Cal Lutheran Storms Back to Beat San Diego, 21-20

Just when Cal Lutheran seemed marooned amid a sea of losses, rescue came suddenly.

With 13 seconds remaining and the Kingsmen facing fourth and goal at the one-yard line, freshman quarterback Adam Hacker dived over for the touchdown and Tom Montague kicked the extra point to give host Cal Lutheran a 21-20 victory over the University of San Diego on Saturday.

Cal Lutheran, which rallied from a 17-0 third-quarter deficit, improved to 1-3; San Diego fell to 2-1.

“This is going to take us everywhere. Up!” said Kingsmen junior tailback Cassidy O’Sullivan, who rushed for 100 yards in 29 carries.

Hacker, who played his first full game after sharing playing time with Sheldon Ashkenazie, completed 24 of 39 passes for 216 yards and had two interceptions.”I just needed to get in the rhythm of playing,” Hacker said. “Once you get a full game under your belt, it feels like you have a lot more experience.”

San Diego quarterback Michael Bennett scored from 11 yards to give San Diego a 17-0 lead with 11 minutes 42 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Then O’Sullivan took over.

O’Sullivan, who rushed for 89 yards in the second half, scored on third-quarter runs of seven and eight yards to cut the Kingsmen’s deficit to 17-14. But San Diego increased its lead to 20-14 on Dave Bergmann’s 36-yard field goal with 6:44 remaining after recovering a fumble by Hacker at Cal Lutheran’s 38.

CLU took the ensuing kickoff and drove 73 yards for the winning score. Hacker’s 23-yard pass to flanker Len Bradley at the three-yard line set up the touchdown.

Said Hacker: “Right when I let go, bam! I was on the ground, and I heard the crowd screaming.”

O’Sullivan then carried three consecutive times, sandwiching two-yard gains around a two-yard loss, to bring Cal Lutheran to the one-yard line. From there, Hacker sneaked over for the touchdown.

The Toreros grabbed a 7-0 lead on a seven-yard touchdown pass from Bennett to halfback Willie Branch with 56 seconds left in the half. After taking possession, Cal Lutheran tried an ill-advised pass with 22 seconds remaining. Greg Frinell intercepted Hacker’s pass and Bergmann kicked a 23-yard field goal with two seconds left to give the Toreros a 10-0 lead.