Ground game, defense overpower Lewis & Clark in 27-7 CMS road win

PORTLAND, Ore. – Sophomore running back Shane Pico (CMC) put the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps football team ahead with a rushing touchdown in the first quarter, and CMS continued running all day, on their way to a 27-7 road win over Lewis & Clark on Sept. 12 at Griswold Stadium.

The early rushing touchdown set the tone for CMS, as they used the ground game to control the clock all afternoon and rack up 315 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. CMS had possession for nearly 40 of the game's 60 minutes. CMS' defense also came up big again with three forced turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble recovery) and the team allowed just 286 yards of total offense, which included just 35 yards on the ground.

The win gives CMS (1-1) its first of the year and third in a row against Lewis & Clark.

Pico's opening touchdown came with 5:08 left in the first quarter and capped off a 12-play, 41-yard drive. Midway through the second quarter, sophomore backup quarterback Sam Healy (CMC) broke loose for a 46-yard touchdown run which gave CMS a 14-0 lead with 7:43 on the clock before halftime. For Healy, it is the first touchdown of his CMS career.

Late in the first half, Lewis & Clark moved inside CMS' 30-yard line after an 18-yard pass from Niko Fortino to Bruce Taft. Two players later, Fortino coughed up the ball on a hit by senior defensive lineman Andrew Sova (CMC) which ended their scoring threat.

In the third quarter, CMS kept the ball on the ground and pushed its lead out to four touchdowns after scores by sophomore running back Andrew Segre (CMC) and Pico. CMS led 27-0 with 1:49 left in the third quarter after Pico's second rushing touchdown of the game. Pico finished his afternoon with 129 yards rushing on 17 carries with his longest run being a 48-yarder. Segre added 58 yards while junior running back Nick Gott (HMC) ran for 76 yards on 11 carries.

Lewis & Clark's lone touchdown came with 11:26 left in the game when Fortino connected with Dejou Williams for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Fortino threw for 251 yards in the game while Williams came up with a game-high 77 yards receiving on seven catches.

Defensively, senior defensive back James Ingram (CMC) had a team-high eight tackles for CMS. Sophomore defensive back Victor Bunce (CMC) once again came up with an interception (his fourth in the first two games of the season) and sophomore linebacker Brendan MacDonald (CMC) added an interception as well.

After starting the year with two non-conference games, CMS now has three weeks in between games, next playing on Oct. 3 at Chapman in CMS' SCIAC opener.

Box score

by Chris Watts
Director of Athletics Communication
Claremont McKenna College

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