks ago and we weren’t sure what was going to happen tonight.”

Whittier was ahead, 18-0, early in the second quarter behind the play of Haney and tailback-flanker Gaylan Sweet.

The Poets scored on their first possession, driving 63 yards in eight plays.

With Occidental pressuring him with a blitz, Haney threw a short pass over the middle to Sweet and the senior from San Diego turned it into a 31-yard scoring play with nine minutes, 41 seconds left in the first quarter.

Whittier struck again with 19 seconds left in the quarter on a 14-yard run by Ryan Rowlands. The play capped an 80-yard, six-play drive aided by a personal foul penalty against Occidental and a 35-yard pass from Haney to Sweet.

The Poets increased their lead with 13:22 left in the half on a 24-yard scoring pass from Haney to Ian Yates.

Whittier’s defense also turned in a key play when Phil Reineke intercepted a pass from Tony Werbelow in the end zone that thwarted Occidental’s first threat with 5:50 left in the half.

The Tigers scored with 32 seconds left in the half on a 29-yard touchdown pass from Werbelow to wide receiver Rob Leinbach that capped a 71-yard, seven-play drive.

Werbelow connected with tight end David Grossklaus for a two-point conversion to complete the first-half scoring.

Werbelow added a nine-yard touchdown pass to Sam Warren with 10:29 left and finished 20 of 37 for 142 yards. Werbelow threw two interceptions.

“This was, by far, our best game of the season,” said Haney, whose team will meet Occidental again on Nov. 11 in the season finale.

“They’re going to be ready for us next time.”

Tackle Doi Johnson led a defense that limited Occidental tailback Gary Little, the conference’s leading rusher, to 45 yards in 20 carries.

Rowlands rushed for a game-high 110 yards in 24 carries.