Toreros Again Master Pomona-Pitzer : University of San Diego: Secondary tightens up in time to preserve a 21-17 victory. USD is 17-0-1 against Pomona-Pitzer since the series began.

Darryl Jackson, Scott Bradley, Darby Barrett and Dave Paladino knew what they were getting into Saturday afternoon against Pomona-Pitzer.

They comprise the defensive secondary for the University of San Diego, and had the task of stopping Pomona’s offense, which was averaging 238 passing yards and 34.3 points per game.

After a shaky start, they performed admirably, keying the Toreros’ 21-17 victory in front of about 1,000 fans.

The victory gave USD a 4-1 record heading into its homecoming next week against UC Santa Barbara. Pomona-Pitzer, which was enjoying its best start since 1970, fell to 3-1. USD is 17-0-1 against Pomona-Pitzer since the series began in 1957.

Pomona-Pitzer quarterback Scott Hamburg completed his first four passes and six of seven en route to a 101-yard first-quarter total. His first pass of the second quarter--a 25-yard alley-oop touchdown to Mike Dodd in the back of the end zone--gave the Sagehens a 7-0 lead.

After that, Hamburg completed only five of 26 for 49 yards. Three of those attempts were intercepted, and at least three others could have been. Paladino, Barrett and Jackson made the picks.

Paladino’s set up USD’s first touchdown, Barrett’s set up the final touchdown and Jackson’s came with 50 seconds remaining as Pomona-Pitzer was attempting to pull off its fourth come-from-behind victory in the fourth quarter.

“We were playing a little soft in the first quarter,” Paladino said. “We tightened up (our coverage) after that. The big thing was, once (the defensive front) started to put some pressure on (Hamburg), it made it easier for us.”

“It was a big challenge for us,” Barrett said. “This showed we have a lot of character. (As far as the first quarter), I think it was just a process of settling down and playing our type of defense.”

USD’s defense, which surrendered 451 yards in a 28-14 loss to Redlands last week, yielded 250 yards to the Sagehens, 175 through the air, and only 60 total in the second half. The three interceptions were a season high and gives USD eight for the year, one more than all of last season. Dodd’s touchdown was the first passing score against USD this season. A fourth-quarter, 41-yard field goal by the Sagehens’ Mike Cass was only the 17th point allowed by USD in the second half this season.

Trailing 7-0, USD tied the game on a 13-yard run by quarterback Brendan Murphy with 6:00 left in the first half, but Pomona-Pitzer quickly got back on top. Nate Birtman returned the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.

Early in the third quarter, Bobby Tubbs recovered a Pomona-Pitzer fumble, giving USD the ball at the Sagehen 20. Three plays later, Greg Livengood scored his first college touchdown on a one-yard run over left tackle.

After Barrett’s interception, USD went ahead for good, 21-14, with 12:30 left. Murphy capped a seven-play, 35-yard drive with a one-yard quarterback sneak for his second touchdown.

It was not a particularly stellar day for USD’s offense--it converted only two of 16 third-down opportunities--but USD Coach Brian Fogarty said that’s because he was too conservative in his play calling. “Most of it was me being conservative,” Fogarty said. “We thought we would move the ball better, but we didn’t.”

As a result, John Gillis punted 12 times for 448 yards. The yardage total broke Joe Amidon’s school record (set in 1975) by one yard. The 12 punts tied Amidon’s school mark set in 1974.

USD finished with a respectable 285 total yards, 191 on the ground. John Eck led all rushers with 81 yards in 13 carries. Livengood added 62 in 12 carries. Murphy had 94 yards passing but completed only four of 15.