Joining the Cowboys in contacting the 6-foot-3, 206-pound Duarte, Calif. native were the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

As a Cowboys fan for the last decade, today was absolutely a dream come true for Rogers.

“I am definitely floating up with the stars right now,” he shared as he made an appearance at the 2013 SCIAC Track & Field Championship Meet. “Everything I have worked for has paid off and I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue to prove myself on the football field.”

In two weeks he will travel to Dallas to take part in a Rookie Mini Camp. From there it will be on to an all-team camp and if all goes well, which is the plan, Rogers will return to Southern California in August for summer training camp in Oxnard.

On March 11, Rogers performed for scouts from nearly a dozen of the 32 NFL teams during the CLU Pro Day held in William Rolland Stadium and the Forest Fitness Center.

Over the last four years Rogers rewrote the CLU record books for both single-season and career records, breaking seven different Kingsmen marks en route to earning 2012 SCIAC Player of the Year, First Team All-West Region and All-America accolades.

This year he grabbed 61 catches for 868 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 124 yards per game through the air and 14.2 yards per catch. He also added four rushes for 57 yards, to average an identical 14.2 yards per carry. The versatile senior also threw a pair of passes, one for a 26 yard touchdown.

Overall, he became the Cal Lutheran all-time leading receiver with 91 catches for 1,298 yards and 18 touchdowns, pushing his career total to 45 TDs, breaking the old scoring record by 34 points.

The four year letter-winner earned First Team All-SCIAC honors in 2011 and 2010 while earning Second Team in 2009. Rogers was part of four consecutive SCIAC championships teams and the Kingsmen never lost a league contest during his career.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

Student-athletes at both the collegiate and high school levels are recognized for athletic accomplishments and dedication to strength training and conditioning, as determined by the strength and conditioning coach at the given institution. Honorees are also selected based on academic and personal accomplishments as well as overall integrity as student-athletes. 

Cabrera earned First Team All-SCIAC honors at linebacker this past season after being selected to the Second Team in 2011. The Los Angeles, Calif. native finished with 55 tackles including 27 solo tackles as Cal Lutheran captured its fourth consecutive conference title and advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Cal Lutheran strength and conditioning coordinator Dr. Pat Holmberg said of Cabrera, “Chris is a tireless worker and relentless competitor. Everyday he shows up ready, willing, and excited to put in the work needed to improve.”

Also honored was Rohach, a standout two-sport athlete in track & field and volleyball. The Moorpark, Calif. native received All-SCIAC honors for her second place finish in the long jump and third place finish in the 200 meter dash at the SCIAC Championships last spring. She also ran the third leg of the 4x 400 meter relay team that broke a 14-year old SCIAC conference meet record. Currently, Rohach holds the school record in the long jump, 4x 100 meter relay and is second in the 200 meter dash. During the fall, Rohach developed into one of the top middle-blockers in the SCIAC, finishing eighth in the conference for blocks with 77. The third-year player was also fourth on the team with 252 kills. “Most people don’t realize the dedication that is needed to compete at a high level in one sport. Here is an athlete who is a standout in two sports.” Holmberg continued, “Along with her athletic accomplishments, Rohach is a two-time member of CLU’s Scholar-Athlete Society. She is a pleasure to coach.”

Boyd Epley, Founder of the NCSA adds, “The advantages of strength training and conditioning cannot be denied in collegiate and high school athletics. The NCSA is pleased to recognize student-athletes that put forth and effort to improve their performance though strength and conditioning. They are to be applauded for their hard work and dedication.”

The NSCA All-American Athlete of the Year program has been in existence for 34 years and is made possible by a grant from Power Systems, Inc., a Knoxville, Tenn. Fitness product leader.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/clusports

There are 178,441 DIII student-athletes as compared to 459,253 in Division I and II combined from coast to coast. Division III, however, represents the largest division in the NCAA at 40 percent of the total membership.

The NCAA sponsors 28 Championship events with 14 for men and 14 for women. There are also eight National Collegiate Championships. Overall, CLU sponsors 20 intercollegiate athletic programs, which is above the average (17) of like institutions.

Cal Lutheran is one of the 80 percent of active institutions that are private with 20 percent of DIII schools on public campuses. Across the board the average enrollment of Division III schools is 2,734.

All of the schools that fall in the Division III category are expected to promote the model of discover, develop and dedicate. CLU is right on track with that mantra by succeeding academically and athletically while giving back to the community.

In 2013 there will be CLU 147 student-athletes inducted into the Scholar Athlete Society by holding a 3.40 or higher cumulative grade point average. This number is higher than it has ever been and numerous student-athletes throughout the season have earned both Academic All-SCIAC and other sport specific academic accolades.

CLU teams have been just as successful on the field, court, course and in the pool with 10 teams earning national rankings in 2012-13. Both men’s golf and women’s water polo have held No. 1 rankings in their respective polls this year. CLU teams have claimed four Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) titles thus far with four teams and one athlete advancing to NCAA Championship play. The spring sports have much hope to increase those numbers with more than half of the teams in the hunt for a league title.

Beyond those two areas, CLU students have also taken time to give back. One example is the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) that is headed in 2012-13 by Lauren Rasmussen. She and the other SAAC members have put together a community service project in conjunction with DIII Week.

The group is scheduled to do a Ball and Old Sports Equipment Drive throughout the week of April 8-12. Items will be collected both at the Welcome Desk of the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center during all hours of operation and in the Athletics Offices during operating business hours (9-5). Additionally, SAAC members will be stationed at the flagpole on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to collect items. All donations will be delivered to the Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Conejo Valley.

“The biggest thing with this event is that it is something that the SAAC wants to turn into an annual event during DIII Week and we are really excited about it,” Rasmussen said. “The connection to athletics with equipment collection, plus the opportunity to give back to the community by donating items that student-athletes are involved with competitively every day is very rewarding.”

Student Life will be sponsoring a series of student giveaways at a variety of athletic events during Division III Week as well.

Cal Lutheran sunglasses will be given out at Men’s Tennis against No. 1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Friday at 2:00 p.m. at the Poulson Tennis Center to kick off the weekend. On Wednesday, April 10 the water polo team will host Caltech and rally towels will be handed out at the entrance to the Samuelson Aquatics Center. Women’s Tennis fans will have a chance to claim sunglasses on Friday, April 12 when the Regals host Occidental at 2:00 p.m. At Hutton Field softball will host Redlands where seat cushions will be available for student fans at 2:00 p.m. At 3:00 p.m. in Ullman Stadium baseball fans can obtain a stadium cup as the Kingsmen host Whittier. Additionally, free Shave It coupons will be distributed to the first 250 students at any of the games.

