LA VERNE, Calif. – Cal Lutheran football is in the win column, defeating La Verne 31-17 on Saturday evening. The Kingsmen (1-4, 1-2 SCIAC) controlled the game from the start, as they jumped out to a 21-0 lead over the Leopards (0-5, 0-3 SCIAC) and never looked back.
The Kingsmen found the endzone during their first two possessions to jump out to a 14-0 lead, establishing a dominant run scheme early. Running back Gabe Landless rushed for a one-yard score to cap off an opening drive where seven of the Kingsmen's eight plays were rushes. After forcing a stop on the defensive end, the Kingsmen marched 66 yards in seven plays for another scoring drive. The Kingsmen continued to feed Landless, as he notched his second touchdown of the quarter with a 17-yard run to make it 14-0 for the purple and gold.
At the 10-minute mark of the second quarter, the stingy Kingsmen defense forced the Leopards to punt deep in their own territory. The Leopards' punter bobbled the snap and the Kingsmen's special teams jumped on the opportunity, scooping up the football and taking it all the way to the one-yard line. With a heave from the offensive line, quarterback Jaden Casey broke the goal line with a QB sneak. The Kingsmen led 21-0 midway through the second quarter.
Success on the ground was what gave the Kingsmen the upper hand as the team rushed for a season-high 227 yards. Casey was the team's leading rusher, posting 84 yards with his legs while throwing for 83 yards and a touchdown on 6-11 passing. CJ Zackery rushed for 64 yards on 19 attempts, Landless finished with 51 rushing yards, and Mehki Delouth had 28 yards on five touches.
The Leopards responded with a touchdown before halftime and gained momentum early in the third quarter, breaking off a long rush for a 58-yard touchdown. Now, the Kingsmen led by just a score, 21-14.
Casey and the Kingsmen had an answer the very next drive. The Kingsmen found the endzone to make it 28-14 after a nine-play 67-yard drive, capped off by a 23-yard touchdown pass from Casey to Desmond Thompson.
Tonight, Thompson caught his first touchdown of the season and was the Kingsmen's leading receiver with 62 yards on three catches.
Kicker Daniel Burgos drilled a 49-yard field goal later in the third quarter to make it 31-14. The Leopards scored a field goal of their own in the fourth to close the scoring, but the Kingsmen defense stood strong the rest of the way.
The Kingsmen surrendered their lowest point total of the season in a stand-out performance. Devon Goosby tallied five tackles, including two for a loss, and a sack. Hunter Hall and Kilo Scanlan also got to the Leopards' quarterback, helping the Kingsmen to three on the night. AJ Townsend had an interception, broke up two passes, and made three tackles. Diego Serrano led the team with seven tackles while Arthur Orta was next with six.
Next up, the Kingsmen return to Thousand Oaks to take on Redlands in the annual Smudge Pot Trophy Game. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with 18 wins in 25 meetings and have bested the Kingsmen in their last 10 meetings dating back to 2013. The Kingsmen look to turn the tide against the Bulldogs next Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. at William Rolland Stadium.
