The CLU football team dropped its NCAA Division III first-round playoff game at Linfield, 38-17, Saturday afternoon.

On his blog, Star columnist David Lassen gave this summary at the final whistle:

"Linfield's defense had four interceptions, sacked CLU quarterback Jericho Toilolo eight times and held CLU to 220 total yards, which was more than enough to protect the 31-3 lead Linfield built in the second quarter.

Linfield quarterback Aaron Boehme passed for 114 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 99 yards and another score to lead Linfield (10-0) into a second-round game with Mary Hardin-Baylor of Texas next week. The site will be announced today.

More to come later, and in Sunday's edition of The Star."

After trailing 31-3, CLU scored twice in the final six minutes -- on Brian Stuart runs of 3 and 15 yards, the last with 41 seconds left -- and trails 31-17 at halftime of the NCAA Divison III first-round playoff game at Linfield, Ore.

CLU scored first on a 22-yard Jackson Damron field goal, but Linfield took advantage of CLU turnovers in scoring 31 straight points.

Linfield's defensive has been extremely tough so far, allowing CLU just 79 total yards, including just 15 passing. Linfield has 242 total yards, and is led by quarterback Aaron Boehme (8 of 15 for 102 yards and two TDs, plus nine rushes for 82 yards and a score).

For CLU, Stuart has 15 carries for 52 yards.

Jackson Damron's 22-yard field goal gave the Cal Lutheran University football team an early 3-0 lead at Linfield in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

But Linfield bounced back to take a 14-3 lead after one quarter on running back Aaron Williams 1-yard run and quarterback Aaron Boehme's 22-yard pass to Henderson.

Boehme's 22-yard run on the first play of the second quarter pushed the Linfield lead to 21-3.

Cal Lutheran football coach Ben McEnroe, on his team's opening-round Division III playoff game at 9-0 Linfield College of McMinnville, Ore.:

"Linfield's a program with a lot of tradition and we're excited to have an opportunity to compete with those guys. They've played some common opponents, so we've seen them on film when they played Occidental. ... I think we're going to like what we see. Obviously, any time you can go through a schedule where you're 9-0, they're going to be solid and be all that we can handle.

"But I feel good. We're healthy and looking forward to the challenge."

The teams have three common opponents: Williamette, Occidental and Pacific Lutheran. CLU lost its opener at Willamette 20-13; Linfield won 30-27, also at Willamette. Both won at Occidental (24-14 for CLU, 31-27 for Linfield) and at home against Pacific Lutheran (49-7 for CLU and 62-44 for Linfield).

It will be the third time the teams have met, all in the postseason. The previous meetings were first-round NAIA playoff games, with CLU winning 29-28 at home in 1977, and Linfield winning 20-16 at home in 1982.

As expected, the Cal Lutheran University football team will play at Linfield of McMinnville, Ore. Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. Game time is noon.

The winner of that game plays the Mary Hardin-Baylor/Central (Iowa) winner.

In the other half of the bracket, Coe is at St. John's (Minn.) and St. Thomas (Minn) is at Monmouth.

The last team besides Mount Union to win the national championship, Linfield won the title in 2004. Mount Union has won the national title in 10 of the last 13 seasons. St. John's won the national title in 2003.

The 32-team tournament concludes with the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in Salem, Va., on Dec. 19.

The Cal Lutheran University football team defeats rival Redlands, 30-21, Saturday afternoon to clinch the SCIAC championship outright.

It's the first time CLU has gone unbeaten in SCIAC play.

The Kingsmen earn the conference's automatic NCAA Division III playoff berth. They will hear about their first-round opponent Sunday at noon.

Running its win streak to seven games, the Cal Lutheran football team clinched at least a share of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title with a 45-3 win at La Verne Saturday.

CLU (7-1, 5-0) can claim the title outright, and earn its first NCAA Division III playoff berth, with a win next Saturday against Redlands.

On a day when the Kingsmen were able to clear their bench, Antoine Adams ran for two touchdowns, Bobby Rodrigues and Derek Martinez had one each, and Jericho Toilolo -- the first of five CLU quarterbacks -- threw for a score. But the biggest play was Derek Wilson's 89-yard kickoff return, erasing a short-lived 3-0 La Verne lead.

(From David Lassen in La Verne)

The Leopards are now 0-8, 0-6.

The CLU football team is halfway to clinching no worse than a share of the SCIAC title, leading winless La Verne 24-3 at halftime.

La Verne drove for a field goal on its opening possession, but Derek Wilson returned the ensuing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown.

The Kingsmen have since added a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jericho Toilolo to Eric Rogers, a 35-yard Jackson Damron field goal, and a 2-yard run by Antoine Adams.

Community College football

Ventura 26, Pasadena City 20: VC shows hunger by Loren Ledin in Pasadena and Big second half not enough for Lancers by Keith Lair, Pasadena Star-News.
College of the Canyons 31, Moorpark 17: Moorpark can't keep the pace by Joe Curley in Moorpark.
Bakersfield 31, Hancock 24: Stand and Deliver by Jeff Evans, Bakersfield California and Bulldogs come up short after frantic finish by Kenny Cress, Santa Maria Times.

