CLU Topples La Verne In SCIAC Opener
The University of La Verne managed to hold its first lead of the season and held a 10-7 advantage over Cal Lutheran at halftime.
The prosperity would be short-lived, as CLU controlled the second half, outscoring the Leopards 38-14 after intermission to post a 45-24 victory Saturday in the league opener for both teams.
The Leopards couldn't contain CLU quarterback Jericho Toilolo, who passed for 464 yards and six touchdowns on the day, completing 32-of-39 attempts. His main benificiary was receiver Brandyn Bennett, who hauled in seven passes for 186 yards and four touchdowns.
ULV (0-3, 0-1 SCIAC) managed to post its best offensive outing of the season, totaling 412 yards in the contest along with collecting 19 first downs. But the Leos were outdone by Cal Lu's 609 total yards, 502 of which were produced by Toilolo.
After a Chris Handy 3-yard run put the Leopards up 7-0, Toilolo connected with Bennett allowed CLU to pull even at 7-7. La Verne would respond with a Taylor Hart field goal of 42 yards to take a 3-point lead into the locker room.
The Kingsmen (1-2, 1-0) went up 24-10 on a Connor Pearce field goal and two Toilolo-to-Bennett connections of 15 and 83 yards, respectively, with the latter occurring on a deflection off CLU receiver into the wide open hands of Bennett, who broke free untouched for the score.
The Leos would twice cut the lead to seven points in the final quarter as Troy Doolittle plunged in on a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 14:34 remaining to slice the deficit to 24-17. Cal Lu would go up 31-17 when Toilolo found Louis Montano from 4 yards out with 10:18 remaining. ULV then put together a 6-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 3-yard run by David Merlos to close to 31-24.
The Kingsmen put the game away with two more scores, first on a Toilolo offering to Danny Hernandez from 24 yards out with 6:08 remaining, and later on a 48-yard Toilolo toss to Bennett for their fourth score of the game with 2:53 left.
CLU committed five fumbles with only one recovered by the Leopards. Moreover, three ULV passes were picked off along with 12 penalties on the day for 98 yards.
Doolittle finished with a season-best 296 passing yards on a 28-of-47 effort. Merlos led ULV on the ground with 89 yards on 18 carries. Tight end Anthony De Jager led ULV in receiving with 10 grabs for 96 yards.
La Verne looks to break in the win column next week as they travel to Claremont to take on Pomona-Pitzer.