Finally, the dining commons will be offering sports themed meals and snacks throughout the week, including a nacho bar, Dodger Dogs, peanuts and popcorn, BBQ Tri-Tip sandwiches and soft pretzels with cheese sauce.

“Excitement is beginning to be generated around Division III week on campus,” Director of Athletics Dan Kuntz shared. “We are looking forward to being a part of this unique campaign to promote Division III and the student-athletes we support year in and year out.”

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

But the Cal Lutheran wide receiver was pleasantly surprised to find representatives from at least 11 different NFL teams waiting for him to arrive on Monday afternoon at CLU.

“It turned out to be a big event,” Rogers said. “It was definitely more than I thought it would be. It went by kind of fast, but it was definitely worth it.”

Rogers was joined at the workout by Whittier teammates Kimble Tillman and Dameron Fooks and by offensive lineman Joe Unga of Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Scouts from the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers, Chicago Bears, Oakland Raiders, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers were in attendance.

After being weighed and measured, the four players were put through various drills.

They performed the vertical leap and bench press in CLU’s weight room before moving to the field for the broad jump, 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuttle, three-cone drill and some route running.

The most crucial result for Rogers was his 40-yard time.

The 6-foot-3, 206-pound All-American had never run a timed 40 before he started his draft training in January with Ryan Capretta at Proactive Sports Performance in Westlake Village.

The scouts asked Rogers to run the 40 three times, and their stopwatches displayed varying numbers.

“They usually take three and it sounds like the three times they are going to take are 4.48, 4.50 and 4.51,” Capretta said. “Some scouts thought he was a 4.6 guy, so I think he really showed what kind of athlete he

was and how much work he put in. He had confidence out there and just did his thing.”

Rogers is Cal Lutheran’s career record-holder in receiving yards (3,461), receiving touchdowns (41), receptions (220) and total scoring (270).

He caught 91 passes for 1,298 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior last season to the set the program’s single-season records for receiving touchdowns, receptions and total scoring (126).

But playing at the Division III level didn’t give Rogers as many chances to showcase his skills to a wider audience.

He tried to take full advantage at his Pro Day.

Rogers finished with a vertical leap of 37 inches, a broad jump mark of 10 feet, 1 inch, and times of 4.1 and 6.89 seconds in the shuttle and cone drill, respectively. He also benched 225 pounds nine times.

“It’s a little more intense with all the scouts watching, but I just tried to go out there and relax,” Rogers said. “I felt like I did OK. You are not going to have a perfect day. But if you do have an OK drill or a bad drill, you have to move on to the next one and that is what I focused on.”

The workout marked the second straight year Cal Lutheran held a Pro Day on campus.

Last year, CLU defensive backs Justin Haulcy-Bateman and Luis Villavicencio worked out for a handful of scouts.

Haulcy-Bateman attended rookie camps with the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers, but did not stick with an NFL team.

Rogers is expected to attract much more interest during and after the NFL Draft, which takes place April 25-27.

Cal Lutheran coach Ben McEnroe received several calls from scouts asking if CLU could specifically schedule its Pro Day on Monday so more could attend.

McEnroe labeled it a “Chamber of Commerce” moment for the university.

“Just the ability to have an event take place here that is on the NFL Network for the whole month with our name scrolling across the bottom of the screen with the date is big,” McEnroe said. “We were able to attract national attention and directors of scouting and pretty important guys from a number of teams were here today. It’s a great event for our university and Eric is a great representative of CLU both on and off the field.”

As McEnroe watched Rogers run through drills and catch balls, he couldn’t help but reflect on his progress at CLU.

“It makes me really proud to see where he came from four years ago when he got here to where he is now,” McEnroe said. “I have seen tremendous growth physically and emotionally from Eric.”

Rogers plans to keep training at Proactive through the draft, and will now be moved to the “veteran group” to work alongside NFL players like Clay Matthews, C.J. Spiller and Taylor Mays.

Rogers is hoping to join them as an official member of an NFL roster in the near future.

“I would love to see him get drafted, but going as a priority free agent is better in some cases,” Capretta said. “I think he absolutely is going to get a shot of getting into a camp, and that is all you can ask for. He’ll get his chance to perform there and show them what he can do.”

The 2012 All-American wide receiver showcased his skills both on the field and in the weight room for representatives from nearly a dozen of the 32 NFL teams including the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, San Francisco 49ers , Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins.

Among the drills he performed were the 40-yard dash, broad jump, vertical jump and cone drills to go along with running a variety of routes.

Rogers led Cal Lutheran (8-2) to a fourth consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) title with a 7-0 league record and was named the 2012 SCIAC Offensive Player of the Year before earning First Team All-West Region accolades.

Today he was joined by three other athletes, including a pair of Poets from SCIAC foe Whittier.

Head Coach Ben McEnroe was ecstatic to welcome back members of the NFL for the second consecutive year. The talent, facilities and atmosphere left scouts with a positive impression of Rogers and the CLU facilities and institution on a whole.

Today marked the Second Annual CLU Pro Day, which was also covered by local media outlets including the Ventura County Star and KTLA.

The senior duo of Kevin Ramay and Caius Radu earned recognition for his accomplishments both in the classroom and on the football field this fall.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.40 cumulative grade point average, must have completed one full calendar year at his current institution and must have reached sophomore athletic eligibility.

Radu, a two-sport athlete for Cal Lutheran, is a defensive back who is majoring in Exercise Science and has career aspirations to coach track and field, his second sport at CLU. This fall Radu started all 10 games, collecting 37 tackles with 31 solo stops and a pair of interceptions.

Ramay, a Business major, played in six games for CLU last fall. He started the first four games of the season as the quarterback for the Kingsmen and was 91-for-153 for 1,052 yards with 10 touchdowns overall, but was sidelined with a hand injury in week four against Redlands. Earlier this week Ramay signed a contract to play professional football in Germany.

Cal Lutheran (8-2) earned its fourth consecutive SCIAC football title in 2012 after posting an undefeated 7-0 record. The Kingsmen hosted a First Round NCAA Division III Playoff game at Rolland Stadium on Nov. 17.

Release: 2012 All-Academic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

Ramay, who played in six games for CLU last fall, was 91-for-153 for 1,052 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was the opening day starter for the Kingsmen, but went down with a hand injury in the fourth game of the season on Oct. 6 at Redlands.

Fully recovered and ready to contribute, Ramay will join the Berlin Adler, one of the most successful professional football organizations in Germany. They have won six German Bowls in their history, which dates back to 1979. Most recently the Adler were the 2010 Eurobowl Champions as well as the Runner-Up in both 2011 and 1991.

Football in Europe has become very common for players from the United States to continue their playing days.

