COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP : Occidental Squeaks Past Redlands

Ronnie Cunningham made a spectacular--and controversial--diving interception in the waning moments of a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game Saturday night, giving Occidental a 21-17 victory over Redlands.

The matchup figured to be close, pitting Redlands, the conference’s top offensive and defensive team, against Occidental, which is second in both categories.

Redlands loudly protested Cunningham’s interception, claiming the ball was trapped. The turnover came seconds after Brian Harmon hit Ricky Jacobs with a 17-yard pass to the Occidental 38. The play, which came on a fourth-and-15 situation, breathed new life into the Bulldogs’ final drive.

Occidental is 6-2 overall, 4-1 in conference play. Redlands is 4-4 and 4-1.

With 3:08 to play in the third quarter Saturday, John Thebeau cut Redlands’ deficit to 21-17 with a 39-yard field goal.

Occidental took the opening kickoff of the second half and--sparked by a 28-yard Gary Little gallop--marched to the Redlands’ two. After two unsuccessful attempts by Little to dive in the end zone, Kevin Vegas pushed the ball over the goal line and the Tigers increased their lead to 21-14.

Redlands drove 82 yards in seven plays on its first possession, taking a 6-0 advantage on Shaun Trejo’s 11-yard run.

Redlands dodged a bullet late in the second quarter with the score tied, 14-14. The Tigers, who had marched 50 yards in 11 plays, scored an apparent touchdown when Tony Werbelow hit Rob Leinbach, who caught the ball at the two and squirmed into the end zone. But Occidental was caught with an illegal receiver downfield and the play was nullified.

Two plays later, Werbelow found Marc Krock on a 27-yard pass in the right corner of the end zone. This apparent score was also called back, this time on a holding penalty.

Trailing, 14-6, with 8:43 to play in the half, Redlands evened the score when Trejo cut off left tackle and rambled in from the Tigers’ 11.

Harmon faked the hold on the conversion try and ran untouched into the end zone to tie the sore. The touchdown run--Trejo’s second of the game--capped a four-play, 27-yard drive.

Little, who led all rushers with 149 yards in 39 carries, charged in from the two with 49 seconds to play in the first quarter to give the Tigers a 14-6 edge.

Curt Landreth, the conference’s leading rusher, led Redlands with 135 yards in 19 carries.