La Verne, Calif. – The La Verne Football team jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, and used a punt return and an interception return for touchdowns in the second half to hold off Pomona-Pitzer for a 34-24 win on Saturday afternoon.

The win improves La Verne's record to 3-3 overall on the season and 3-1 in the SCIAC. Pomona-Pitzer falls to 0-6 overall and 0-4 in the conference with the loss. Sophomore safety Don Swan (Gold Beach, Ore. - pictured) had a huge day on defense with 18 tackles (nine solo) for the Sagehens, which used two of its regular starting defenders on offense, who combined for nine catches and a touchdown.

The Sagehens were down by just a single touchdown at 24-17 heading into the fourth quarter, after a 33-yard field goal from junior kicker Michael Weil (San Diego, Calif.) with 1:16 left in the third. However, La Verne converted on a 4th-and-1 at the Pomona-Pitzer 27-yard line to keep a drive going and Alex Miller kicked a 35-yard field goal to push the lead back up to 10 points.

Manuel Macias then sealed the win when he intercepted a Ferguson pass and ran it back 41 yards for a touchdown with 8:25 to play to make the score 34-17. The Sagehens responded with a quick touchdown drive, as freshman fullback Grant Frazier (Newport Beach, Calif.) plunged in from two yards out with 6:18 to go to cut the lead to 34-24. Pomona-Pitzer's defense held, but the Sagehens turned the ball over on downs in La Verne territory with just under 2:00 left to end the game.

La Verne jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter lead, before Ferguson found senior wide receiver Yoshi Rothman (La Jolla, Calif.) from nine yards out early in the second quarter to pull the Sagehens within 10-7. Junior defensive back Weston Staubus (Solana Beach, Calif.) had an interception later in the second quarter, as Pomona-Pitzer stayed within 10-7 at the break.

The second half got off to an inauspicious start, as La Verne's defense forced the Sagehens to punt, and Felipe Valdez ran it back 69 yards for a touchdown to push the lead to 17-7. Pomona-Pitzer, though, regrouped and Ferguson found sophomore tight end Michael Etzel (Wilsonville, Ore.), who normally plays linebacker and was playing his first game on offense, from 32 yards out to make the score 17-14 with 8:56 left.

La Verne, though, drove the length of the field in response, using a two-yard touchdown run from Matthew Biggers to push the lead to 24-14, before Weil's field goal made it a one-possession game.

Ferguson finished 14-for-30 for 211 yards and two touchdowns for the Sagehens, who were playing without senior running back Luke Sweeney (Broken Arrow, Okla.), who was injured last weekend 10 yards short of the school's career record of 2,767 (held by Jim Regan). Senior Michael Schwartz (Seattle, Wash.) filled in and had a career-high 63 yards rushing on 22 carries. Biggers led all rushers with 184 yards on 40 carries for La Verne, while Travis Carter was 16-for-23 passing for 166 yards.

The Sagehens got some great production out of its two defensive players who switched to offense for the first time, as Etzel finished with 103 yards receiving on three catches and a touchdown, while senior defensive back Duncan Hussey (Seattle, Wash.) played at wide receiver and had six catches for 59 yards.

In addition to the big day from Swan, senior linebacker Jake Rollins (Simi Valley, Calif.) contributed 16 tackles to the Sagehen defense. Staubus had seven tackles and two pass break-ups to go along with his interception.

Pomona-Pitzer returns to action next Saturday when it travels to Occidental for the annual Battle of the Drum at 7 p.m.