VALPARAISO, Ind.—San Diego saw its 2021 spring season conclude with a 20-19 loss to Valparaiso on Saturday afternoon at Brown Field.
 
The Toreros (4-2, 3-2 PFL) held a 19-13 lead with 2:35 left in the game but a late touchdown secured the victory for the Brown and Gold (4-2, 4-2 PFL). With the loss, USD's hopes for a 12th league title will have to wait until the fall, as the Toreros finished tied for second place in the Pioneer Football League.
 
San Diego finished the day with 302 yards (204 passing, 98 rushing) compared to 191 (209 passing, -18 rushing) for Valpo. The Toreros tallied 13 first-downs, and finished 3-of-13 on third-down conversions.
 
Mason Randall completed 15-of-29 for 204 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Christian Brown hauled in five catches for 107 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown reception and added one rush for 10 yards to finish with 117 total yards. Michael Carner added four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.
 
Emilio Martinez finished with 63 yards rushing on 13 attempts (4.8 avg) with one rushing touchdown. Martinez also added 14 yards on three receptions to finish with 77 total yards.
 
USD's defense was stifling all day, holding the league's leading rusher, Robert Washington (124.2 ypg), to 32 total yards on the ground. The Toreros were led by Muhindo Kapapa who finished with seven tackles (five solo), 2.5 sacks, 4.9 tackles for loss (-19 yards), two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
 
David Ambagtsheer also finished with seven tackles (six solo) and one QB hurry, while Hunter Nichols added six tackles (five solo), 2.5 tackles for a loss of nine yards and one QB hurry.
 
The Toreros finished with 11 total tackles for a loss of 52 yards, including six sacks and four forced fumbles. Eight Toreros registered a tackle for loss and five were credited with at least half a sack.
 
The teams traded possessions for most of the first quarter before San Diego got on the board first with an 8-yard touchdown run up the middle by Martinez with 5:04 left in the period. Valpo responded immediately with an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to tie the game 7-7.
 
Late in the first quarter, Randall found Brown for a 46-yard touchdown strike up the center of the field. The extra point was blocked and USD led 13-7 with 2:23 remaining in the first quarter.
 
After a 27-yard field goal pulled Valpo within three, 13-10, with 13:27 remaining in the second quarter, the teams remained scoreless the rest of the half.
 
Valpo added another field goal early in the second half from 23 yards out and the game was tied at 13-all. San Diego was held scoreless in the third quarter, registering just 44 total yards of offense and five passing yards.
 
With 8:37 remaining in the game, Randall found Carner for back-to-back 20-plus yard receptions, capped by a 25-yard touchdown pass. USD's extra point kick was blocked for the second time and the Toreros held a 19-13 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
 
The Torero defense held on back-to-back possessions, but USD's offense was unable to capitalize and add to the lead. With 2:35 remaining, Valpo marched 43 yards and took the lead on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 24 seconds remaining in the contest.
 
USD worked across midfield quickly, but the Hail Mary pass with four seconds remaining was intercepted on the 2-yard line to seal the victory for Valpo.
 
The Toreros will have a quick turnaround before the fall season begins in August, with several senior starters expected to exercise the extra year of eligibility awarded by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic.