Valparaiso was within three points of host San
Diego at halftime on Saturday afternoon, but two big plays by the
Toreros in the second half turned the momentum of the game as the Crusaders
fell 30-10 at Torero Stadium in San
Diego, Calif.
“We challenged the kids to
keep fighting after last week’s game and I think they responded well,” head
coach Dale Carlson said. “I was pleased
with our effort today as we competed for four quarters.”
San Diego took advantage of a short field on its first drive of
the game to score a touchdown on a seven-yard pass from Mason Mills to Nick
Scudellari, jumping in front 7-0 less than four minutes into the contest. After the Crusaders went three-and-out for
the second straight time the Toreros increased the lead to 10-0 on a 36-yard
field goal by Stanley Shurson.
Valpo’s defense then
stiffened the rest of the half, keeping the Crusaders in the football
game. Six tackles for loss, including
three quarterback sacks, in the opening 30 minutes shifted the momentum and the
Crusader offense responded.
Eric Lemon (Stevensville, Mich./Lakeshore H.S.) connected with Kevin Becker (Cincinnati,
Ohio/Anderson H.S.) in the back
of the end zone from seven yards out with 2:53 remaining before halftime to
pull Valpo within three.
“Lemon’s touchdown throw was
an excellent pass under pressure,” Carlson added.
The Brown and Gold’s defense
stayed strong on the final drive of the half, and Shurson missed a field goal
as time expired, keeping within 10-7 at the break.
San Diego extended its lead a minute into the third quarter,
with its first big play of the game.
Mills found Godfrey Smith on the sideline and the receiver made a
defender miss and raced 59 yards for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 17-7.
An interception on the
Crusaders’ first offensive play of the half gave the Toreros good field
position again, but the Valpo defense held the hosts to a field goal, making it
20-7.
Mike Pando (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton
H.S.) converted his first collegiate field goal, a 29-yard attempt, with 3:45
to play in the third, bringing Valpo within ten.
San Diego drove again, and, on fourth-and-20 at the Crusader 31
Mills found an open Colin King for a 31-yard touchdown pass late in the quarter
to push the advantage to 27-10.
“We can’t give up the big
plays,” Carlson concluded. “Those two
touchdown passes were the difference.”
Shurson added his third field
goal of the game, a 34-yarder, in the fourth quarter to close the scoring.
Valpo finished the game with
261 yards of total offense, including 212 threw the air. Lemon completed 19-of-33 passes for 182
yards. Sean McCarty (Waukesha,
Wis./West H.S.) had seven grabs
for 80 yards while Becker hauled in four passes for 67 yards.
San Diego (3-5, 3-2 PFL) finished the day with 430 total yards
of offense, including 327 through the air.
Mills completed 27-of-35 passes, including 10 to Smith for 151 yards.
Adrian Gober
(Gary, Ind./Merrillville
H.S.) led Valpo’s defense with 13 tackles, including 10 solo stops, while Sean Graves (Akron,
Ohio/Buchtel H.S.) and Cody Gokan (Round Lake,
Ill./Mundelein H.S.) each added
eight stops.
Valparaiso (0-8, 0-5) will return home to Brown Field for the
final time this season next Saturday as the Crusader host Butler.
The “Battle
for the Hoosier Helmet” and Senior Day will kickoff at 1 p.m.
Game Notes: Lemon’s
touchdown pass was the first of his collegiate career while Becker’s grab was
his first scoring reception in college … Brian
Plachinski (South Milwaukee,
Wis./South Milwaukee H.S.) had
two quarterback sacks for the Crusaders
… San Diego leads the all-time series
13-5.
