CLU Sports

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - Cal Lutheran earned its first ever outright conference title following Saturday's home victory over Redlands. The 30-21 win over the Bulldogs capped off an undefeated run through the conference and secured the program's first NCAA tournament appearance in school history.

Box Score: CLU 30, UR 21 - F

The 2,000-plus onlookers of the crowd at Mount Cleft Stadium on Saturday witnessed the culmination of the first undefeated SCIAC season for the Kingsmen in program history.

A 20-point second quarter output by the Kingsmen proved too much to overcome despite a second half Redlands rally that pulled the Bulldogs to within 27-21 inside the first minute of the fourth quarter.

Cal Lutheran took full advantage of Redlands miscues as the Bulldogs committed three turnovers with the first by way of a fumble and the final two via interceptions by CLU newcomer Justin Haulcy-Bateman.

However things again looked promising for the CLU opposition for the second straight week as Redlands scored on the game's opening possession. A six-yard touchdown pass on the senior connection of quarterback Dan Selway to wide receiver Brian Putman capped off a seven-play, 59-yard drive. The duo hooked up seven times for 84 yards and two scores on the day.

The early 7-0 hole was the largest deficit Cal Lutheran had faced in SCIAC play this season and the second time the team has trailed in as many games. The Kingsmen would also respond as they did last week scoring on the ensuing possession to erase the margin.

A six-play, 68-yard drive was capped off by a Jericho Toilolo throw to Eric Rogers for a 31-yard scoring toss. This pairing wound up connecting six times for 108 yards and two scores on the day.

The CLU offense strayed from its usual attack mode of controlling the clock and pounding the running game against the opposition. However the Redlands rush defense was not just any like Cal Lutheran had seen all season ranking second in Division III allowing only 50 yards per game.

It marked the first time all season the Kingsmen had thrown more times than run the ball with 36 pass attempts in comparison to 32 rushes. However the senior Toilolo had his best game of the season going 19-of-36 for 255 yards and three touchdowns.

The savvy veteran has enjoyed the new addition to the receiving core with the freshman Rogers who achieved career-highs in catches, yards and touchdowns as Toilolo's primary target.

The Bulldogs forced a Kingsmen punt and a decent return put Redlands inside Cal Lutheran territory. Facing a third-and-long just outside the CLU 20-yard line Kingsmen senior Sawyer Merrill recorded a sack-fumble and teammate Jordan Barta pounced on the loose ball at the CLU 30-yard line.

The ensuing drive was the longest in plays (13), yards gained (70) and duration (5:46) which would provide the Cal Lutheran path to victory. On the possession CLU converted a fourth-and-two, third-and-three and third-and-goal from five yards out as Victor Lara hauled in his first scoring catch of the season.

Redlands' Selway was the only opposing quarterback this season to toss multiple TD passes in a game, finding the end zone three times against the Kingsmen. Following a pair of completions and now trailing for the first time on Saturday, an ill-advised throw to the right was undercut by Haulcy-Bateman who rumbled 74 yards for the interception return touchdown.

After forcing a Redlands punt Cal Lutheran took aim at another scoring opportunity after a 12-yard Derek Wilson return started the Kingsmen offense at the opponents 27-yard line.

Driving down inside the 10-yard line on a third-and-three, the Kingsmen committed back-to-back false start penalties taking CLU back to the 19. Despite a third-and-long situation Lara was striding up the middle when the Toilolo pass floated high negating a possible touchdown grab.

Despite three CLU penalties being waved off in the opening quarter the Kingsmen committed 13 penalties for 94 yards and have suffered 36 penalties over the past three contests.

Jackson Damron, who had an earlier extra point blocked, was not attempting a much longer than anticipated 36-yard field goal pushing it outside the right upright.

Selway floated a hurried third down toss that was snatched for the second time in the quarter by Haulcy-Bateman setting up the CLU offense near midfield late in the first half.

Rogers caught two of three Toilolo completions including a 23-yard scoring grab completing a 20-point quarter and providing a 27-7 halftime lead.

As Redlands started the game scoring on its opening possession the Bulldogs matched that effort in the second half. The powerful running back Sean Quinn was handed the ball on the opening five plays of the drive and six overall capped off by Selway's second TD pass to Putman.

After forcing another CLU punt on back-to-back second half possessions Josh Oosterhof's punt bounced near the UR goal line when Kingsmen long snapper Michael Marusa leaped over the end zone swatting the bouncing ball to Wilson pinning the Bulldogs at their own one-yard line.

The first of three key plays on the ensuing drive include a 36-yard pass-and-catch from Selway to Evan Reuter providing breathing room for the Bulldog offense.

During the drive on a fourth-and-two Selway ran behind the scrum up the gut in attempting to convert the first down. Nearly the entire Mt. Clef crowd was surprised to see a questionable spot and conversion continuing the Bulldogs march down the field.

The final play on a double move by the wide out Putman resulted in an easy 35-yard completion inside the Kingsmen red zone.

UR would go the full distance of 99 yards on 13 plays in just under five minutes. Selway's third TD pass of the game to Nick Brucculeri for seven yards made it a one possession game at 27-21 with 14:10 left in regulation.

The score not only enhanced the Bulldogs momentum but marked the most points given up by Cal Lutheran this season having allowed only more than 14 once in a loss to Willamette (OR) to open the season.

CLU offensive juggernaut Brian Stuart was held in check except for one 23-yard run and was held to only 61 yards on the ground. However a season-high three catches for 39 yards came in handy late in the game.

On third-and-six Toilolo scrambled to avoid two possible sack opportunities and found Stuart leaking into the flat who turned it up field for 17 yards. Two plays later Mark Sims hauled in a 20-yard catch setting up first-and-goal at the six-yard line.

Cal Lutheran would get no closer and Damron converted a 23-yard field goal pushing the lead to two scores at 30-21 with 10:12 left.

Redlands would have the ball two more times but failed to muster any significant scoring opportunity. The Kingsmen defense held Selway to just 2-for-8 for four yards during those possessions.

CLU ran out the final 4:28 of the game clock including a fourth-and-five scamper by Toilolo to seal the team's eighth straight victory.

Cal Lutheran's season leading tacklers Matt Allen and Roland Jenkins each had double-digit tackles combining for 23 on the day including 1.5 for loss.

Cal Lutheran (8-1, 6-0 SCIAC) will find out by the end of the weekend who, when and where it will be playing its first ever NCAA tournament playoff game.