WHITTIER, Calif. – The Cal Lutheran football team delivered a Halloween beatdown Saturday afternoon, overwhelming Whittier 59-0 on the road for its most points in a game since 2019 and first shutout since 2023.
The Kingsmen (5-3, 4-2 SCIAC) dominated on both sides of the ball, piling up 398 yards of total offense while holding the Poets (0-7, 0-6 SCIAC) to just 95 yards. Cal Lutheran scored 34 points in the second quarter alone, finished with six sacks and forced three Whittier turnovers to cruise to its fifth victory of the season.
Cal Lutheran opened the scoring with a 17-yard field goal from
Matthew Montegna midway through the first quarter. The Kingsmen took control in the second, beginning with a 33-yard touchdown connection from
Joe Farley to
TeNorris Merkel to extend the lead to 10-0.
The scoring continued as
Kaden Taylor punched in a four-yard touchdown run before Farley connected with
Nico Caruso for a 41-yard touchdown just two minutes later.
John Gilbert added a two-yard rushing score, and after
Gannon Greenan recovered a Whittier fumble, Farley found
Bradley Chavez for an 18-yard touchdown. The quick strike capped a remarkable stretch that saw the Kingsmen score 34 points in less than 12 minutes, taking a commanding 37-0 lead into halftime.
The Kingsmen picked up right where they left off after the break.
Brayden Smith connected on a 15-yard field goal to open the third-quarter scoring before
AJ Gupta brought down a Whittier ball carrier in the end zone for a safety. Cal Lutheran added another touchdown late in the quarter when Farley found
Tyler Woodworth for a three-yard score, pushing the advantage to 49-0.
The defense continued to make life difficult for the Poets in the fourth quarter.
Tyler Thompson intercepted a Whittier pass and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown, extending the lead to 56-0. Smith added his second field goal of the afternoon, a 33-yarder, to cap the 59-0 shutout.
Farley turned in a career performance, completing 19 of 23 passes for a career-high 270 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. His 82.6 completion percentage also marked a career best. Merkel led the receiving corps with five catches for 91 yards and a touchdown, while Woodworth hauled in seven receptions for 79 yards and a score. Caruso added a 41-yard touchdown reception, and Chavez finished with two catches for 30 yards and a touchdown.
On the ground,
Jordan Barbadillo led the Kingsmen with 60 yards on nine carries, while Gilbert added 41 yards and a touchdown. Taylor also found the end zone on the ground as Cal Lutheran finished with 126 rushing yards.
Defensively, the Kingsmen were relentless, recording a season-high six sacks and limiting Whittier to just 95 yards of total offense.
Easton Thompson led the way with four tackles, including two sacks, while
Makaio Sanders also recorded two sacks. DeJuan Colvin added five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack. Greenan contributed seven tackles, a fumble recovery and three pass breakups, while
Tyler Thompson finished with three tackles, an interception and the 65-yard pick-six.
Cal Lutheran controlled the contest from start to finish, holding Whittier to minus-18 rushing yards and just nine first downs. The Kingsmen also went a perfect 7-for-7 in the red zone and converted both of their fourth-down attempts while keeping the Poets off the scoreboard.
The Kingsmen return home next Saturday, November 7, for Senior Night at 7:03 p.m. against Chapman. The matchup marks a rematch of the 2025 SCIAC Championship, with Cal Lutheran looking to make a statement against the undefeated conference-leading Panthers in its final home game of the regular season.
