Hernandez, Kingsmen Come Back

THOUSAND OAKS —  Zack Hernandez didn’t start, but he certainly put the finishing touches on Cal Lutheran’s 39-32 victory over San Diego in a nonconference game Saturday at Mt. Clef Stadium.

Hernandez, who started the first two games of the season, came off the bench to spark the Kingsmen to 29 consecutive points in the second half.

The Kingsmen (1-2) twice held leads in the first quarter, but fell behind when the Toreros (2-2) scored on four consecutive possessions in the second quarter.

Hernandez brought Cal Lutheran from 22 points down in the second half.

“I needed this kind of game, and the team needed this kind of game,” Hernandez said. “I don’t like sitting on the bench and it hurt me not to start, but I stood behind the coaches’ decision and just controlled what I could do.

“The coaches wanted somebody to step up, and I wanted that so bad.”

Hernandez, a junior from L.A. Baptist High, replaced Derek Brown to start the third quarter with Cal Lutheran trailing, 32-10. He led the Kingsmen on scoring drives of 68 and 80 yards, both capped by touchdown runs by Dorian Stitt that cut the deficit to 32-24.

After San Diego running back Joe Hampton fumbled the ball to Cal Lutheran’s Kyle Donovan at the Toreros’ 23-yard line, Hernandez brought the Kingsmen closer with a 23-yard touchdown run.

Cal Lutheran went ahead to stay, 36-32, on a seven-yard touchdown run by Hernandez that finished an 83-yard drive with 7:04 left in the game.

Hernandez, who lost his starting spot to Brown after losing three fumbles and having two passes intercepted in the first two games, completed 12 of 20 passes for 130 yards and rushed for 58 yards in 11 carries.

Stitt, a freshman from Royal High, rushed for 111 yards, including scoring runs of five, 14 and eight yards, in 19 carries.

Brown, a senior transfer from Cal State Northridge, completed six of 13 passes for 68 yards.

Neither quarterback threw an interception.