Cal Lutheran Goes Under in Overtime Again, 41-38

A school record fell, but so did Cal Lutheran.

Nathan Jackson caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Zamir Amin on third down on Menlo College’s first possession of overtime and the Oaks slipped past the Kingsmen, 41-38, in a nonconference game Saturday at Menlo.

It was the second overtime loss in two weeks for the Kingsmen (3-5), despite a prodigious passing effort by Chris Czernek.

Cal Lutheran lost to LaVerne, 35-32, in two overtimes last week.

Czernek, from Newbury Park High, completed 43 of 71 passes for 367 yards with four touchdowns and one interception.

The 71 passes set a Cal Lutheran record, surpassing the previous high of 61 by Russ Jensen against Cal State Sacramento in 1982.

Dorian Stitt rushed for 77 yards and one touchdown and Cal Lutheran piled up 446 yards of offense.

The teams combined for 893 yards.

The Kingsmen scored 21 consecutive points in the fourth quarter to tie the score, 35-35.

Cal Lutheran notched the first score of the game on a six-yard touchdown run by Stitt, but the Kingsmen were forced to rally when Menlo responded with 28 consecutive points to take a 28-7 advantage with 13:05 left in the third quarter.

Jackson had scoring receptions of 15 and 25 yards during the outburst.

Stitt caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Czernek to close the gap to 28-14, but Menlo answered with a four-play, 65-yard drive capped by Terrence Flowers’ seven-yard touchdown run for a 35-14 lead.

Czernek threw three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including scoring strikes of 15 and 24 yards to Eugene Sullivan. Sullivan’s second score tied the game with four seconds to play in regulation.

Sullivan had three catches for 33 yards and Czernek completed two fourth-down passes on the nine-play, 53-yard drive.

The Kingsmen got the opportunity for the game-tying drive when Sean McGaughey recovered an onside kick with 1:20 to play.

In overtime, each team took possession for a series beginning at the 25-yard line.

Cal Lutheran went first but got no yardage on three downs.

Ryan Geisler kicked a 35-yard field goal to give the Kingsmen a short-lived lead.

Cal Lutheran will host Redlands next week with the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title on the line.