FOREST GROVE, Ore. – It came down to the final play in overtime as
Isaiah Pitre hauled in the game-winning touchdown pass from
Ryan Helt to lift Pacific Football over Pomona-Pitzer, securing the 23-20 victory on Saturday night inside Hanson Stadium.
The Boxers trailed 17-3 with just under four minutes left in the third quarter before roaring back into the contest, scoring 14 unanswered points to tie things up at 17-17 heading into overtime. Pacific held Pomona-Pitzer to a field goal on the first possession and scored on the ensuing possession to clinch the win on its home turf.
The Sagehens recorded 369 yards of total offense while the Boxers posted 309. Pacific's defense came up with three interceptions to help propel the comeback in the second half. This was the Boxers' biggest come-from-behind win since 2015.
Top Performers
- Isaiah Pitre was the hero in overtime and he also enjoyed an excellent night at the wide out position with nine catches for 94 yards and two scores.
- Kash Taylor rushed over the century mark, posting 106 yards on his 28 carries.
- Ryan Helt struggled in the first half but bounced back to produce a solid line, completing 20-of-40 passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns.
- Zion Booker, Jesse Stroede, and Kamana'o Gilliand each registered an interception to headline a huge defensive performance.
How It Happened
Both teams struggled to move the ball effectively in the opening minutes of the first quarter with three straight punts to start the game. Pacific would eventually take the lead following
Caden Almer's 31-yard yard field goal early in the second quarter.
Two more drives would stall before the Sagehens answered with a field goal of their own with just over five minutes left in the half. Just before the halftime whistle, Pomona-Pitzer put together a seven-play, 62-yard drive to take a 10-3 lead into the locker room.
In the third quarter, the visitors extended their lead to two scores when quarterback Skylar Nobles connected with Ryan Rosumny for a 38-yard touchdown pass to make the score 17-3.
Pacific's defense stepped up to give the team some momentum as cornerback
Zion Booker jumped a slant route to pick up his first interception of the season, giving Forest Grove's team great field position to begin their comeback.
The Boxers capitalized with a quick drive, punctuated by an eight-yard touchdown strike from Helt to
Tyler Vargas, making it a one-touchdown game heading into the final 15 minutes.
At the start of the fourth quarter, a deflected pass would fall into the hands of
Kamana'o Gilliand, giving the Boxers another chance to cut the deficit. Unfortunately, a missed field goal would halt Pacific's momentum.
The Boxers' defense would continue to hold strong, however, as they came up with two big stops to keep their team within striking distance.
Pacific got the ball back at their own 13-yard-line with 2:44 left to play. Helt and the offense would go to work, as the Boxers' signal caller hooked up with Pitre four times on the drive, with the final pass finding the end zone to tie the game at 17-17 with 19 seconds left on the clock.
In overtime, the Sagehens converted on 3
rd and 10 but saw their drive stall following two important pass break-ups from
Sancho Eskridge and
Robert Wood, forcing the visitors to settle for a field goal.
On the next possession, Taylor carried the ball four times to get his team down to the five-yard-line. Facing a third down, Helt would go to his favorite target yet again, and Pitre would make the clutch grab in the end zone to give his team the 23-20 victory.
By The Numbers
- Pacific was 6-of-18 on third down while Pomona-Pitzer was 8-of-16.
- Nobles threw for 269 yards and rushed for 96 net yards, accounting for 365 of the team's 369 total yards.
- The Boxers improve to 2-0 all-time against the Sagehens, defeating the Southern California opponents on the final play of the game for the second straight season.
What It Means
Pacific improves to 1-1 overall before entering Northwest Conference play.
Up Next
The Boxers will enter another bye week before returning to Hanson Stadium on Oct. 1 at 1 p.m. to host Willamette for Homecoming.
For the latest information on Pacific Athletics, make sure to check out GoBoxers.com. You can also find the Boxers on social media at @GoBoxers on
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