CLAREMONT, Calif. – Cal Lutheran football battled back from an 18-point deficit Saturday night at Nakasone Field, but the Kingsmen's comeback came up just short in a 24-22 loss to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.
The Kingsmen (2-2, 1-1 SCIAC) trailed 21-3 late in the second quarter before scoring 19 of the game's final 22 points. Cal Lutheran had multiple opportunities to complete the comeback in the fourth quarter, but CMS held on to hand the Kingsmen their first SCIAC loss of the season.
CMS struck first with a 44-yard touchdown pass from Robert Litscher to Quintin Craig with 1:57 remaining in the first quarter. Cal Lutheran answered with a 34-yard field goal from
Matthew Montegna midway through the second, capping an 11-play, 59-yard drive.
The Stags responded with two quick scores to build a 21-3 advantage. Evan Gerber returned a
Joe Farley interception 17 yards for a touchdown before Litscher connected with Noah Macapulay for a 40-yard touchdown just over two minutes later.
Cal Lutheran refused to go into halftime quietly. Farley orchestrated a 15-play, 65-yard drive that consumed nearly five minutes, finding
Tyler Woodworth for an eight-yard touchdown with no time remaining on the clock. Montegna's extra point sent the Kingsmen into halftime trailing 21-10.
The momentum continued into the second half, as Farley found Woodworth again on Cal Lutheran's opening possession, connecting on a 38-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 21-16. CMS answered with a 47-yard field goal from Sean Lee late in the third quarter, but Cal Lutheran continued to chip away.
The Kingsmen opened the fourth quarter with a 10-play, 90-yard touchdown drive that took more than five minutes. Farley capped the march by connecting with
Bradley Chavez for a 22-yard touchdown, bringing Cal Lutheran within 24-22 with 12:18 remaining.
Cal Lutheran's defense then gave the Kingsmen another opportunity. After CMS drove inside the Cal Lutheran 10-yard line,
Blake Hurley blocked a 24-yard field-goal attempt, allowing the Kingsmen to regain possession. Cal Lutheran took over at its own 20 and moved to the CLU 45, but Farley's fourth-down pass to
RJ Edwards fell incomplete, giving CMS the ball with 2:41 left.
The Stags then ran out the clock, converting a third-and-3 with a seven-yard run by Owen Walz before Walz added a 12-yard gain on third-and-5 to move CMS to the CLU 14. CMS ran out the final seconds to secure the 24-22 victory.
Farley completed 22 of 38 passes for 317 yards and three touchdowns, while Woodworth had a career night with nine catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Chavez added two receptions for 36 yards and a score.
The Kingsmen finished with 344 yards of total offense, including 317 through the air. Cal Lutheran also converted four of five fourth-down attempts and went two-for-two in the red zone.
Defensively,
Neiman McCoy and
Logan Bowers led the Kingsmen with seven tackles apiece.
Drew Nees and
Gannon Greenan each recorded a sack, while Hurley finished with five tackles and the blocked field goal.
The Kingsmen return home next Saturday, October 10, welcoming SCIAC newcomer Azusa Pacific to William Rolland Stadium for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The Cougars enter the matchup 1-2 overall after falling 44-9 to Redlands.