Ramay becomes the second CLU football player to bring his talents across the ocean in as many years. Jordan Barta (’11) played in Finland in 2012.

Team Website: Berlin Adler
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

Division III members passed legislation at the NCAA convention last Saturday allowing private communication with recruits through social networking sites like Facebook.

Coaches have been limited to phone calls, text messages, faxes and emails.

"There are not a lot of phone conversations that go on anymore and I don't think some kids even know what a fax is," CLU athletic director Dan Kuntz said. "Students are living and communicating in social media and I think the schools and coaches realize that. The one concern was privacy and not being intruded upon, but students are pretty savvy. When they don't want to be contacted, they know how to say not now."

Kuntz and James McHugh, the special assistant to the president for athletic affairs at CLU, represented the university at the convention in Grapevine, Texas.

Division III members considered 13 legislative proposals during the convention business session.

Along with the social media proposal, another proposal adopted was requiring confirmation of sickle cell trait status for all student-athletes no later than the 2014-15 academic year, including mandatory confirmation of status for all incoming student-athletes in 2013-14.

People with sickle cell trait have been shown to be more vulnerable than those without the trait to heat stroke and muscle breakdown when subjected to strenuous exercise under unfavorable environmental conditions.

Athletes can opt out of having the test, but will have to receive education regarding sickle cell trait status.

Given the concerns about costs, logistics and how the proposal related to other medical issues, the vote was close (254-200-15).

Not much will change at CLU as the university already required athletes to have the sickle cell trait test.

"There were a lot of conversations around this issue, but in the end it's really about the well-being of the student," Kuntz said. "If there is something we can do to help the well-being of the student, our mindset at CLU is to always do it. Our first priority is always to take better care of our students."

Kuntz said a topic he expects to be discussed in the future is establishing boundaries at the Division III level, where there are no athletic scholarships.

"Being less intrusive on students and offering a better work-life balance for the staff is huge," Kuntz said. "Division III is intended to have more restrictions because the emphasis is to allow student-athletes to be students. They need opportunities to study abroad and not have coaches on them year-round. We need to allow them to have a well-rounded experience."

Kuntz was attending the NCAA convention for the eighth time and can't wait to go back next year when it comes to San Diego.

"I think it's all fascinating because I can learn so much," Kuntz said. "There are so many good things and different ways to think about things and talk about these social issues that are in sports."

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

It seems many students wanted to have their dining card swiped by a certain All-American wide receiver.

Eric Rogers has likely been the most popular cashier on campus throughout his career at CLU.

"By the third or fourth game of the season, they would come in and say, 'Oh, my gosh. Are you Eric Rogers?' " Rogers said. "It's pretty cool because I really enjoy talking to everyone and getting to meet all the people I don't normally meet during the week, like the underclassmen. I am going to miss that."

Rogers will be hard to replace in the cafeteria and on the football field at CLU.

The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Duarte native solidified his legacy in the record books.

Rogers is the CLU career record-holder in receiving yards (3,461), receiving touchdowns (41), receptions (220) and total scoring (270).

He caught 91 passes for 1,298 yards and 18 touchdowns this season to set the program's single-season records for receiving touchdowns, receptions and total scoring (126).

"I definitely didn't expect to do such an amazing job," said Rogers, The Star's Male Athlete of the Fall Season. "I felt like I had the ability to do at least half of it, but with the help of all the coaches, players and fans, I just embraced everything and played as hard as I could to the last game."

The next quest for Rogers is securing a spot in professional football. He recently started training to prepare for a pro day in front of NFL scouts in the spring.

"My dream is play in the NFL, but my goal is to at least reach the Canadian Football League," Rogers said. "I just want to play anywhere really. Until they tell me I'm not good enough, I want to see how far I can go."

Rogers has met with an agent and plans to begin training at Proactive Sports Performance in Westlake, where NFL stars Clay Matthews, Dwight Freeney and Antonio Cromartie spend their offseasons.

Proactive Executive Director Ryan Capretta is creating a workout schedule that fits around Rogers' class schedule at CLU.

Most high-level prospects have already graduated or don't remain in school while training for the draft.

Capretta's main emphasis with Rogers will be his 40-yard dash time.

"The biggest thing for him being a D3 guy is running faster with the frame he has to make him the most marketable," Capretta said. "Obviously with the success he had at Cal Lu, he can play the position and an NFL coach is not going to be worried about routes. They can teach him what he needs. They want to see if he has the wheels to play at the next level."

Rogers has a lot of ground to cover for such a short distance.

"I have never been timed in a 40 before, even out of high school," Rogers said. "Some guys go to camps and do the 40 and cone drills. I haven't done any of that, so I am getting more familiar with those type of exercises."

Over the last year, Rogers has become more aware of the dedication required to reach his potential.

"I really just relied on the God-given talent I was blessed with and didn't do any extra work until last summer," Rogers said. "I always thought talent will you get you where you need to go. But now I know that hard work beats talent if talent isn't working hard. I am trying to have both to give myself my best chance."

Even the Christmas gifts Rogers received this year are symbolic of his changed mentality. He asked his mom for a blender so he could make protein and recovery shakes.

But if Rogers is invited to an NFL rookie camp, it would present an interesting dilemma. The reporting date conflicts with CLU's graduation ceremony.

"If it does happen, I will definitely go to rookie camp even though it's a big deal in my family to be the first one to graduate," Rogers said. "But maybe I can talk CLU into allowing my mom to walk for me and get my diploma. That would even be better."

Just having to consider such an option is something Rogers couldn't have imagined when he first arrived at CLU.

"I know that anyone on my team would probably trade anything to be in the place I am, and I want to enjoy going through the experience," Rogers said. "I feel like I am doing it for them and for my family. Hopefully I can take a few Kodak pictures and keep them forever."

VC Star All Colleges Team CLU:
Men’s Cross Country: Matt Garvin
Women’s Cross Country: Melissa Skiba
Football: Eric Rogers
Men’s Soccer: Raul Yepez
Women’s Soccer: Taylor Will
Volleyball: Kylie McLogan
Men’s Water Polo: Carter Baldwin

The 2012 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Athlete of the Year rewrote the CLU record books this year for both single-season and career records breaking seven different marks including becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer. Rogers became Cal Lutheran’s all-time leading receiver after he finished the year with 91 catches for 1,298 yards and 18 TDs. The Duarte, Calif. native pushed his career total to 45 touchdowns, breaking the old scoring record by 34 points.

