Cal Lutheran welcomes Pomona back
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A losing record at the midway point of the season, especially going into a bye week, can lead a coach to question himself and experiment with the players on his team. Is he missing a second stringer on defense who could contribute on the offensive side or vice versa? At 2-3 Cal Lutheran head coach Scott Squires needed his team to make a statement against Pomona-Pitzer, the SCIAC’s newest member, and no one made a stronger one than Charlie Brown.
Brown, whose been bounced around from strong safety to linebacker this season found himself starting on the other side of the ball against Pomona-Pitzer.
“It took two weeks of practice, getting the feel for it again,” Brown told the Ventura County Star. “It just feels good to get out there and run around.”
“Run around” would be an understatement. Brown ran the ball 12 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns. The first was a 48-yard scamper at the beginning of the second quarter to put the Kingsmen up 21-0. It was the longest touchdown run for Cal Lutheran this season. His second went for 19 yards and was the nail in the coffin making it 41-7.
With a 62-35 thumping of Pomona-Pitzer it was clear that Squires’ experiment had been a success. “Charlie gave us a much-needed spark back there,” Squires told the Ventura County Star. “I thought the experiment worked.”
If the experiment continues to work Brown has a chance to lead the Kingmens to the conference championship and automatic berth in the NCAA playoffs. It was the addition of the Sagehens to the SCIAC this year, after their departure in 1995 that gave the SCIAC enough teams to qualify for an automatic berth. A conference championship for Cal Lutheran would be its first since 1997. CLU and Pomona-Pitzer had not played each other since Pomona-Pitzer left the SCIAC.
Kirchoff Sets conference record
Bethel quarterback Scott Kirchoff sits alone at the top of the MIAC career passing yards list after his 15-for-26 performance for 207 yards in the Royals’ victory over Gustavus. He now has 6,168 yards passing in MIAC action and passes former Saint John’s quarterback Kurt Ramler who threw for 6,062 yards from 1993-96.
Kirchoff, who claimed All-MIAC honors in 2000 and 2001, missed all but two games last season with a wrist injury. He filed for a medical redshirt, was named a D3football.com preseason All-American, and is back leading the Royals through an undefeated season at 7-0.
53-year drought ends for Coe
With their 28-14 win over Central on Saturday, Coe ended a 53-year winless drought against the Dutch. The last time they beat Central was in 1950 — which also happens to be the last time Central started 0-4 in the IIAC as they have this season. Central will need to win its remaining four games to finish above .500 and extend its streak of 42-straight seasons with a winning record.
Record day in Collegeville… no, not that record
The Saint John’s Johnnies had a record setting afternoon on Saturday as they zipped by the Augsburg Auggies 63-9. With his two touchdown receptions, Saint John’s All-American wide receiver Blake Elliott passed a rather well-known receiver named Jerry Rice for fourth place on the all time career TD reception list at 51. Elliott will need to lead the Johnnies deep into the playoffs and average over two touchdowns per game to catch David Kircus from Grand Valley State who holds the record of 76 from 1999-02.
On defense, junior linebacker Paul Gans tied a school record when he intercepted four passes for 139 yards. He returned the last one 29 yards for a touchdown. Gans was named MIAC defensive football player of the week for his four interceptions, 9 tackles (3 solo) and defensive touchdown.
Saturday also marked the 500th win for Saint John’s moving it into a select group of 15 Division III football programs.
Pirate Receiver Sets School Mark
Whitworth senior wide receiver Dwayne Tawney caught seven passes for 133 yards and set a new Whitworth career receiving yardage record with 2,806. He surpassed former Pirate All-American Wayne Ralph, who had 2,793 receiving yards from 1983-86.
Quote Machine:
“Terrible. It doesn't work.”
Sam Ghrist, Eastern Oregon sports information director on having an NCAA Division III football program within an NAIA athletic program. The Mountaineers are 2-4, 0-4 against Division III programs, and are again seeking membership in the Northwest Conference.
Conference Ramblings . . .
IIAC: Wartburg’s defense tallied 10 sacks in sending Simpson to its first lost of the season. … Coe defeated Central 28-14 despite a record-setting day by Central quarterback Mark Isaacson. … Loras controlled the ball nearly twice as long as Buena Vista and spoiled the Beavers homecoming with a 18-15 win. … Luther fought back from a 14-point first quarter deficit to beat Dubuque 19-14. … Cornell used 230 passing yards to Upper Iowa’s 20 to win 27-21.
MIAC: St. John’s forced seven turnovers in crushing Augsburg 63-9. … St. Thomas avoided an upset by Carleton with two late scores to pull away for a 35-13 victory. … Bethel nearly let Gustavus back in the game after leading 33-13 but Jake Schnieder’s interception with just over a minute to play sealed the Royal victory. … St. Olaf used 507 yards of total offense to defeat Hamline in a rare MIAC night game…Concordia-Moorhead had a bye and plays at St. John’s on Saturday.
NWC: Linfield rolled up 614 yards in total offense and never punted in defeating Eastern Oregon 56-14. … PLU used Aaron Binger’s two fourth-quarter touchdowns to slip by Whitworth 28-24 for its Homecoming. … Willamette and the “Fly” offense only held the ball for 22 minutes but rolled up 468 yards of total offense in a 31-21 victory. … Lewis and Clark had a bye and will play at PLU on Saturday.
SCIAC: Cal Lutheran had 2 fewer yards of total offense than Pomona-Pitzer but tallied 27 more points in defeating the Sagehens 62-35. … Redlands moved to 3-0 in conference by doubling up LaVerne 24-12. … Claremont-Mudd-Scripps controlled the ball for nearly 38 minutes and rode Spencer Schomer’s 277 total yards of offense to defeat Whittier 42-7. … Occidental had the bye and will play CMS on Saturday
Games of the Week
Concordia-Moorhead at No. 2 St. John’s, Collegeville, Minn.: Few teams in the top-heavy MIAC have the size speed and strength to give the Johnnies a challenge but Concordia-Moorhead is definitely one of them. With a Week 7 bye the Cobbers have had time for rest and extra preparation as they try to hand St. John’s its first conference loss since Sept. 15, 2001. A win by Saint John’s would be No. 407 for Coach Gagliardi and leave him one away from the record. A Cobber victory would make the MIAC an open race for first place.
Cornell at Coe, Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Although it’s a matchup of unranked IIAC opponents, it is one of the oldest and best rivalries in the conference dating back to their time together in the Midwest Conference.
Like all good rivalries, deprecating cheers are launched from both sides. Cornell loves to chant, “If you can’t go to college go to Coe.” Coe fans counter with, “High, high above the Cedar River, there comes an awful smell. SOME say it's the Cedar River, others say — Cornell.”
On the field, Coe is fighting to stay in the IIAC race that Wartburg is running away with, while Cornell is on track for a .500 season.
No. 3 Linfield at Menlo, Atherton, Calif.: Linfield leads the series 4-0 but both teams know how to put the ball in the end zone. A Menlo victory would be huge for the independent in its pursuit of a Pool B bid, moving the Oaks to 6-1. Linfield brings a 20-game regular season winning streak into the game and needs the victory to stay perfect and hold their ranking. Menlo lost 56-6 last year in McMinnville but is much improved.