Cal Lutheran Shrinks Against Pacific Lutheran

Cal Lutheran unveiled its “Purple Stretch” offense on Saturday, with sets featuring four or five receivers and no huddle.

At least the Kingsmen have another eight games to master it.

Cal Lutheran got into the end zone only once and defending NCAA Division III champion Pacific Lutheran University beat the Kingsmen, 49-7, in an opener at Puyallup, Wash.

“Good for a whole seven points,” said Coach Scott Squires of Cal Lutheran.

The Kingsmen opened up with Pacific Lutheran for the fourth consecutive year in a game billed as the Lutheran Brotherhood Kickoff Classic.

Chris Czernek completed all five of his passes on the opening drive, moving the Kingsmen to the Pacific Lutheran 15 in 12 plays.

But on the 13th play, Czernek was sacked by linebacker Jasen Bennie and fumbled. Lineman Kris Helphinestine picked up the ball and ran 79 yards for a touchdown.

Cal Lutheran fumbled four times and had 363 yards total offense, with most coming after the outcome had been decided.

“We beat ourselves quite a bit,” said Squires, a guard and linebacker for Pacific Lutheran in the mid-1980s. “Too many turnovers, some bad center exchanges and some miscues on defense. You’re not going to win playing like that against a team like PLU.”

Czernek completed 32 of 41 passes for 303 yards and scored on a one-yard run in the third quarter.

The Lutes finished with 560 yards of total offense. Redshirt freshman Aaron Binger rushed for 171 yards and two scores in eight carries. Chad Johnson completed 20 of 30 passes for 291 yards and no interceptions.

--MARK EVERS

East Los Angeles 14, Ventura 13--Josh Barton’s 37-yard field-goal attempt with 20 seconds left sailed wide left and the Huskies held on at Ventura High.

Ventura took a 10-0 lead when Taru Dailey threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Lance Wilson and Barton hit a 37-yard field goal in the first quarter. Barton also kicked a 22-yarder in the fourth quarter.

East L.A. got within 10-7 with a second-quarter score and went ahead, 14-10, early in the fourth quarter on a 29-yard scoring pass from Fernando Delgadillo to Cipriano Montes.

Dailey finished nine of 18 for 105 yards and Maurice Atwoood rushed for 79 yards in 21 carries for Ventura.

--LANCE O’FALLON

Glendale 13, Desert 7--Clayton Ketchum and Randy Beckman tackled Oggy Tallic for no gain on fourth-and-goal at the two-yard line with 29 seconds left to preserve a victory for the Vaqueros at Glendale High.

Jamel Applewhite rushed for 101 yards in 13 carries and scored on runs of 26 and five yards. Wes Jones added 64 yards in eight carries for Glendale.

Sophomore starter Seth Santoro completed three of nine passes for 33 yards. Freshman Joseph Kroells, who played the second and fourth quarters, engineered both of Glendale’s scoring drives and finished six of 13 for 112 yards with no interceptions.

Steve Carballo caught four passes for 88 yards for the Vaqueros.

--STEVE GALLUZZO

Canyons 27, Citrus 7--Travis Winn completed 17 of 28 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown, and David Parker completed 12 of 21 for 138 yards for the Cougars in a WSC Interdivisional victory at Canyons.

Steve Smith rushed 10 times for 60 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Tommy Garagliano kicked field goals of 28 and 24 yards in the second quarter.

--STEVE GALLUZZO

San Diego Mesa 28, Pierce 25--E.C. Fults made a diving 34-yard touchdown catch with 1:09 remaining for the Olympians in a victory at Pierce.

The touchdown capped a 21-point fourth quarter for the Olympians, who trailed, 22-7, after three quarters.

Pierce out-gained San Diego Mesa, 460-257, as quarterback Jamaal Washington passed for 257 yards and two touchdowns.

--MITCH POLIN

Antelope Valley 19, Santa Monica 18--Jamie Manor scored on a two-yard run with 2:42 left as the Marauders overcame an 18-0 halftime deficit to win at Santa Monica.

--STEVEN HERBERT

Chaffey 21, Moorpark 6--Nikolas Lewis caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Tim Bird with 56 seconds left, but the Raiders lost at Chaffey.

--DON GRUBB

Harbor 33, Valley 26--The Monarchs lost four fumbles, dropped six passes and had 110 yards in penalties in a WSC Northern Division loss at Valley.

--DANNY SCHUMACHER