Freshman Nanhed’s Record-Setting Day Carries CLU, 38-24

THOUSAND OAKS — In only his fifth game on U.S. soil, Cal Lutheran’s Fredrik Nanhed has entered the Kingsmen record book.

The freshman tailback from Malmo, Sweden rushed for 313 yards in 46 carries--both school marks--as Cal Lutheran rallied to post a 38-24 victory Saturday over Claremont-Mudd in a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game at Cal Lutheran. Nanhed also scored two touchdowns.

Cal Lutheran (2-2-1, 2-0 in conference play) trailed, 24-14, early in the third quarter before scoring on three of its next four possessions and returning an interception for a touchdown.

“There’s no question the momentum was on their side and that’s what we talked about at halftime,” Kingsmen Coach Joe Harper said.

“I think we kind of wore them down in the second half.”

Nanhed, a 22-year-old who arrived from Europe five days before Cal Lutheran’s first game, had much to do with the turnaround.

Nanhed’s runs ate up yardage and time while punishing the Claremont defense. As the Stags (1-4, 0-2) tired, Nanhed maintained his intensity.

“I just feel more comfortable now and I got in a groove,” Nanhed said. “Back home you can run right through guys; here you have to work for it.”

Cal Lutheran trailed, 17-14, at halftime after giving up two touchdowns on passes, the second coming only three seconds before intermission.

Claremont scored again four minutes into the third quarter, but the Kingsmen then interspersed run after run by Nanhed with pass completions by quarterback Ryan Huisenga (14 of 22, 169 yards).

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Nanhed carried on 25 of 44 second-half plays. The Kingsmen scored on his one-yard run late in the third quarter, on a four-yard run by Billy Busch early in the fourth and on a 24-yard field goal by Tim Cronk to take a 31-24 lead.

“I’m going to try and do better each game but I’m making it harder on myself,” said Nanhed, who was cheered on by a vocal group of Scandinavian students waving flags and banging on pots and pans.

“I’m starting to like this country more and more.”