Rogers was especially dominant during conference play. In league games alone the six-foot-four target hauled in 61 catches for 868 yards and 15 touchdowns. He averaged 124 yards per game through the air and 14.2 yards per catch. He also added four rushes for 57 yards, to average an identical 14.2 yards per carry. Three of those four carries ended with touchdowns. The versatile senior also threw a pair of passes, one for a 26 yard touchdown. The four year letter-winner earned First Team All-SCIAC honors in 2011 and 2010 while earning Second Team in 2009. Rogers and the rest of his senior teammates never lost a SCIAC conference game, going a perfect 25-0 from 2009-12.

Cal Lutheran has now had a D3football.com First Team All-America selection in each of the past two seasons. Justin Haulcy-Bateman was a First Team selection at cornerback a year ago.

Redlands kicker Kevin Grady who was named to the Second Team, was the only other SCIAC player honored.

Release: D3football All-America Teams
Facebook: www.facebook.com/clusports

After re-writing the Cal Lutheran record books, Eric Rogers concludes his collegiate career as a First Team All-West Region wide receiver. He became Cal Lutheran’s all-time leading receiver after finishing the year with 91 catches for 1,298 yards and 18 touchdowns. The 6-foot-4 senior added three rushing TDs, throwing for another. Nationally, he was ranked third in receiving yards per game (129.80), fourth in total receiving yards (1,298), fifth in receptions per game (9.10) and seventh in scoring (12.60). Rogers was named the 2012 SCIAC Offensive Player of the Year after earning First Team All-SCIAC in 2011 and 2010 and a Second Team All-SCIAC selection as a freshman in 2009.

In his first year at Cal Lutheran, Vince Minor was named to the Second Team All-West Region as a return specialist after garnering First Team All-SCIAC accolades for both special teams and defensive back. As a transfer, he made an immediate impact in both areas for the Kingsmen. Minor finished second in the country by averaging 18.32 yards per punt return. He accumulated 715 all-purpose yards, returning 22 punts for 403 yards and 16 kicks for 276 yards. Minor notched a pivotal punt return for a 43-yard touchdown against Redlands (Oct. 6) and also had a long of 64 yards against Pomona-Pitzer (Sept. 29). As a DB, the 5-foot-9 cornerback tallied 22 tackles 15 solo, with an interception, returned for 36 yards in the season opener.

Rounding out the CLU selections was junior Andrew Pankow who earned a Third Team All-West Region nod after becoming a First Team All-SCIAC recipient for the first time. Pankow anchored an offensive line that paved the way for the Kingsmen to average 506.70 yards of total offense per game, which was seventh most in Division III. He was part of an o-line that was named to both the D3football.com and BSN Team of the Week during this season, occurring in back-to-back weeks. Oct. 22 the Kingsmen were honored by the BSN after scoring 56 points and accumulating 664 yards of offense, allowing just 323, against Occidental. D3football.com selected the offensive line Oct. 29 after scoring 62 points, gaining 638 yards of offense against Whittier.

Cal Lutheran posted an 8-2 overall record in 2012 after claiming a fourth consecutive SCIAC championship and playoff berth.

Release: 2012D3football.com All-West Region Team
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

Rogers becomes the third Cal Lutheran player in four years to earn a SCIAC Athlete of the Year award. The senior rewrote the CLU record books this year for both single-season and career records breaking seven different marks including becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer. The six-foot-four receiver was head and shoulders above his competition. In league games alone the wide receiver hauled in 61 catches for 868 yards and 15 touchdowns. He averaged 124 yards per game through the air and 14.2 yards per catch. He also added four rushes for 57 yards, to average an identical 14.2 yards per carry. Three of those four carries ended with touchdowns. The versatile senior also threw a pair of passes, one for a 26 yard touchdown. Overall, he became Cal Lutheran’s all-time leading receiver after he finished the year with 91 catches for 1,298 yards and 18 TDs. The Duarte, Calif. native pushed his career total to 45 touchdowns, breaking the old scoring record by 34 points. The four year letter-winner earned First Team All-SCIAC honors in 2011 and 2010 while earning Second Team in 2009. Rogers and the rest of his senior teammates never lost a SCIAC conference game, going a perfect 25-0 since 2009.

Goodman literally burst onto the scene in his first year for the Kingsmen, darting down the field for a 68-yard touchdown run in his first game at Rolland Stadium against Linfield (Sept. 10). The 2011 California high school rushing champion finished his first collegiate season with 1,165 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging nearly six yards a carry. Goodman was a threat out of the backfield too, ending as the team’s third-leading receiver with 30 receptions for 294 yards. His 1,419 all-purpose yards in 2012 were the third-most all-time for single season at CLU.

Of the five First Team All-SCIAC selections, two, senior Jordan Austin and junior Andrew Pankow, were on offense while three, senior Rian Younker and juniors Chris Cabrera and Vince Minor, were on defense.

Minor, a cornerback and returns specialist hauled in a pair of awards, being recognized not only as a First Team All-SCIAC defensive back, but was also the First Team Special Teams recipient. As a first-year transfer, he made an immediate impact on special teams as well as defense. The five-foot-nine cornerback finished second in the country by averaging over 18 yards per punt return. Minor returned a pivotal punt return for a 43-yard touchdown against Redlands (Oct. 6) and also had a long of 64 yards against Pomona-Pitzer (Sept. 29).

Younker, a repeat First Team selection from a year ago, battled a number of injuries to still have a strong senior campaign. Switching from defensive tackle to end, Younker finished with 41 total tackles eight tackles for loss and three and a half sacks. In his final game for CLU, Younker scooped up a North Central fumble and rumbled 39 yards, setting up Cal Lutheran for a touchdown a few plays later.

Cabrera makes the move from Second Team in 2011 to First Team in 2012. The junior linebacker from Los Angeles, Calif. finished with 55 tackles, including 27 unassisted with four coming behind the line of scrimmage.

Austin and Pankow anchored an offensive line that paved the way for CLU to average over 500 yards of total offense per game, which was seventh most in Division III. Austin, a senior from Bakersfield, Calif., earns his first SCIAC recognition in his fourth year starting for CLU. Pankow, a junior from Pasadena, Calif., earns the First Team honor in just his first full year of starting.

The Kingsmen also had three Second Team All-SCIAC selections. Junior offensive guard Ty Olson was the lone CLU representative on offense while sophomore Anthony Monroe and senior Tim Cozine were named to the defense.

Olson, a two-year starter, helped CLU have the conference’s leading offense where they averaged more than seven yards per play. The Covina, Calif. native played a huge part in a line that allowed just six sacks in seven conference games.

Monroe made the most of his late-season opportunities on the defensive line. Despite not starting until the eighth game of the season, Monroe finished with 32 total tackles. In his last three games, Monroe had 26 total tackles, five and a half tackles for loss and three sacks. The sophomore from Hayward, Calif. had an incredible 15 tackles against La Verne (Nov. 3).

