Oct. 4, 2008
(San Diego, CA) - The USD Toreros (3-0 pfl; 5-0) stayed perfect on the season, and improved their nation-best home winning streak to 27 straight, with today's 42-14 homecoming victory over the Valparaiso Crusaders (0-1 pfl; 1-3) before 4,162 fans at Torero Stadium. Junior quarterback Sebastian Trujillo completed 20-of-25 passes for 295 yards and 3 scores in leading the Toreros to 578 yards of total offense. Senior receiver John Matthews caught 7 balls for 144 yards and 2 scores, and freshman running back Matt Jelmini chipped in with 130 yards rushing on 7 attempts. With the score tied at 14-all at halftime, the Torero defense pitched a shutout over the final two periods.
"Valpo did a nice job setting the tempo and moving the chains early on," said USD head coach Ron Caragher. "They ate up a lot of clock and did a nice job on converting their third downs. Offensively we responded, but in game like that when a team is playing you nose-to-nose, you can't afford to turn balls over and you can't afford to get stopped on downs, and we did just that. And I think that is why the first half was so tight. In the second half, our guys came out and fought. We challenged them at halftime to play USD football, and they responded. I think our coaches did a good job with adjustments at half time. We knew they were a running football team, and so we made some key changes at the end of the first half and going into the second half made some more good adjustments."
The Toreros found themselves down 7-0 with 8:28 left in the first period on a Jake Riedel 3-yard run that culminated a 12 play, 70-yard drive. USD evened up the scoring just over two minutes later when Trujillo connected with Ben Hannula for a 29-yard score. USD's next score came after a backfield pitch to Hannula who fired a 37-yard strike to Godfrey Smith with 1:16 left in the first half. However, Valpo was able to knot the score just before halftime as QB Warren Arnold scored from 1-yard out on the final play of the half.
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USD made some great adjustments in the second half and outscored the Crusaders 28-0. Senior John Matthews caught touchdown passes of 46 and 35 yards to increase his season total to 10 TD receptions, and Matt Jelmini (2 yards) and Vincent Atofau (1 yard) added rushing scores. Atofau's score culminated a 4-play, 95-yard drive that was set up by three prior runs by Jelmini of 87, 4 and 3 yards.
Defensively the Toreros received solid games from LB Derek Marten (8 tackles; 2 tackles for loss), safety Daniel Cornsweet (6 tackles), corner back Al-Rilwan Adeyemi (5 tackles, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup), safety Ryan Echer (5 tackles), and linebackers Kevin Dunn and Kyle Negrete each with 4 stops.
Torero running back Phil Morelli rushed 15 times for 72 yards before being replaced by Jelmini late in the game. Ben Hannula finished with 4 receptions for 46 yards and a score, and Godfrey Smith hauled in 3 passes for 56 yards and a score.
USD returns home next Saturday, October 11th, to take on Morehead State in a 6 pm contest.
