Sept. 3, 2007

FOOTBALL: Experience Key for Veteran Lutes, Who Open Season Saturday in California

THIS WEEK: Pacific Lutheran University vs. California Lutheran University at Mt. Clef Stadium in Thousand Oaks, Calif., Saturday, 1 p.m.

MATCHUP: This will be the 13th meeting between the two schools, with PLU holding a 7-5 series lead despite having lost the past two seasons. The game will be the season opener for both teams and the first game for new head coach Ben McEnroe at the helm of the Kingsmen football team. McEnroe takes over for 1988 PLU grad Scott Squires, who has joined the coaching staff of the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.

LAST YEAR: A couple of late interceptions allowed the Kingsmen to overcome a 14-7 fourth-quarter deficit and defeat the Lutes, 17-14, at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup. Connor Pearce kicked a 38-yard field goal with 2:15 left in the game to cap Cal Lutheran’s rally. The Kingsmen won their second consecutive season opener against Pacific Lutheran, having defeated the Lutes, 42-35, to start the 2005 campaign. Pacific Lutheran held a 14-7 lead entering the fourth period when an interception by Tim Stevens, one of three Cal Lutheran picks during the game, set up the Kingsmen on their own 41-yard line. On the ensuing play, Danny Jones lofted a screen pass to Louis Montano in the left flat, and he used excellent blocking to race untouched down the left sideline for a 59-yard score. The extra point by Pearce brought the score even at 14-14. Cal Lutheran forced a PLU punt on the following possession, and the Kingsmen started what proved to be the game-winning drive from their 40-yard line. They converted a fourth-and-one from their 49-yard line when Jones faked a handoff and found Sean Coen for a 7-yard gain. After another first down and facing fourth down at the PLU 22-yard line, the Kingsmen went with Pearce, and his kick put the visitors from Thousand Oaks, Calif., ahead for the first time. On PLU’s next play, Chris Maine threw his third interception, this one grabbed by Chase King, and the Kingsmen ran out the clock. The Lutes took an early 7-0 lead, turning a Cal Lutheran fumble into a 34-yard scoring drive. Maine completed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Craig Chiado to complete seven-play drive. Cal Lutheran tied the score later in the first period after Jason Spratt’s interception set his team up at the PLU 27-yard line. Montano had rushes of nine and four yards, leading to a 14-yard scoring aerial from Jones to Danny Hernandez. The Lutes regained the lead in the second period when Maine capped a 15-play, 76-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. PLU managed just 225 yards of total offense while Cal Lutheran finished with 299 total yards. For PLU, Maine was 18-of-29 for 157 yards with one touchdown and the three interceptions. Chiado had eight catches for 67 yards, and Anthony Canger was the leading ground gainer with 49 yards on 14 carries.

SEASON OUTLOOK: The Lutes enter the 2007 season looking to turn around their football fortunes after an up-and-down 2006 season that resulted in a 4-5 record, their second straight losing campaign after a 36-year streak of winning seasons. After starting the season with three straight non-conference losses, however, the Lutes finished with a 4-2 Northwest Conference record, good for third place. The preseason Northwest Conference coaches’ poll predicts another third-place finish this season for the Lutes, behind Linfield and Whitworth. The Lutes, with 26 seniors, begin this season facing the same three teams as last year, looking to step up and improve last year’s 0-3 start.

Turnovers took a toll in 2006, when the Lutes committed a total of 29 in nine games. Fourth-year head coach Scott Westering has targeted their reduction as a key to the 2007 season. “There’s not a team in the country that doesn’t emphasize making good decisions with the football. The key is to eliminate the unforced errors.”

Despite the rash of turnovers, the Lutes still came out a plus-eight in the turnover-to-takeaway category, thanks to an aggressive defense that intercepted 18 passes and recovered 19 of their opponents’ 21 fumbles. The 37 total takeaways ranked Pacific Lutheran second among all NCAA Division III football programs.

Several key members of that defense return, including a pair of first team All-Northwest Conference selections. Senior defensive end Andrew Eisentrout might be the team’s best athlete and his 2006 numbers were very impressive: 67 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. He finished second among Division III players in tackles for loss and quarterback sacks while earning all-region and second team All-America honors. Eisentrout enters this season listed on a couple preseason All-America lists. Eisentrout is joined by 240-pound senior linebacker Chad Blau, who led the team last season with 70 total tackles, including 15 for loss. He also intercepted two passes, forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles.

The rest of the defense mixes returning starters with past reserves and newcomers. The secondary features experience in junior Aaron Todd and senior Max McKay, who both started several games at cornerback last season. Senior Keith Sparks and sophomore Colby Davies, a Western Washington University transfer, are pushing Evan Bratz for the open free safety position this season. Jeff Ebel returns as a starter at rover, and senior Justin Kelly figures to start at hawk. On the defensive line, Eisentrout will be joined by senior defensive end Robert Thomas, junior tackle Andy Holden and senior nose David Nicoli. Both Holden and Nicoli look to bounce back from an injury-plagued 2006 campaign. Some of the top freshmen include defensive lineman Branden Tipton from Eatonville and linebacker Josh Townsend from Kelso. Both will push the starters for playing time this season.

The offense returns nine starters, including a trio of first team all-conference performers. Senior wide receiver Craig Chiado is a two-time all-conference pick and last year led the team with 55 catches for 849 yards and seven touchdowns. Chase Reed, a two-time all-NWC selection at slotback, led the 2006 Lutes in rushing (78 carries, 309 yards, four touchdowns) and kickoff returns (23 returns, 17.7 yard average) and was second in receiving (34 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns). The other first team all-conference honoree, senior guard Kelly Totten, anchors an offensive line that lost only one full-time starter. Senior quarterback Brett Gordon returns for his second season as the starter (55 percent completion rate, 1,618 yards, 14 touchdowns, 12 interceptions last season), and Westering expects his experience to make a huge difference this season after his first true playing time last year. “The reality of it is that for a ‘freshman’ he did pretty well,” said Westering. “He’s really grown as a leader.”

The special teams look solid with returnees all around: sophomore kicker Pat Burke, junior punter Doug Rickabaugh, punt returner Matt Wolford and kickoff returner Reed.

“Two years ago we were really, really young, and last year we were young. Now we’re a veteran team. We still have some holes to fill, but we’re definitely more of a veteran team,” said Westering.

- PLU -