| CASTILLO, CAVNESS FUEL 26-14 WIN OVER LEWIS & CLARK Oct 31, 2009 Menlo vs. Lewis & Clark - Game Stats Menlo Season Stats ATHERTON, Calif. – It had been a long time since Menlo College had won three consecutive football games, so it only makes sense that a pair of fresh faces would lead the Oaks to unfamiliar heights. Behind the pass-and-catch combo of freshmen Cruz Castillo and Kenny Cavness, Menlo took control of a sloppy game on the first series of the second half en route to a 26-14 Northwest Conference win over Lewis & Clark on Saturday afternoon at Connor Field. The victory gave the Oaks their first three-game winning streak since 2003 and clinched their first .500 or better finish in NWC play in just its fourth season in the conference. After improving to 4-4 overall and 3-1 in conference, Menlo now holds its best record entering November since it was 5-2 entering the final month of the season in 2003. Had it not been for Castillo and Cavness, things might not have turned out so rosy for the Oaks on Saturday. In the end there was too much firepower from Menlo's offense as Castillo came off the bench to complete 16-of-23 passes for 264 yards and four touchdowns, while Cavness had five receptions for 127 yards and two scores. Facing a Lewis & Clark team that picked up its first win of the season a week ago, the Oaks were expected to cruise. Despite a mistake-prone start by both teams it was Menlo who struck first late in the first half. On Castillo's first drive of the game, the youngster went straight to work, scrambling out of trouble to throw a 28-yard strike to Cavness. A roughing the passer penalty was tacked on at the end of the play and just like that the Oaks had moved from their own 17 yard line to the Pioneers 40. Following an incomplete pass and a two-yard run by running back Payton Bell, Castillo stepped up in the pocket and found Cavness in the endzone for a 38-yard touchdown pass that finally lit up the scoreboard with two minutes, 56 seconds left in the first half. Menlo led 6-0 after its point after attempt was blocked. Lewis & Clark had shown little ability to avoid drive-killing mistakes to that point, but ended the half on a high note that left the home team stunned. Pioneers quarterback Tucker Laurence completed a pair of passes and ran for six yards into Menlo territory when a personal foul penalty against the Oaks put Lewis & Clark within sniffing distance of paydirt. Menlo's defense stiffened until, on a fourth-and-four play, Laurence threw a quick strike to Andrew Frisina, who slipped by his defender and ran 27 yards into the endzone. Lewis & Clark led 7-6 at the half. Fortunately for Menlo, the surprising halftime deficit didn't create a crisis of confidence within the Oaks. It took just six plays in the third quarter for Menlo to take the lead for good. Bell ran for four yards before Cavness made a sideline-straddling grab of a Castillo pass for 35 yards. Bell made a two-yard reception then ran for gains of three and eight yards, respectively, for another Oaks first down. On the next play Castillo used his feet to set up his arm once again, scrambling right before throwing a perfect strike to wide receiver Erik Rasmussen along the back of the endzone from 23 yards away. Menlo missed the extra point kick again, but led 12-7 less than three minutes into the second half. The teams traded possessions in which they made forays into enemy territory after that. First it was the Pioneers stalling at the Oaks 34 yard line when Sean Gray broke up a fourth-down pass; then Menlo was stuffed on a fourth-and-one hand off to Bell at the Lewis & Clark 10. The Pioneers went nowhere in their final possession of the quarter, giving Menlo a chance to take control. On the final play of the quarter, Castillo connected with freshman running back Kyle Campas for a 12-yard pick-up. Following a Castillo run that went nowhere, the quarterback found Cavness in the back of the endzone with a 19-yard touchdown pass. Cavness hauled in the ensuing two-point conversion attempt from Castillo and the Oaks led 20-7 with less than one fourth-quarter minute gone. Laurence helped Lewis & Clark answer by leading the Pioneers on their best drive of the day. Thanks to a big 17-yard Laurence run on fourth-and-eight, Lewis & Clark went 63 yards in 11 plays to pull within 20-14 when the elusive Pioneers quarterback scored from one yard out with nine minutes, 34 seconds to play. If Lewis & Clark had a chance at that point it shrunk with each Oaks first down. Shaun Souza started the ensuing Menlo drive with a six-yard run before Castillo and Campas connected again, this time for 16 yards. Three plays later, Castillo ran 12 yards on third-and-eight and Souza was interfered with while trying to haul in a Castillo floater on another third down play to set the Oaks up at the Pioneers three. On first-and-goal, Castillo rolled right on a play-action fake and hit wide open running back Andrew Stevens for the touchdown. Menlo led 26-14 with a shade over six minutes remaining. Menlo's defense gave Laurence little room from that point on. Freshman linebacker Marcus Alvin intercepted a pass on the ensuing Pioneers possession and sophomore safety Beau Bussani intercepted passes to kill Lewis & Clark's final two drives, as well as the game. In addition to the Castillo-Cavness connection that fueled Menlo's offense, Bell enjoyed a solid day of work on the ground for the Oaks, finishing with 71 yards on 16 carries. Campas caught three passes for 49 yards, Erik Rasmussen hauled in a pair for 40 yards, and James Bassett had 30 yards on two receptions before leaving with an injury early in the game. Bussani led the defense with 13 tackles - nine of them solo - and two interceptions. Linebacker Dylan Miller had six tackles, one for a loss, and forced a fumble while defensive lineman Tony Ramirez had 2 ½ sacks and as many tackles for a loss. Laurence completed 18-of-29 passes for 168 yards and a score while adding 74 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Menlo (3-1, 4-4) will look for its fourth consecutive victory next week when it plays at Pacific Lutheran (2-2, 2-5) on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Lutes lost to Whitworth 24-21 in double overtime on Saturday. The Oaks currently sit in a tie for second place in the NWC with No. 22 Willamette (3-1, 6-2). |
