Box Score Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Kingsmen of Cal Lutheran University used touchdowns on their first five drives en route to the lopsided 47-10 victory on their Senior Night over the Whittier College Poets keeping the Purple & Gold winless on the season.
The Poets were held to a season low 361 yards of total offense (196 Passing; 165 Rushing), while the Kingsmen posted 589 yards of total offense (388 Rushing; 201 Passing) averaging 10 yards per play.
In the first quarter Whittier ran 29 plays, ten of which came on their second series when TJ Jordan (Orcutt, Calif.) found Diante Jackson (Oakland, Calif.) from seven yards out that capped off a 10 play, 53 yard drive, which all came about after a forced fumble by Diego Villasenor (Linda, Calif.) on their punt coverage, which was recovered by Nick Alcantar (Northridge, Calif.).
On CLU's ensuing series, they would tie the game up at seven thanks to a 50 yard run from David Rico, which would later be punched in from four yards out by Ryan Zirbel. Whittier would get the ball back on their next possession and go the length of the field thanks to a big 25 yard pickup by Jackson. Despite getting deep into Kingsmen territory the Poets managed only to come away with a 26 yard field goal by Alex Jungsten (Orangevale, Calif.) that put WC up 10-7.
With 3:34 to play in the quarter, Cal Lutheran managed to go ahead for the first time after a big 37 yard kickoff return by Robert Burns and a Rico pass completion to Wayne Chapman from 37 yards out. With 2:27 to go, Whittier put together a big drive once again with a hookup with Jordan and Jackson for 59 yards that brought the Poets into the redzone but on a 4th and 1 opportunity from the CLU 15 the Poets Jordan rushed for no gain turning the ball over on downs stopping their drive short.
Opening up the second quarter CLU would tally their third touchdown of the game coming from Chapman who ran it in from nine yards out. Then on the Poets next series, Jordan would be intercepted by Chris Cabrera, which would later be capitalized on two plays later when Rico found Justin Reeves in the end zone from 30 yards out that put CLU up 27-10.
CLU would tack on another touchdown right before the half when Rico collected runs of 51 and 22 yards that set up a one yard touchdown run from Andrew Pankow.
The Kingsmen got the ball to start off the second half and marched down the field on a 6 play, 64 yard scoring drive capped off with a 34 yard touchdown run by Zirbel, which came on a fourth and one opportunity.
Following another defensive stop by the Kingsmen, they would tack on their final touchdown of the evening when Rico connected with Chapman on a 39 yard screen pass that moved the score to 47-10.
After scoring 10 points in their first two series, Whittier was held to just 242 yards the rest of the game. Jackson led the Poet offensive unit with seven catches for a 168 yards and a touchdown, while Jordan threw for a season low 119 yards and a touchdown.
Rico led the Kingsmen both passing and rushing finishing 9-10 for 192 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing nine times for 154 yards.
Defensively, Whittier saw five players' record five tackles including Austin Ford (Arcadia, Calif.), Mundo Guzman (Covina, Calif.), Villasenor, Gregorio Verdugo (San Diego, Calif.), and Austin Brasher (El Segundo, Calif.).
Brasher also collected a sack, had a tackle for a loss, forced a fumble and had a fumble recovery.
Whittier returns to the field this Saturday, November 9 when they host Occidental College at 1:00pm in the "The Shoes" game the longest standing rivalry game in Division III West of the Mississippi.
