REDLANDS, Calif. – Unranked Redlands earned its first victory over Linfield in nine tries, knocking off the No. 11 Wildcats 27-19 in a mistake-filled and penalty marred contest Saturday night at Ted Runner Stadium.
 
Linfield (1-1) fell into an early hole against the defending Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions and could never quite seize command. Redlands (3-0) snapped Linfield's current win streak of eight straight victories dating to September of last season.
 
Redlands halfback Mason Carvalho rushed for 93 yards and one touchdown. Bulldogs quarterback Nathan Martinez completed 12 of 18 passes for 139 yards and a score.
 
Linfield's Keaton Wood caught nine passes for 86 yards. Quarterback Wyatt Smith threw for 273 yards and one TD but he was sacked three times.
 
The game got off to a rocky start for the 'Cats. After Linfield marched quickly to the Redlands 5-yard line on the game's opening drive, what appeared to be an incomplete pass by Smith sailed harmlessly into the end zone but was instead ruled a fumble and a touchback.
 
The Bulldogs capitalized off the the miscue. Redlands moved to the Linfield 29 before the Wildcats defense tightened, causing the Bulldogs to settle for a 46-yard field goal with 10 minutes left in the opening quarter.
 
Redlands went in front by two scores in early minutes of the second period. Mitchell Nickovich hauled in a 17-yard pass from Martinez. Alex Raya's extra point was good and Redlands led 10-0.
 
Linfield snatched the momentum back just a minute later when Colton Smith pulled in a 5-yard pass from his older brother, Wyatt, at the 12:13 mark. The extra point was blocked by Elias Hackney.
 
Redlands kept the pressure on Linfield as the second period wound down. The Bulldogs went on a nearly 7-minute drive, capped by running back Mason Carvalho's 1-yard run with 5:29 to play. Raya's extra point made the score 17-6 in favor of the home team.
 
The Bulldogs nearly went in front by three scores as the half came to a close but Travis Swanson and Tyler Bergeron stopped Martinez just short of the goal line, keeping the Wildcats in contention.
 
Linfield forced Redlands into a three-and-out series to begin the second half and a Bulldogs punt gave the 'Cats the ball at midfield. But Smith missed a connecting on sure touchdown to Tyler Torgerson at the goal line, causing the drive to fizzle.
 
The Bulldogs took over from there. Marching into Linfield territory, Redlands had to settle for a 29-yard field goal by Raya, boosting its lead to 20-6.
 
Smith drove the 'Cats to the Redlands 11 but a sack on third down kept Linfield out of the end zone. A 39-yard field goal by Andrew Starkel cut the Bulldogs' lead to 11.
 
Redlands halted Linfield's momentum with back-to-back game-changing plays midway through the fourth quarter. A sack of Smith by Brandon Serrano backed the Wildcats up to their own 5, and then Andrew Kellstrom returned a blocked punt for a touchdown, pushing the score to 27-9.
 
A bungled punt by Redlands gave Linfield the ball at the UR 1. Two plays later, Johnson darted his way into the end zone, again making it a two-score game, 27-16.
 
Smith and the Wildcats wouldn't quit, pulling to within eight points on Starkel's second field goal of the game, a 36-yarder with 2:18 to play.

Linfield had the ball at midfield with just over a minute to play, but an offsides penalty on a 4th-and-1 play put the finishing touches on Redlands' first-ever win over Linfield.
 
'Cat Scratch
The Bulldogs outgained the Wildcats 313-236. Linfield finished with minus-37 yards rushing in the contest. Redlands yielded no turnovers in the game while Linfield gave the ball up twice. Linfield was flagged 10 times for 115 yards in penalties while Redlands was called for nine penalties for 143 yards.
 
Next
Linfield is idle on Sept. 28 before returning to action with it third straight road game at Pacific on Oct. 5.