Cozine earned Second Team honors for the second time in three years. The senior from Culver City, Calif. ended the year as the team’s fourth leading tackler with 58 total tackles, including 41 solo stops. The nickel back had three and a half tackles for loss and led the team with six pass break ups.

The Defensive Player of the Year went to Jordan Garcia from Redlands while the John Zinda Award was given to Joshua (Yoshi) Rothman from Pomona-Pitzer.

Cal Lutheran finished the year 8-2 for the fourth consecutive year while also earning their fourth straight SCIAC championship and playoff-berth.

Release: 2012All-SCIAC Team
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

While the sun did break through mid-way through the fourth quarter, it was a cloudy, rainy morning as the teams took the field and was anything but ideal conditions.

Penalties and turnovers were the thorn in the side of the Kingsmen, but plagued both squads. The teams combined for eight fumbles, two interceptions and a dozen penalties. All three of the NCC fumbles that CLU forced were recovered by the Violet and Gold, though. Cal Lutheran coughed up the ball five times, losing possession on three occasions.

The Kingsmen were unable to stop the run, allowing 302 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns of 79 and 11 yards in the opening quarter. Cal Lutheran, however, did have a slight edge in their air attack, gaining 257 yards to North Central’s 225.

North Central stormed out to a 24-0 first quarter lead and the cut was too deep for the Kingsmen to recover. CLU got on the board in the second on a three-yard rush from Ryan Zirbel and held the Cardinals to a field goal, their second of the game, to win the period. The score was set up by way of an interception from Broc Galbreth. A 13-yard pass was the North Central way of scoring in the third before they added a 34-yard TD throw and catch in the fourth.

In the fourth quarter, Cal Lutheran made a change under center with senior Kevin Ramay returning to take the snaps. He found wide receiver Eric Rogers, who was double and triple teamed much of the game, for a pair of TD receptions, of 22 and three yards, respectively, on the final two possessions of the game for CLU. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. Rogers’ first score was set up on a Rian Younker fumble recovery that he returned for 39 yards.

Chris Cabrera and Anthony Monroe each recovered a fumble as well. Bryan Chirinos recorded the only CLU sack of the game, pushing NCC back five yards. Dontaie Ferguson led all players with 11 stops, including six of the solo variety.

Ramay finished his career with an 8-for-13 day for 89 yards. Rogers concluded his phenomenal collegiate career with a nine-catch day for 111 yards and two TDs. Freshman tailback Romello Goodman was limited to just 70 yards on 16 touches, though he almost cut the NCC deficit in half early in the game after breaking three tackles and nearly managing his way through a fourth obstacle that would have left him alone in the open field for a touchdown run. He also had a chance in the second, coming up just short, landing at the one-yard line before a turnover again haunted the home team.

Cal Lutheran finishes the season 8-2 overall after running the table at 7-0 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) to earn a fourth consecutive league title.

The Kingsmen graduate a class of 21.  

Box Score: NCC 41, CLU 21
Playoff Central: Website
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

Hosting an NCAA Division III playoff game for the first time in program history, the Cal Lutheran football team didn't give the home fans much to cheer about.

The eighth-ranked Kingsmen fell behind big early and never recovered, losing to No. 14 North Central (Ill.) 41-21 in the first round Saturday afternoon in front of a William Rolland Stadium crowd of 2,214.

It marks the fourth straight first-round playoff exit for CLU (8-2). The first three came on the road against Linfield (Ore.).

"We didn't pick a very good Saturday to have our worst execution game of the season," CLU head coach Ben McEnroe said. "All the credit goes to North Central. Their kids played hard and they were physical. But I feel like we left a lot of opportunities out there in the first half with turnovers, and we didn't get stops and didn't make tackles when we needed to.

"That is what playoff football is all about, either you make the plays or you go home. They made the plays and they are advancing."

It didn't take very long for CLU's postseason outlook to turn as dreary as the rainy weather Saturday.

North Central (9-2) scored its first touchdown after only 42 seconds had elapsed on a 79-yard run by Nick Kukuc and never looked back.

The Cardinals led 24-0 after one quarter, 27-7 at halftime and 41-7 in the fourth quarter. CLU tacked on two late touchdowns to make the score more respectable, but the damage was already done.

CLU's defense allowed North Central to accumulate 528 yards of total offense — 292 on the ground and 236 through the air.

Kukuc was the latest running back to compile career numbers against CLU. The senior finished with a career-high 250 yards on 20 carries for a whopping 12.5 yards-per-carry average.

"The things we saw in the first half were a lot of the same problems that were compounded over the last two weeks against Chapman and La Verne," McEnroe said. "It boils down to making plays when you have the opportunity to make plays and making tackles when you have a chance to make a tackle and have a guy wrapped up."

Any hope of a CLU comeback was doused by turnovers. Trailing 14-0 in the first quarter, the Kingsmen fumbled twice and North Central converted the miscues into 10 points.

But perhaps the most symbolic turnover for CLU came in the second quarter after having first-and-goal at the 1-yard line. Smothered on the first three attempts, CLU's drive ended when running back Romello Goodman fumbled at the 1 and North Central recovered.

The Cardinals drove 66 yards for a 49-yard field goal by Nick Dace to end the half. The teams combined for eight total fumbles in the wet conditions, with each team losing three.

"We put ourselves in the position to win the football game and turned around on offense and shot ourselves in the foot," McEnroe said. "The football stats might say one thing, but I think the game was closer than the score indicated."

The fourth quarter at least allowed two of CLU's senior stalwarts to end their careers with a few more highlights.

Eric Rogers caught two touchdown passes and defensive tackle Rian Younker scooped up a fumble and ran 47 yards to set up Rogers' second touchdown.

Rogers caught nine passes for 111 yards to cap his decorated career. The All-American leaves CLU with every major career receiving record and the program's scoring record.

"It was fun making history here and I thank the coaches for giving me the opportunity as a freshman playing and having confidence in me to grow every year," Rogers said. "Playing with the four-year seniors was amazing. I am a little disappointed about not getting past the first round, but you have to hold your head up high and tell the young guys to go get it for us."

Goodman rushed 16 times for 70 yards to finish his freshman season with 1,161 yards, which ranks third all-time at CLU for a single season.

CLU starter Zach Shultis completed 18 of 26 for 171 yards and one interception. Fellow senior Kevin Ramay relieved Shultis in the fourth quarter, and threw for 89 yards and the two touchdowns to Rogers.

CLU's four-year seniors captured four straight Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles while never losing a single SCIAC game.

But the milestone playoff victory they coveted remained elusive.

