ORANGE, Calif. – Cal Lutheran football (6-4, 4-4 SCIAC) was defeated by Chapman (8-2, 8-0 SCIAC) in the 2025 SCIAC Championship by a score of 27-17. The rainy weather played a huge factor in both teams' abilities to hold onto the football, and the Panthers were able to outlast the Kingsmen at home to be crowned conference champions.

There was heavy downpour all morning and into the 1pm kickoff as the teams took the field, and Cal Lutheran started with the ball. On the third play of the game, quarterback Joe Farley found his man open down the middle of field and delivered a perfect ball to TeNorris Merkel, who broke free and ran untouched into the endzone for a 75-yard score to give the Kingsmen an early 7-0 advantage.

The teams traded punts over the next four series before Chapman put together a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive ending early in the second quarter. The Panthers were able to convert on 4th-and-short at their own 43-yard line to keep the drive alive, and a roughing the passer on Cal Lutheran after making a third-down stop gave Chapman a new set of downs in the red zone.

The Kingsmen responded with a masterful drive from running back Mehki Delouth. He started it with a 33-yard return on the kickoff, allowing Cal Lutheran to start at the 50-yard line. Delouth picked up a first down on three rushes, and then Gabe Landless spelled him to pick up a first down on three of his own attempts. Farley completed a short pass to Cam Davis, the only pass attempt during the 11-play drive. On 4th-and-2 from the Chapman 21-yard line, Delouth picked up the first down on the ground. Two plays later, he took a handoff up the middle and trucked a Panthers' defender, powering through the tackle and stretching the football over the goal line for an 11-yard touchdown. The Kingsmen led 14-7 halfway through the second quarter.

The Cal Lutheran defense forced a quick three-and-out, but a mishandle on a handoff early in the Kingsmen's ensuing drive gave Chapman the ball back with great field position. But the rainy conditions caused a turnover as the Panthers' quarterback mishandled a snap, giving the Kingsmen the ball back in Chapman territory after the football traveled 30 yards in Cal Lutheran's favor during the scrum for the loose ball.

A 13-yard run and a 16-yard catch from Tyler Woodworth put Cal Lutheran in field-goal range, and Matthew Montegna knocked it through the uprights from 38 yards out to put the Kingsmen up 17-7 with just over a minute remaining in the opening half.

Chapman was able to put together a quick touchdown drive, scoring with just 12 seconds left and sending the game into halftime at 17-14.

The Kingsmen defense forced a three-and-out to start the second half, and Zach Rogozik returned the punt for 26 yards to the Chapman 34-yard line, setting up Cal Lutheran's offense nicely.

The Kingsmen faced a 4th-and-6 in their first set of downs, but they weren't able to convert as the pass fell incomplete, giving possession back to Chapman.

The Panthers responded with a 13-play, 70-yard touchdown drive to take a 21-17 lead with just under six minutes remaining in the third quarter.

On the ensuing drive, Farley looked to go deep but was intercepted by a Panthers' defender in Chapman territory.

Cal Lutheran's defense once again came up with a big three-and-out, and the offense regained possession at its own 15-yard line. Delouth immediately got involved again with a 16-yard pickup on a reception out of the backfield. Two plays later, he got loose for a 24-yard pickup to cross over into Chapman territory. Facing a 4th-and-4 at Chapman's 39-yard line, Farley kept his composure in a collapsing pocket and delivered a great ball to Merkel on the outside past the sticks for a first down. A couple plays later on 3rd-and-8, Delouth had enough for the first down, but the slippery conditions led to a fumble in the red zone, and Chapman recovered.

When they needed it most, the Panthers drove 80 yards down the field in 11 plays, taking almost six minutes off the clock to score a touchdown and take a commanding 27-17 lead with just 3:36 left in the game. Charles Cravings was able to get a hand on the PAT, and Arthur Orta returned the blocked kick to around midfield before he was brought down.

The Kingsmen weren't able to get any late-game magic going, and Chapman won the game 27-17 to go undefeated in the SCIAC and take the title of 2025 SCIAC Champions.

Aside from Merkel's 75-yard touchdown on the third play of the game, Delouth did most of the damage for Cal Lutheran on offense. He ran for 93 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, adding a 16-yard reception and 55 yards on four kickoff returns. Merkel ended with 103 receiving yards on three catches.

Cal Lutheran's leader in virtually every defensive statistic this season, Drew Nees produced a team-high nine tackles (three solo), adding a pass breakup. Hunter Hall tallied eight tackles (three solo) and one TFL. Max Juarez, Charles Cravings, and Gannon Greenan each collected six tackles. Juarez added 1.5 TFL and a QB hurry, while Cravings contributed a pass breakup along with his blocked PAT.

The Kingsmen battled in a hard-fought, rainy game against a quality opponent, resulting in their best finish in the SCIAC since they won four-straight conference titles from 2009-12. Cal Lutheran wraps up the season 6-4 overall and 4-4 in SCIAC matchups.