Last-Minute Score Wipes Out 18-Point Cal Lutheran Rally

Bob Shoup should have known it wasn’t going to be his day.

First, while the Cal Lutheran football coach stood giving a local television crew a pregame interview on a scorching Saturday afternoon, an errant punt plunked him square on the head. Cut. Take 2.

Second, the Kingsmen were about to play Southern Utah State, like themselves a Western Football Conference team. CLU hadn’t beaten a WFC school since November, 1985.

Even with these things going against them, CLU looked to be a winner until 45 seconds remained in a game that was played in 100-degree temperature. Southern Utah quarterback Chad Richard then connected with receiver Scott Mosher for a 63-yard touchdown to give the Thunderbirds a 23-18 victory before a homecoming crowd of 2,883 at Mount Clef Stadium. The touchdown was undoubtedly a bigger shock to Shoup than the earlier beaning.

“I guess in terms of disappointing losses, this has to rank among the highest,” said Shoup, in his 26th season at CLU.

What was surprising about the winning play was its perfect execution. Southern Utah’s passing offense had been dormant throughout the game, as Richard bounced in and out after getting hit hard in the open field by linebacker Torii Lehr in the second quarter. Richard, a 39.8% passer this season, had completed 4 of 9 passes for 39 yards before striking for the big play.

Asked if his secondary had perhaps been lulled into relaxation by Southern Utah’s weak passing attack, Shoup said: “They relaxed so much they went to sleep, you might say.”

Mosher, for his first reception of the afternoon, sprinted downfield on first-and-10 from the Thunderbirds’ 37-yard line. Richard hit him in the chest at the 50, and the junior receiver split CLU defensive backs Brent Tunnell and Fred Buchman.

“We were in a three-deep zone and he just went right through the seam,” Tunnell said tersely. “Thank you, excuse me.”

CLU quarterback Tom Bonds was stunned by the game’s dramatic turn.

“It went from one of the biggest wins here at Cal Lutheran to another tough one to swallow,” the senior All-American said.

The touchdown nullified an 18-point rally by the Kingsmen after Southern Utah led, 17-0, midway through the second quarter. The Thunderbirds’ veer offense, a step up from Cal State Hayward’s a week ago, was getting the better of the CLU defense. However, the Kingsmen’s defense tightened just as quickly as Southern Utah’s offense had broken out on top.

And when Bill Hawk’s 36-yard field goal was good on the last play of the first half, CLU was within six points, 17-11. Just a minute earlier, Bonds and receiver Joe Monarrez connected for a five-yard touchdown, and Bonds threw for the two-point conversion.

The third quarter was more of the same, with the Kingsmen’s defense ganging up on the Thunderbirds’ veer and running back Thane Marshall, until CLU scored again to take an 18-17 lead with 1:54 remaining. At that point, the Kingsmen appeared to have their second WFC win in 13 games.

The go-ahead touchdown was scored by Tracy Downs from four yards out and finished a 94-yard drive keyed by John Bankhead’s 69-yard pass reception.

Bonds was 14 of 28 for 198 yards, and Bankhead had 129 yards on three receptions, two of which set up CLU touchdowns.

The running game complemented Bonds nicely, totaling 126 yards, or more than double the team’s 59-yard-a-game average.

“When the momentum shifted in the third quarter, I really thought we were in control then,” Shoup said.

As did Southern Utah Coach Jack Bishop, whose Thunderbirds improved to 3-2 overall, 1-1 in the WFC. CLU is 2-2 and 0-2.

“Talk about finding a way to lose and then finding a way to win,” Bishop said. “You have to give them credit, they got us by the throat.”

It wasn’t that way early. The Thunderbirds were clearly in control for most of the first half. Southern Utah led, 7-0, when Richard dove in from the 1-yard line seven plays after the Thunderbirds recovered a CLU fumble on the Kingsmen’s 31.

CLU fumbled again on the ensuing kickoff and Southern Utah’s Pete Wahlheim recovered on the 29-yard line. Herkey Marxen kicked a 24-yard field goal to give the Thunderbirds a 10-0 lead with 4:21 remaining in the first quarter.

With a little more than five minutes remaining in the first half, Southern Utah’s Scott Widdison scored on a 1-yard sneak to give the Thunderbirds a 17-0 lead.