"It was the best four years of my life," Younker said. "I left everything I had on the field. I have to thank the coaches for giving me the opportunity to play, for recruiting me and for trusting me. I wish things went different today, but I have no regrets. That's all I can ask for."

North Central            24        3          7          7          41

Cal Lutheran             0          7          0          14        21

FIRST QUARTER
NC — Kukuc 79 run (Dace kick), 14:18.
NC — Stanek 11 run (Dace kick), 7:07.
NC — FG Dace 38, 4:55.
NC — Stolzenburg 54 pass from Stanek (Dace kick), 0:18

SECOND QUARTER
CLU — Zirbel 3 run (Shultis kick), 4:34.
NC — FG Dace 49, 0:00.

THIRD QUARTER
NC — Stolzenburg 13 pass from Stanek (Dace kick), 9:11.

FOURTH QUARTER
NC — O'Kane 34 pass from Stanek (Dace kick), 11:36.
CLU — Rogers 22 pass from Ramay (Shultis kick), 6:06.
CLU — Rogers 3 pass from Ramay (Shultis kick), 3:32.

Boxscore: NCC 41, CLU 21

The Cal Lutheran seniors figured it was only a matter of time before they became the first to record a playoff victory.

But after coming up empty during three straight trips on the road, they are down to their last chance.

Eighth-ranked CLU hosts No. 14 North Central (Ill.) in the first round Saturday at noon at William Rolland Stadium.

It's the first time CLU has ever hosted an NCAA playoff football game, and CLU's seniors want to take full advantage of the opportunity by adding to their legacy.

"Our class is all about making history and doing things the program hasn't done before," CLU senior defensive tackle Rian Younker said. "It's going to be an electric atmosphere, and we want to go out there and try to take it to them and keep setting records."

North Central (8-2) is the only team in the Division III draw that has to board a plane for a first-round game.

But the Cardinals aren't strangers to travel. They made a trip to Southern California last year to play Redlands.

North Central lost to Redlands 35-29, but gained revenge this season with a 42-16 victory at home.

CLU (8-1) beat Redlands 45-35 in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game a few weeks after North Central's victory.

The Kingsmen got a glimpse of North Central while preparing for Redlands, and has dissected even more game tape this week.

"It's easy to see why they are a top 10 team every year. They are a big, strong physical football team," CLU head coach Ben McEnroe said. "They run the football well and play great run defense. When you are able to do those two things on a consistent basis, it lands you in the top 25 year in and year out."

North Central is averaging 208.6 yards per game on the ground, led by senior running back Nick Kukuc (100.9 yards per game).

CLU's run defense should receive a boost with the return of Younker and junior linebacker Chris Cabrera from injuries.

"Not a lot of teams can survive the running backs we've seen the last couple of weeks without an All-American defensive tackle and their leading tackler at linebacker," McEnroe said. "I feel like we've weathered the storm, and having them back gives us a little bit more confidence in the ability to stop the run like we were earlier in the year."

After making three straight trips to Oregon to play Linfield in the first round, the Kingsmen are glad to finally be staying home.

"It's nice to be able to know you are sleeping in your own bed every night and not having to worry about getting on a bus and catching a plane," McEnroe said. "Even though the NCAA does a great job with travel arrangements, it's still a change in your routine."

As the buzz on campus steadily increased for the historic game, CLU's seniors tried to keep their focus on the task at hand.

"Those guys are fighting for their football lives," McEnroe said. "It would take something pretty significant to keep any of them out of this game."

No. 14 North Central (Ill.) (8-2) at No. 8 Cal Lutheran (8-1)

WHEN/WHERE: Saturday, noon, William Rolland Stadium

INTERNET: http://www.clusports.com/video/schedule/

SERIES HISTORY: First meeting.

GAME FACTS: North Central is making the seventh NCAA playoff appearance in program history. The Cardinals are 6-6 all-time, including 2-3 on the road. CLU is making its fourth straight playoff appearance, and is 0-3 all-time with all three losses on the road. North Central averages 208.6 ypg rushing while holding teams to 98.3 ypg on the ground. RB Nick Kukuc has rushed for 1,009 yards and QB Spencer Stanek has thrown for 2,123 yards with 17 TDs and 5 INTs. The Cardinals boast two 6-foot-6 offensive linemen. CLU Sr. WR Eric Rogers has 82 catches for 1,187 yards and 16 TDs. Sr. QB Zach Shultis has completed 130 of 187 passes for 1,698 yards with 24 TDs and only 2 INTs. Fr. RB Romello Goodman has rushed for 1,091 yards. The Kingsmen will have DT Rian Younker and LB Chris Cabrera back from injury. This is the first NCAA playoff home game in CLU history.

For the first time in school history, the Cal Lutheran football team will be hosting an NCAA playoff game.

The eighth-ranked Kingsmen (8-1) face No. 14 North Central (Ill.) in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday at noon at William Rolland Stadium.

"I am happy for our kids and our fans and our families to get to be really involved with this first playoff game," CLU head coach Ben McEnroe said after the pairings were released on Sunday. "This is great for the entire CLU community. A lot of times you are on the road in the first round and not everybody can make the trip, so that part of it is great."

CLU has traveled to Oregon to play Linfield the past three seasons, and returned home each time with a loss.

The Kingsmen still could face Linfield, but it would not happen until the second round if both teams win.

"It's just nice to see somebody different," McEnroe said. "It's not that we don't want to play Linfield, it's just we have seen them so many times in the last three to four years and I am sure they feel the same way. We know the road out of this region is going through McMinnville as it should with the season Linfield's had."

The CLU players gathered in Richter Hall on campus to watch the selection show on Sunday. They didn't have to wait long to learn their fate.

Linfield was the first team to pop up on the screen. Once Pacific Lutheran appeared as the opponent, the Kingsmen began clapping.

CLU's name flashed next, and the players began cheering wildly when they realized they were staying at home.

"It's exciting and a very, very great feeling," CLU senior offensive lineman Jordan Austin said. "This whole time I figured we would be playing Linfield again and was preparing for another shot at them up there. But knowing we have a home game against a whole new team is pretty cool."

CLU secured its fourth straight NCAA playoff appearance after beating Chapman last Saturday to clinch its fourth straight outright Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.

North Central (8-2) earned the automatic bid from the College Conference of Illinois Wisconsin after finishing in a three-way tie for first place.

CLU will be the second SCIAC team North Central has faced this season. The Cardinals defeated Redlands 42-16 on Sept. 8.

"This feels great for about 30 seconds and then you realize it's time to go back to work," McEnroe said. "We have to begin preparing for a really good football team."

