TACOMA, Wash. – Cal Lutheran football erased a 17-point deficit and twice pulled even with Pacific Lutheran University, but the Kingsmen ultimately fell 37-30 to the Lutes in their season opener Saturday afternoon at Mount Tahoma Stadium.
PLU (1-0) jumped out to a 17-0 lead before Cal Lutheran (0-1) responded with three consecutive scores in the second quarter to pull within one with 3:03 remaining in the half.
The Kingsmen got on the board with 9:14 remaining in the second when
Joe Farley connected with
Tyler Woodworth for a 42-yard touchdown. Just eight seconds later, the Cal Lu defense added a safety to make it 17-9.
Cal Lutheran continued its comeback on its next possession, putting together a 10-play, 52-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Farley to
Bradley Chavez. The touchdown pulled the Kingsmen within 17-16 with 3:03 left in the half, but the Lutes answered just 26 seconds before halftime to take a 24-16 lead into the break.
Cal Lu wasted little time responding in the third quarter. Farley again found Woodworth, this time for a 36-yard touchdown, before
Maddox Bernardino completed a two-point conversion pass to tie the game at 24-24 with 12:03 remaining in the third quarter.
The Lutes regained the lead later in the third, but the Kingsmen answered once again.
John Gilbert capped a 47-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 30-30 with 4:05 left in the quarter.
PLU scored the decisive touchdown early in the fourth quarter, taking a 37-30 lead on a six-yard touchdown pass.
The Kingsmen defense kept the door open when
Charles Cravings intercepted a PLU pass at the Cal Lutheran 41-yard line with 10:06 remaining. Cal Lutheran then drove 29 yards on nine plays, converting multiple third downs to reach the PLU 30-yard line. Facing fourth-and-eight with 5:21 remaining, however, Farley's pass to
Zach Rogozik fell incomplete, turning the ball over on downs.
PLU took over with 5:14 remaining and ran out the clock to secure the win.
Farley completed 16 of 28 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns. Woodworth led the receiving corps with three catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns, while
TeNorris Merkel hauled in six passes for 83 yards. Gilbert rushed for 26 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Defensively,
Logan Bowers led the Kingsmen with 11 total tackles, while
Blake Hurley added nine tackles, an interception and two pass breakups. Cravings recorded six tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, a blocked kick and an interception.
Drew Nees and
Max Juarez each recorded half a sack.
Cal Lutheran finished the afternoon with 240 yards of total offense, including 221 passing yards, while PLU totaled 389 yards. The Kingsmen converted six of 15 third-down opportunities and went 2-for-2 in the red zone.
The Kingsmen have a bye weekend before returning to action on Saturday, September 19 for their home opener against the University of Puget Sound at 1 p.m.
