Cal Lu finds holes in ULV's defense
Campus Times
November 13, 1998
There was some good news and some bad news for the University of La
Verne football team at Cal Lutheran last Saturday.
The good news was that the Leopards' offense finally was able to move
the ball consistently throughout the game.
The bad news was that the ULV defense was as cold as the weather in
Thousand Oaks, as the Leopards allowed three rushing touchdowns -- two in
the fourth quarter -- in their 38-31 loss to the Kingsmen.
"It was a pretty good game. I think we had a couple things happened
that hurt us in the second half," La Verne head coach Don Morel said.
"One was a turnover that they scored off of. We had our first turnover
in three games, and they scored off of that.
"We did start to move the ball on offense. It's good, exciting
and promising for next year because everybody comes back. However, we need
to pull things together and get ready for Menlo [at home tomorrow at 1:30
p.m.]."
The Leopards nearly pulled it together at the end of the Cal Lu game
for a win. With ULV trailing 38-24 with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter,
junior quarterback Dan Blahy led his team down the field.
Blahy completed passes to junior quarterback/wide receiver Kyle Spielbuhler
and junior wide receivers Kenny Fredeu and Andrew Woolsey, and the Leopards
were in business at the Cal Lutheran 5-yard line.
On second down, Blahy faked a hand off up the middle and ran around
the right end for a touchdown-scoring quarterback bootleg, pulling the Leopards
with seven points at 38-31.
La Verne missed on its onside attempt, but the Leopards' defense held
on three plays, forcing the Kingsmen to punt with 3:11 remaining in the
game.
Starting from his own 20-yard line, Blahy led his team once again down
the field. On a third-and-nine, Fredeu caught a 7-yard pass, setting up
a fourth-and-two at the ULV 40. But Blahy could not pass or rush his way
for the first down, as his passing try sailed over the outstretched arms
of senior running back Ordell Williams at midfield with a little over a
minute to go.
"In the fourth quarter, I thought our defense didn't play as well
as we could have. All year, we have been playing well [on defense], but
we had a couple bad breaks when they were running up the middle," junior
linebacker Mike Barreiro said. "I was proud of our offense. Our offense
played really well in the second half. The coaches put together a good game
plan."
Part of the plan included Blahy throwing two touchdown passes on consecutive
passes in the third and fourth quarters. Just before the third quarter ended,
Blahy, on fourth-and-four from the CLU 15, found Woolsey, who has now caught
five touchdown passes, in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
After the Leopards allowed Cal Lu to score on its next possession, Blahy's
next pass resulted in six points, as he lobbed a pass high down the right
side line to Fredeu, who caught it and raced the rest of the way for a 95-yard
touchdown strike.
"In the end, we were scrapping because we needed to continue to
make plays," said Blahy, who finished with two touchdown passes and
a touchdown run.
"I hope that everyone comes out [against Menlo] and plays the way
we have been playing the past few weeks with intensity and passion for the
game," he said. "We were down, and we could have thrown in the
towel."
"I am really proud of this football team," said Morel, whose
team fell to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in SCIAC. "For not being the most
talented group of guys, they have hung in there all year. We ended up getting
the ball back and made a run.
"Everybody is contributing, and I have nothing but good things
to say about this football team. It is a very unselfish group."
