Hartley Gets Offensive for Occidental

Freshman quarterback Derrick Williams ran for two touchdowns and threw for another Saturday as Occidental College scored six times, but he had to share game honors with a defensive player in the Tigers’ 38-27 victory over host La Verne.

Here’s the twist: Craig Hartley, a three-year starter at safety, did not make a single game-saving tackle or even one brilliant interception in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game. But he did make his presence known in the offensive backfield after being pressed into service by a harried Dale Widolff, the Occidental coach.

Occidental (2-2, 2-0 in conference), which had lost its No. 1 running back even before the season started, also was without leading rusher Brian Madlangbayan (295 yards in three games), who had a strained neck.

The last time Hartley had run the football was in high school in Woodlands, Tex., and although he failed to score he kept the Tiger offense on the field by rushing for 209 yards in 40 carries.

“It was great to get in the backfield again and to see how our linemen opened up some great holes for me,” Hartley said. “I had some 200 yard-games in high school, but there’s nothing like the excitement of doing it in college.”

Williams carried 12 times for 59 yards, and his five-yard run early in the fourth quarter gave Occidental the lead for good at 24-21.

Junior running back Chris Nance had his own outstanding day for La Verne (0-3, 0-2), gaining 274 yards in 24 carries, including touchdown runs of one and 65 yards.