NCAA Division III

Cal Lutheran 48, Pomona-Pitzer 14: CLU executes plan of attack by David Lassen in Claremont.

Community College football

No. 14 Ventura 35, No. 18 Santa Barbara City 7: VC defense shines again by Joe Curley in Santa Barbara.
No. 4 Fullerton 70, Moorpark 17: Moorpark no match for Fullerton by Loren Ledin in Fullerton.

NCAA Division III

Cal Lutheran 49, Pacific Lutheran 7: CLU leaves little doubt by Rhiannon Potkey in Thousand Oaks.

NCAA Division III

Willemette 20, Cal Lutheran 13: CLU drops opener by staff reports

Community College football

Ventura 27, Antelope Valley 11: VC breaks in another new stadium in style by David Lassen in Lancaster and Ventura Defense Dominates Marauders by Dave Rogahn for JCFootball.com
West Los Angeles 27, Moorpark 12:

Elsewhere in Southern California:

Hancock 10, Reeley 3: Hancock football wins road debut by Santa Maria Times
Santa Barbara City 17, Canyons 14: COC suffers stunning loss by Santa Clarita Signal and SBCC stuns Canyons by http://www.sbcc.cc.ca.us
Bakersfield 55, Los Angeles Valley 7: 'Gades score early, often in rout by Bakersfield Californian

Community College men's basketball

Mike Rodgers feature: For Rodgers, Seeing is Believing by Joe Curley

NCAA Division III

Cal Lutheran notebook: Knudsen's hot streak has come at good time for Kingsmen by Rhiannon Potkey

Community College men's basketball

Ventura 68, Hancock 56: Ventura turns turmoil into title by Joe Curley in Ventura

Community College women's basketball

Ventura 113, Hancock 62: Ventura completes perfect regular season by Joe Curley in Ventura

NCAA Division III

Cal Lutheran 61, Pomona-Pitzer 52: Knudsen leads Cal Lutheran men to victory over Pomona-Pitzer by David Lassen in Claremont.

Community College men's basketball

Ventura 70, Cuesta 66: VC beats Cuesta to draw even in WSC North by Joe Curley in San Luis Obispo
Cuesta done in at the foul line by San Luis Obispo Tribune

Feature: Captain steers VC into contention by Joe Curley in Ventura

Community College baseball

Oxnard 7, Ventura 2: OC bounces back at Bash at the Beach by John Klima in Oxnard

NCAA Division III baseball

Season preview: CLU looks to pitch and run by David Lassen in Thousand Oaks

Community College water polo

WSC Championships: VC men, women capture WSC titles by Joe Curley

Community College football

Moorpark 51, Glendale 44 (2OT): Moorpark needs double overtime to break skid by Loren Ledin in Moorpark

Hancock 30, Ventura 12: Hancock defeats VC by Joe Curley and AHC's Playoff Run by Kenny Cress, Santa Maria Times.

NCAA Division III football

Cal Lutheran 37, La Verne 3: CLU bounces back by Rhiannon Potkey in Thousand Oaks.

NCAA Division I football

USC 17, Cal 3: USC defense continues to dominate by Joe Curley in Los Angeles

Oregon State 34, UCLA 6: Bruins lacking in mainpower by Mark Saxon, Orange County Register, in Pasadena.

Community College men's basketball

Bakersfield 102, Ventura 95: VC falls in tourney semifinals by Jeffrey Dransfeldt in Ventura.

Locals in college notebook

Pedersen making strides on deep NAU team by Rhiannon Potkey

NCAA Division III
Occidental 24, Cal Lutheran 21: Down and out by David Lassen in Thousand Oaks

Community college
Ventura 31, Bakersfield 17: Ventura halts Bakersfield drought by Joe Curley in Ventura
Pasadena City 24, Moorpark 7: Moorpark suffers its fourth straight loss by Loren Ledin in Moorpark

NCAA Division I
USC 56, Washington 0: USC performs favorite role by John Nadal, Associated Press in Los Angeles

College feature
Julie Rubenstein: All of the Above by Rhiannon Potkey

College notebook
Leah Elliot: Elliots versatility a plus for Northridge by Rhiannon Potkey

Here is today's college coverage:

NCAA Division III

Cal Lutheran 23, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 14: CLU earns a victory, but it's one sided by David Lassen in Claremont

Community College

Bakersfield 30, Moorpark 0: Moorpark makes too many mistakes by Loren Ledin in Moorpark
Ventura Hall of Fame induction ceremony: VC honors its stars from the past by Joe Curley in Ventura

NCAA Division I

UCLA 23, Stanford 20: Craft makes up for poor play by Ken Peters, Associated Press, in Pasadena
USC 69, Washington State 0: USC lives up to its favorite status by Greg Bell, Associated Press, in Pullman, Wash.
College notebook: Belak-Berger putting her best foot forward by Rhiannon Potkey

This is Rhiannon Potkey's Cal Lutheran University notebook, which features notes on football player Antoine Adams,

We're working on a table of contents that will give readers, as we grow The College Blog, the ability to call up only posts from the sports, league or school about which they care. More to come.

Here's this week's Cal Lutheran University athletics notebook by Star teammate Rhiannon Potkey, which includes notes on men's water polo, football, women's volleyball, women's cross country.