Cheadle and Curcio combine for six touchdowns to hold off Tigers

Los Angeles, CA – Freshman Garrett Cheadle (HMC) ran the game of his life, rushing for five touchdowns to help Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (4-0, 2-0) defeat Occidental College (0-4, 0-2) in a massive 45-28 victory. This is the Stags' first 4-0 start since 2010. Cheadle broke out for 214 yards in 32 rushing attempts while freshman Christian Curcio (CMC) ran for 172 yards in 21 attempts and a touchdown.

Senior Trey Reynolds (CMC) had a fairly quiet evening due to the dominance of the running game, throwing only 8-for-15 and completing 123 passing yards. Meanwhile, the Tigers' quarterback Bryan Scott threw for four touchdowns. Ian Bonde and Brandon Hohengarten caught two touchdown passes each, as Bonde totaled 101 receiving yards while Hohengarten had 75. The CMS offensive line played a key role in helping the running backs breakout for a major performance and did not allow a single sack. On defense, sophomore Mitchell Allan (CMC) had one sack and two tackles for loss against the Tigers.  

With the game tied at 14 apiece in the beginning of the second half, the Stags managed to pull the game away starting with their drive with 12:34 left in the third quarter. At second down and nine from their own 11-yard line, Curcio broke free for a 61 yard run to Occidental's 28 yard line. Following a two-yard rush attempt, Cheadle finished the drive with a 26-yard run to help CMS to a 21-14 lead.

In their next possession, Reynolds connected with junior Chris Cziesla (CMC) with a 51-yard pass from their own 47 yard line to come close to the Tigers' goal line. Cheadle finished the drive with a short run to extend the Stags' lead.

After Scott found Bonde with a 12-yard pass to cut the Stags' lead 31-21 in the fourth quarter, Cheadle broke out on the following possession with a 68-yard run starting at their own 32 yard line to help the Stags take a 38-21 lead.

The Tigers tried to claw back with less than seven minutes left as Hohengarten caught a 24-yard pass for the touchdown, but they had no answer for Curcio and Cheadle, who combined for 44 yards of rushing after the Stags recovered the on-side kick at the Tigers' 44 yard line. Cheadle ran for seven yards to score the touchdown and put the game away for good.

The Stags will return home to host Cal Lutheran on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. to hold their lead in SCIAC and maintain their hot start to the season. 

By Young Kim
Sports Information Assistant

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