The California Lutheran University Kingsmen football team claimed a 55-0 victory over the University of La Verne Leopards in Cal Lutheranโs homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 7.
Head Coach Anthony Lugo said the homecoming spirit helped motivate the Kingsmen on the field.
โTo get that win, especially after last year when they got us at home, we had to pay them back, especially in front of the alumni,โ Lugo said.ย
The Kingsmenโs homecoming victory marks their second consecutive win and improves the teamโs Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference record to 2-1.ย
โWe were dominant. They couldnโt do anything they wanted to,โ junior defensive back John Moore said. โThey couldnโt run the ball, they couldnโt pass the ball, they were just out of luck.โ
The Kingsmen came out strong in the first quarter with a touchdown from junior wide receiver Cade Cadam, followed by four more touchdowns by the halfway point. Moore reclaimed Kingsmen possession with an interception in the second quarter and ran the ball to the endzone for a 95-yard pick-six.ย
โI saw him take his hand off the ball, and I knew that was my moment,โ Moore said. โHe threw it, and I knew that was my moment, I had to take it to the house.โ
The Kingsmen continued to dominate throughout the second half of the game, adding three more touchdowns to their total. Senior quarterback James McNamara was the last to add to the Kingsmenโs lead with a 7-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Trevor Cadam.
Starting quarterback JP Andrade said his defensive line is to credit for creating a multitude of offensive opportunities throughout the game.
โIโm really proud of the defense,โ Andrade said. โLosing those two games at PLU and CMS, that was hard but really kinda determined who we are. As a defense and an offense we really had to reflect, and now I feel like weโre hitting a good stride.โ
While the defense created opportunities, Lugo said that the offensive lineโs consistency helped to keep the ball in Cal Lutheranโs hands.
โI thought the offensive line played great,โ Lugo said. โThey were a little banged up coming out of last week, so for them to step up along with the defensive line, that was most important. We won the line of scrimmage, and limited the turnovers.โ
Along with Andrade and McNamara, sophomore quarterback Dylan Doyle also successfully managed the Kingsmen offense, which Andrade said reflects the teamโs chemistry.
โTheyโre great quarterbacks, so it was really cool to see them get in and do their thing and put points on the board for us,โ Andrade said. โNever skipping a beat and showing what our offense is capable of. We can put anyone in and just roll.โ
Moore said the team felt very prepared going into Saturdayโs game. He credited the teamโs success to a combination of watching game film and knowing the opponentโs formations. The energy building up to the game also helped the team focus on being as prepared as possible, which Lugo said was especially useful when it came down to the teamโs overall mindset.
โThroughout the week we worry about ourselves and not necessarily the opponent or the distractions,โ Lugo said. โWe take so much pride in getting better each and every day, thatโs our main goal.โ
Andrade said the energy from the crowd was palpable on the field, and that same homecoming spirit helped keep the team motivated throughout the game.
โI really felt the love and the energy from the alumni and what it really means to be a Kingsman,โ Andrade said. โSeeing everyone show out for us and putting in the hard work for them, it feels good, itโs really something to take pride in.โ
Lugo said the team is continuing to improve as the season progresses, as they have been “getting better each week.”
The Kingsmen will look to continue their winning streak when they face off against the University of Redlands on Saturday, Oct. 14 in the Smudge Pot Trophy Game.
