CLU Lacks Finishing Power, 22-6

For the Cal Lutheran offense, that first touchdown of the season is kind of like the rabbit they use at dog races. It’s out there in front of the Kingsmen, but they just can’t seem to catch up to it.

For the second consecutive weekend, the CLU offense failed to score a touchdown. And, not surprisingly, the Kingsmen lost another nonconference game Saturday, this time to UC Santa Barbara, 22-6, in Cal Lutheran’s home opener.

Unlike last week--when CLU managed just two first downs and 87 yards in offense while being blown out by Azusa Pacific--there was a silver lining to the Santa Barbara defeat. This time, Cal Lutheran was able to move the football up and down the field, just not into the end zone.

The Kingsmen (0-2) rushed for 209 yards and had the football nine more minutes than UCSB, finishing with 319 yards to 318 for the Gauchos (1-1).

“We made a tremendous amount of progress. I see definite glimmers of hope,” Cal Lutheran Coach Joe Harper said. “We weren’t defeated by UCSB today, we were defeated by CLU.

“If the enemy is us, maybe we have a few things to do.”

Like work on the pass defense. Gaucho quarterback Mike Curtius completed 16 of 30 passes for 250 yards and two second-quarter touchdowns, a 52-yard scoring strike to Johnny Ace and a 11-yard touchdown toss to Matt Perry.

Curtius connected with Ace again on a 62-yard touchdown pass late in the second period, but Santa Barbara was flagged for illegal procedure, nullifying the score.

“I didn’t see the flag and I ran down the field like a crazy man,” Curtius said. “I felt like a fool.”

He couldn’t have felt any worse than CLU punter Len Bradley, who watched a snap sail over his head in the second period and bounce out of the end zone for a safety, increasing UCSB’s advantage to 8-3. The Gauchos had missed the point-after kick on their first touchdown.

CLU freshman quarterback Feliciano Ramirez, who suffered through a three-for-17, two-interception performance against Azusa Pacific, played much better Saturday, completing 11 of 25 for 110 yards. Linebacker Dominic Freking intercepted Ramirez’s first pass, however, returning it 40 yards to the CLU 11 to set up Ross Bauer’s ensuing two-yard touchdown run.

“That was a big play,” Santa Barbara Coach Rick Candaele said. “They were running the ball and running the ball, and the first time they throw it, we pick it (off).”

Alex Papike accounted for all the CLU points, booting field goals of 27 and 41 yards in the first and fourth quarters, respectively. The Kingsmen shunned field-goal attempts in favor of going for the end zone on two fourth-down plays inside the UCSB 10-yard line, but Ramirez threw incomplete on one occasion and was sacked on the other.

“Without a doubt, we had something to prove today, we just didn’t put the ball in the end zone,” said CLU’s Cassidy O’Sullivan, who led the team in rushing with 87 yards. “But we made great strides.”

Someday soon, those strides might even reach the end zone.