Ticket Information: Tickets are available online, at the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center in the Main Athletics Offices on the second floor beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at noon through Friday, Nov. 16 during business hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or 90 minutes prior to kickoff outside of Rolland Stadium.

Tickets purchased on site Saturday will be CASH ONLY. Cash or credit cards will be accepted for presale tickets. Prices can be found here.

Series History: Saturday’s meeting will be the first time the teams will meet. Cal Lutheran and North Central did have one common opponent this season, Redlands.

North Central came out to Southern California earlier this season and returned home with a decisive 42-16 win over the then No. 14 ranked Bulldogs.

Cal Lutheran faced Redlands a few weeks later and a year after staging a dramatic 24-point comeback, CLU raced out to a 28-7 lead midway through the second quarter and held on for a 45-35 win.

Playoff History: The Kingsmen will be making their fourth-straight NCAA Division III Playoff appearance. Cal Lutheran was defeated in the first round each of the past three seasons by west region foe Linfield (Ore.).

North Central will be making their seventh overall appearance in the post season, holding a 6-6 record. The Cardinals advanced to the second round of the playoffs last season, defeating the University of Dubuque, 59-13, in the first round before falling 29-28 at Wabash in the second.

About Cal Lutheran: The Kingsmen are ranked No. 8 by D3football.com after last week’s 38-28 victory over Chapman. With the win CLU clinched its fourth-straight SCIAC championship and the 2012 senior became the first class in school history to never lose a conference game in their careers.

The road to four-straight wasn’t an easy one however. CLU trailed Chapman 14-7 at halftime, the first time all season the Kingsmen were behind going into the half.

The Kingsmen, however, wasted little time before tying things back up as wide receiver Eric Rogers hauled in a 32-yard touchdown catch three minutes into the second half.

Chapman would respond with a touchdown drive of their own, making the score 21-14 but it would be all CLU the rest of the way.

Wide receiver Donald Senegal would have touchdown receptions on back-to-back drives as the Kingsmen regained the lead 28-21 a minute into fourth quarter.

Kicker David Sandler would tack on a 30-yard field goal a few minutes later and freshman running back Romello Goodman iced the victory with a 34-yard touchdown run with a little more than two minutes left in the game.

The Kingsmen continue to be led by Rogers, the third-leading receiver in Division III. The senior wide-out now has 82 receptions for 1,187 yards and 16 touchdowns this season. He now owns the single-season record in all three categories, also surpassing the former season scoring total to etch his name in the record books for a fourth time. Displaying his versatility, Rogers has also run for three touchdowns and thrown for a score as well.

Quarterback Zach Shultis is second in the nation in passing efficiency. The senior from Thousand Oaks, Calif. has thrown for 1,698 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing nearly 70 percent of his passes. His quarterback rating of 186.01 is right behind Division III leader Kevin Burke of Mount Union, who has a rating of 193.4.

Shultis also doubles as the team’s place-kicker, converting all 45 PAT’s he has attempted this season.

The offensive line consisting of tackles Jordan Austin and Andrew Pankow, guards Ty Olson and Andrew Gessler and center Seth Zimmerman has paved the way for CLU all season. The Kingsmen are averaging over 526 yards of total offense per game, which ranks them fifth in Division III.

Running behind the Kingsmen offensive line has been freshman Romello Goodman. The running back from Corona, Calif. has rushed for 1,055 yards and eight touchdowns. Goodman is also second on the team with 15 explosive plays, described as a play of 20 yards of more, this season.

Goodman and Senegal are tied for second on the team in receptions, both with 27. Senegal has 261 yards receiving and seven touchdown catches.

Defensively, Cal Lutheran has been led by safety Derrick Romo. In his first year with Kingsmen, Romo is the leading tackler, finishing the regular season with 73 total stops, including 44 solo.

Fellow safety Broc Galbreth is second on the team in tackles, recording 70 total with 42 coming unassisted. Galbreth also leads the team in interceptions with four.

Defensive lineman Anthony Monroe has come on strong in the latter stages of the season. The sophomore piled up 15 tackles against La Verne two weeks ago and then had 10 last week against Chapman, including two sacks for a loss of 37 combined yards.  

Cornerbacks Caius Radu and Vince Minor have each picked off passes this season, with Minor returning his 36 yards for a touchdown.

Minor has also been a threat on special teams returning one punt for a touchdown while averaging over 18 yards per return, which ranks fourth in Division III.

About North Central: The Cardinals enter Saturday’s playoff game 8-2 overall. Last Saturday saw The Cardinals defeat Augustana 37-6 and clinch a share of their seventh consecutive College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) championship. Cornerback Josh Mitchell guided the Cardinals to the win, returning six punts for 224 yards, including an 80-yard return for a touchdown in the first quarter.

The Cardinals are led by a duo of running backs, Nick Kukuc and Jordan Tassio. Kukuc has rushed for 1,009 yards on the season, averaging nearly eight yards a carry en route to scoring 14 touchdowns, while Tassio has rushed for 455 yards with 14 rushing touchdowns as well.

Quarterback Spencer Stanek was efficient in the regular season, throwing for 2,123 yards, connecting for 17 touchdowns with just five interceptions.

Stanek has been diverse in his distribution of the ball as North Central has four receivers with over 20 catches. Peter Sorenson and Jeff Stolzenburg lead the receiving corps with five touchdown catches apiece and Chad O’Kane is the team leader with 443 yards.

The North Central offensive line is one of the biggest in Division III, averaging 6-4, 275 lbs. across the line. The Cardinals start two solid tackles in Jace Werkheiser (6-6, 298 lbs.) and Greg Whalen (6-6, 285 lbs.).

Field goal kicker, Nick Dace, has a strong leg, connecting on two field goals over 50 yards this season.

Statistically, the Cardinals boast the twelfth best defense in Division III, holding their opponents to 259 yards of total offense per game. The North Central defense has been opportunistic, intercepting 18 passes and average over eight tackles for loss per game.

Linebacker Joey Michals is the Cardinals top tackler, tallying 66 during the regular season. The senior from Frankfort Ill. also has two interceptions including a 39-yard return for a touchdown against Illinois Wesleyan.

Strong safety Shane Dierking is the second leading tackler with 55 total, 36 coming unassisted. The junior strong safety leads the team in interceptions with four.

A trio of defensive linemen have at least five sacks each as freshman Josh Beveridge leads with five and half sacks while Josh Focosi and Alex Tripp each have five.

About the Coaches:
Cal Lutheran head coach Ben McEnroe is in his sixth year at the helm of the Kingsmen football program, where he has compiled a 44-11 overall record. A former All-SCIAC center for the Kingsmen, McEnroe joined his alma-mater in 1993 as the offensive line coach. In 1998, he joined Division II Humboldt State, and in 2003, was named the head coach of Chaminade High School. After leading Chaminade to four straight CIF playoff appearances, McEnroe was named head coach at Cal Lutheran in 2006.

