LA VERNE, Calif. - The Cal Lutheran football team started the season strong with a 3-0 record in what looked to be a promising year with defeats over sister school Pacific Lutheran (Wash.), Willamette (Ore.) and Whittier, however the Kingsmen found themselves in a slump plagued by a losing streak during Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) competition.
In their final game of the season, the Kingsmen traveled to La Verne on Saturday afternoon to take on the conference-leading Leopards and would fall 38-21.
La Verne was first to get on the board, driving down the field to take an early 7-0 lead, but that would not stop the Kingsmen who wasted no time responding by putting together a quick three-play scoring drive that saw back-to-back completions to Trever Wood and a big 59-yard rush by CJ Washington for a CLU touchdown.
The Kingsmen would look to score again on their following possession, a 12-play, 93-yard drive. Adam Friederichsen connected with Alix Moise Jr. for a combined 55 yards and rushes from Ricky Johnson and Isaac Seymour moved them into Leopard territory. CLU was able to convert on a fourth-and-one with a 31-yard rush from CJ Washington into the end zone to take a 14-7 lead.
The CLU defense was able to hold La Verne to a field goal on its following possession, keeping the lead, 14-10. Key defensive players on the drive included Logan Sanders, Josh Heidemann, DeJon Rothschild and EJ Edinburgh.
Yet the Leopards would quickly retake the lead, 17-14, with a touchdown on their following possession.
Friederichsen would find Wood on a third-and-eight for a 17-yard pass, but an unfortunate and costly holding penalty would move CLU back 10. Hoping to convert, Friederichsen found Sean Bellotti, but with nowhere to go, it would not be enough and would instead result in a turnover on downs.
La Verne, however, had better luck and would score again finding a receiver wide open down the field allowing the Leopards to head into the half with a 10-point lead.
A Logan Sanders interception at the 13-yard line would put the ball back in Cal Lutheran's hands allowing the Kingsmen to put together a nine-play, 87-yard scoring drive that started with consecutive four-yard rushes by Washington and a five-yard completion to Moise. Friederichsen then found Bellotti down the field for a 26-yard pass, yet another holding penalty would result in a no play call. Seymour rushed for a combined 28 yards and a 39-yard pass to Johnson brought up a much-needed first down for CLU. After yet another holding penalty, Friederichsen would connect with Johnson again for a 27-yard touchdown pass to bring to the Violet and Gold within three at the end of the third quarter.
Unfortunately for the Kingsmen, this would be their last scoring opportunity of the game. The Leopards would score twice more in the fourth quarter to put the game away, 38-21 and secure their undefeated SCIAC title.
Offensive leaders for CLU included Washington with 96 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns, Johnson with 72 receiving yards and one touchdown and Moise with 60 yards.
On the defensive side, Dalton Santos and Lucas Quinn led the Kingsmen with 11 and 10 tackles, respectively.
Donning the Violet and Gold for the last time were seniors Connor Allen, Josh Bartley, Bo Bergstrom, Michael Butler, Ronny Camacho, Ben Chavez II, Cale Dester, Kody Duffy-Huerta, Josh Garrett, Bryce Howard, David Lederer, Jack McFarland, Kevin Olive, Nick Ruiz, Bellotti, Edinburgh, Ellison, Heidemann, Johnson, Moise, Washington and Wood.
Box Score: LV 38, CLU 21
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