Morgan’s 3 Touchdowns Help Chapman Rout Occidental : College football: Senior running back does all his damage in the first half, and Panthers win, 47-6.

A week ago Chapman’s star quarterback Curtis Robinson ran for four touchdowns in the first half.

Robinson was out because of a knee injury Saturday night, but Chapman’s running game didn’t suffer, especially with senior running back Darnell Morgan in high gear.

Morgan made up any slack, running for three touchdowns and 111 yards in the first half to lead Chapman to a 47-6 victory over Occidental in front of 3,575 at Chapman. The Panthers are 3-1, losing only to La Verne in the season opener. Occidental fell to 1-2.

Morgan, who didn’t run in the second half, went into the nonconference game 17th in the NCAA Division III in scoring and 27th in rushing. Chapman was 10th in team rushing.

Junior Josh Bravo took over for Robinson at quarterback and guided the Panthers to 24 first-quarter points while the defense held Occidental scoreless. It was Chapman’s fourth consecutive first-quarter shutout.

Senior Bill Hamlin also kicked two first-half field goals, the second, late in the second quarter, tied his career best of 47 yards and gave Chapman a 34-0 halftime lead.

Hamlin’s 37-yarder put Chapman in front quickly, and Morgan broke away for a 54-yard scoring run on the first play of the next series for a 10-0 lead with 8:31 left in the first quarter.

Morgan scored again on an eight-yard run midway through the first quarter, with Oscar Ford going 60 yards for another touchdown with 1:26 left. Morgan’s third touchdown of the half was on a 30-yard run with 9:19 remaining in the second quarter.

The defense gave the Panthers a quick touchdown at the start of the third quarter on Malcolm Hunt’s 37-yard interception return. Chapman Coach Ken Visser went to some of his reserve backs after that, and the third quarter ended with Chapman leading, 41-0.

Greg Hyland, who backed up Bravo at quarterback, completed a 49-yard pass to Martrice Stephens to set up a one-yard scoring run by Jason Lowe early in the final quarter.

“Both Darnell and Oscar had little dings in the first half, so I didn’t want to take any chances with them in the second half,” Visser said. “And we wanted to give other people a chance to play. We ended up losing our shutout, but I’d rather have kids play.”

Visser said he especially was pleased with the play of the defense. “Our kids executed very well,” he said.

It was Visser’s first coaching victory over his alma mater.

“Oxy’s down a little this year compared to the past, mostly in depth and numbers, but it was a nice win for me from that standpoint,” he said. “I didn’t beat them in three games when I was at Whittier and we lost to them last year. That’s a good program, and their coaches do a fine job.”

Visser said he doesn’t think the one-sided victory will breed any complacency this week. The Panthers play at Chico State next Saturday. “The kids know that’s a Division II team, and we’ll have to be ready,” he said.