Since then, McEnroe has led Cal Lutheran to five conference titles in six seasons, including consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) championships in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The Kingsmen have now won 27 straight league games. Coach McEnroe and his coaching staff recruited both 2011 SCIAC Players of the Year, Jake Laudenslayer (Offense) and Justin Haulcy-Bateman (Defense).

North Central head coach John Thorne is in his eleventh year at the helm of the Cardinals football program. With a career record of 96-26, Thorn is the school’s all-time leader in wins. In his time at NCC, Thorn has led the Cardinals to seven straight CCIW titles.

2008 was a banner year for Thorn and the Cardinals as NCC went 11-1 and garnered a No. 2 from D3football.com ranking for much of the season.

Prior to coaching the Cardinals, Thorn was the head coach of Wheaton Warrenville South High School for 22 seasons. Under Thorn’s tutelage, WWSHS captured four state championships and two runner-up finishes.

Coach McEnroe on North Central: Saturday will mark the first time a SCIAC member has hosted a NCAA Playoff game in eight years. When asked what it meant to host a post season game, Coach McEnroe said, “This game is an hour, anytime the NCAA selects an institution to host a playoff game to our University, administration, facilities and student-athletes. We are honored.”

Despite being excited to host the playoff game, McEnroe is quick to point out the Cardinals would be a tough test for any Division III team, “North Central is a very sound, solid football ball team.” He continued, “NCC has a big, strong offensive line, their backs are talented and a solid defensive line too, they’re just a very good football team.”

With two running backs that have a combined 28 touchdowns this season, CLU’s sixth year coach talked about defensive assignments being key in stopping the Cardinal offense, “Their QB is very capable of running and their tailbacks can hit a home run anywhere on the field. We have to be assignment-sound, guys have to run to the football and get blocks to survive it.”

“We’ve seen option teams in the past and teams that run various option schemes but every game is different.”

When they Kingsmen have the ball, McEnroe believes whoever controls the line of scrimmage will determine the winner, “Their defensive front will run a lot of games and stunts or zone drop with them, a lot of things you can do with good players.”

But the former offensive line coach doesn’t believe a new game plan is in order, “We’re not going to change our approach; we’ll challenger them with our offensive line and power run game, and we’ll challenge them to defend the entire field, both vertically and laterally.”

Guiding the offense will be Shultis, who responded after throwing his first interception in five games by going 13-16 for 170 yards in the second half alone in CLU’s come-from-behind win over Chapman last week. “I think he came out at the start trying to put the game on his shoulders and was pressing, “ McEnroe said.

“But it’s a credit to him and Coach Richardson that he never got flustered and started to let the game come to him. It was a great performance but also a valuable learning opportunity that he doesn’t have to carry the team, just give his teammates the opportunity to make plays.”

Coach McEnroe’s keys to victory:

1. Play the play in front of us.
2. Slow their running game.
3. Win with our offensive line.

Game Day Information:
Live Video
Live Stats
Ticket Information
Playoff Central Website

Monroe was instrumental in the 38-28 victory over the Panthers just as he was against La Verne on Nov. 3. In two games he has 25 total tackles with three sacks.

The sophomore continued to embrace his starting role this week with 10 total tackles, four solo stops, with 3.5 for a loss. Monroe was credited with a pair of huge sacks for a loss of 37 combined yards. He was a nuisance all game as the CLU claimed its fourth consecutive SCIAC title, stretching their conference undefeated streak to 27.

CLU will host No. 14 North Central (Ill.) in the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs on Saturday, Nov. 17, marking the fourth straight year the Kingsmen have played in the post season, though this is the first home game in the history of Cal Lutheran football.

D3Football.com Team of the Week: Full Release

But in Thousand Oaks, Sean Bellotti can fly a bit more under the radar.

The Cal Lutheran freshman kicker is the son of former Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti.

"It's pretty interesting because everyone in high school pretty much knew, but it takes people a little longer here to make the connection," he said. "I think they kind of have a suspicion, but until they ask or it gets brought up, they never knew for sure."

Mike Bellotti coached the Ducks from 1995 to 2008, so Sean grew up around the program.

"It was so much fun," Bellotti said. "I would spend a lot of time there, especially when I was younger. I became friends with the coaching staff and we had dinner there every Sunday night."

Bellotti played wide receiver, cornerback and kicker at Sheldon High in Eugene.

Once he decided to play football in college, Bellotti began researching the top Division III programs on the West Coast.

He read about Cal Lutheran and sent the coaching staff his film. After making a visit, Bellotti knew it was the right fit.

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound Bellotti has been handling kickoffs for CLU this season. He is one of three kickers CLU uses on special teams.

"It has been an adjustment from high school in playing receiver, corner and kicking to now just kicking. But I really enjoy being a part of the kickoff team and trying to help the defense out as much as I can," Bellotti said. "Kicking off was my best aspect of kicking in high school."

CLU special teams coordinator Geno Sullivan has been impressed with Bellotti's performance in his rookie season.

"As a kickoff guy, Sean is probably the best kicker we've had here and we've had some good ones," Sullivan said. "He's been around football his whole life and he knows how important field position is to a team. He has taken that to heart and done a great job."

Sullivan witnessed just how deep the football knowledge runs in the Bellotti family during his recruiting trip.

"I took his mom on the roof to show them the stadium and she looked at me and said, 'Which way does the wind blow?' " Sullivan said. "That is not a normal mom question. I don't get asked that by a kicker, yet alone their moms."

Bellotti's parents have been able to attend every CLU game this season.

"It has been so awesome to see them and have their support," Bellotti said. "My dad was really supportive of my decision to attend CLU. He just tried to help me out any way he could, but he didn't really have any involvement in my recruiting process. He was just there more as a father figure."

Bellotti will be a part of CLU history on Saturday when the Kingsmen host an NCAA Division III playoff game for the first time.

No. 7 CLU plays No. 14 North Central (Ill.) in the first round at noon.

If the Kingsmen win, they could be making a trip to Bellotti's home state to play Linfield in the second round.

"This football season has been such a great experience," Bellotti said. "I didn't really expect the team to be this close, but it's become like a family. It has been really cool to be a part of it."

No. 8 Cal Lutheran (8-1) will face No. 14 North Central (Ill.) (8-2) on Nov. 17 in Rolland Stadium at 12:00 p.m. (PST). The Cardinals earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after being crowned tri-champions of the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) this weekend.

Event Information is available here.
Ticket Information is available here.

NCAA Bracket: Bracket