Toreros Stop Whittier Threat, Win, 33-21

The University of San Diego defense paced itself, waiting until the fourth quarter to pull out all the stops Saturday night against Whittier.

In doing so, USD stopped Whittier on three consecutive possessions to end any hope that the Poets could stage a late comeback and win their first game of the year.

Instead, the Toreros (4-1-1) got their third consecutive victory, a 33-21 decision over Whittier. It was USD’s sixth victory in a row against Whittier (0-4).

In order, fourth-quarter heroics belonged to USD after the Toreros held George Marquecho, the Poets’ leading rusher, to one yard on a fourth-and-two, successfully killing the drive.

On Whittier’s next possession, the Poets drove to USD’s 34-yard-line when quarterback Eric Jencks, formerly of Vista High, fumbled after an eight-yard gain and USD’s Rick Salazar recovered.

The Poets’ final drive ended when USD’s Scott Buccola intercepted a Jencks pass and returned it 21 yards near the end of the game and the Toreros ran out the clock.

“We needed to control the ball tonight,” USD Coach Brian Fogarty said. “(Whittier) was moving the ball well, and our defense came up with some big plays in the second half.

“The offense did a good job, and Scott Sporrer had a typical Scott Sporrer game,” Fogarty said.

USD rushed 210 yards on 50 carries. Sporrer picked up 137 yards on 29 carries, with a long run of 21 yards.

USD scored first on a 11-yard pass from Michael Bennett to Jamie Gutierrez, then fell behind, 14-7 in the first quarter. But the Toreros scored twice in the second quarter to take a 21-14 halftime lead.

USD tied the score, 14-14, on a seven-play, 65-yard drive that culminated with a five-yard touchdown run by Sporrer with 11:30 left before the half.

Six minutes later, Whittier faced a third and three on its 27 when Jencks fumbled on the option. USD’s Fred Shaw scooped it up and ran 24 yards on the return for the score.

To open the second half, USD scored on its first possession, a 13-play, 63-yard drive that ended when Scott Steingrebe caught a 12-yard pass from Bennett on fourth and two. Steingrebe’s catch extended USD’s lead to 27-14.

Whittier scored once in the third, but the Toreros put the game out of reach when Gutierrez returned a punt 30 yards to set up his own five-yard touchdown run two plays later.

Bennett was six of 10 for 77 yards and one touchdown and Steingrebe caught three passes for 49 yards. In addition to Buccola, Steve Crandall and Jeff Blazevich had interceptions for USD.