CLAREMONT — When Pomona-Pitzer junior quarterback Grady Russo went out with an injury in the first half, it was a golden opportunity for rival Claremont-Mudd-Scripps’ defense.
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Pomona-Pitzer’s Jackson Walker catchrs a pass in front of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps’ Kevin White in a SCIAC football opener and the annual Sixth Street Rivalry Game at Merritt Field in Claremont on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
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Pomona-Pitzer’s Jackson Walker catchrs a pass in front of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps’ Kevin White in a SCIAC football opener and the annual Sixth Street Rivalry Game at Merritt Field in Claremont on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Photo by Milka Soko, Contributing Photographer)
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And while the Stags’ defense played well, the Pomona-Pitzer defense was better, forcing three second-half turnovers in a 25-17 victory over visiting CMS Saturday night.
The game was the SCIAC opener for both schools and enabled the Sagehens to regain the Sixth Street Trophy after CMS won the previous two years.
“It’s a game of pride, and luckily we made it on top,” Sagehens coach John Walsh said.
CMS took its only lead of the game, 11-10 on a 25-yard field goal by Samuel Brewer with 1:02 left in the third quarter.
Once Russo left the game with an undisclosed injury, the Sagehens (2-1 overall) used both freshman Luke Levitt and senior Nick Kim at quarterback. While they combined to complete just 13 of 27 passes for 97 yards, they got it done on the scoreboard in the second half.
It was Levitt who carried the ball on the final three plays of the Sagehens’ go-ahead drive. His 1-yard sneak and two-point conversion gave Pomona-Pitzer a 18-11 lead with 11:51 to play.
The backbreaker for CMS (2-1) came on the next drive, when quarterback Robert Litscher fumbled while being sacked and defensive lineman Jacob Whiting returned it 39 yards for a touchdown with 9:04 to play to make it 25-11.
CMS had plenty of time to get back into the game, but Duncan Lee intercepted a pass from Litscher on the ensuing drive in the end zone.
The Stags’ next drive resulted in yet another interception, by Jonathan Curry at the Pomona-Pitzer 4 with 3:43 to play. It was the fourth turnover in the game by CMS, while the Sagehens turned it over twice.
‘That’s a lot more than we’ve had in a long time,” CMS coach Kyle Sweeney said “We pride ourselves on only a few (turnovers) a season. Three in a half, that was disappointing. We had a couple of tough breaks and they’re a good team.”
CMS finally cut it to a one-score game with a touchdown with 1:48 to play but the Stags could not recover the ensuing onside kick.
“That’s how you win. Sometimes your defense is clicking, sometimes your offense is clicking and sometimes your special teams is clicking, then they pick up the other sides,” Walsh said.
A large portion of the game was played in a steady rainstorm, from midway in the first quarter until early in the third quarter.
Pomona-Pitzer led 10-6 at halftime before an errant punt snap gave the Stags a safety that made it 10-8.
CMS appeared to get at least another safety that would have tied the game later in the third quarter.
The Sagehens had a third-and-8 from their own 5 when Kim appeared to fumble in the end zone, recovered by a teammate for a safety. However, it was not only called an incomplete forward pass, but the Stags were called for a late hit on the loose ball that the Stags thought was a fumble.
“I thought we were getting a safety, or at least they were going to be punting out of their own end zone,” Sweeney said.
