Mistakes Spoil Cal Lutheran’s Opener at Menlo

Turnovers proved costly for Cal Lutheran in a 32-21 season-opening nonconference loss to host Menlo College on Saturday.

The Kingsmen, behind starting quarterback Zack Hernandez, took a 14-0 halftime lead, but committed three turnovers in a four-minute span of the third quarter, each leading to Menlo scores and a 20-14 lead for the Oaks. Cal Lutheran had five turnovers.

Derek Brown, the third Cal Lutheran quarterback, engineered a five-play, 71-yard drive capped by a seven-yard Billy Busch touchdown run to give the Kingsmen a 21-20 lead with 3:32 to play in the third quarter.

Menlo answered with a 66-yard scoring drive to close the third quarter with a 26-21 advantage, then put away the game on Tui Ala’s two-yard touchdown run with 4:40 to play.

Hernandez, who played the first half, completed 10 of 15 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. He led the Kingsmen in rushing with 66 yards and opened the scoring on a 22-yard run 45 seconds into the second quarter.

Eric Jensen started the second half at quarterback for the Kingsmen and completed a pass to Jermaine Dixon, who fumbled after a 10-yard gain. Jensen’s only other pass was intercepted and returned 22 yards for a touchdown.

Brown, who took over with 5:00 to play in the third quarter, completed seven of 15 passes for 122 yards.

Cal Lutheran plays its home opener against Pacific Lutheran on Saturday at 1 p.m.