When Thrown Curve, Stitt Made Adjustment

THOUSAND OAKS —  Dorian Stitt came to Cal Lutheran to play baseball. But he might graduate as the most prolific running back in school history.

Funny how life sometimes takes a sudden turn, like Stitt after taking a handoff. Shoulder surgery ended a career as an outfielder that began to blossom at Royal High but paved the way for his return to football after a one-year hiatus.

“Pretty ironic,” Stitt said.

Pretty good athlete, too, considering Stitt was a starter in the outfield and the backfield at Royal.

“It’s definitely football now,” Stitt said. “When you play a sport for so long and then all of a sudden you have to cut it off, like I did in ‘96, you miss it so much. It becomes part of life. I don’t know what I’m going to do after next year.’

Stitt, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound junior, has been in the thick of things at Cal Lutheran since transferring from St. Mary’s in the spring of 1997.

This season, he’s helped Cal Lutheran (3-3, 3-0 in conference play) stand alone in first place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for the first time in eight seasons. The Kingsmen play today at University of La Verne (5-1, 3-1) at 1 p.m.

Stitt leads the SCIAC in rushing with 504 yards while sharing duty with George Keiaho, a former standout at Buena High and Washington. Keiaho, expected to make a major impact this season, ranks second in the SCIAC with 429 yards.

Stitt led Cal Lutheran with 88 yards rushing in a 23-16 victory over Occidental last week. Keiaho rushed for 72 yards.

“He’s got the experience, George is new,” Coach Scott Squires of Cal Lutheran said. “George is kind of a power, get-you-what-you-need kind of guy. Dorian is more finesse, flashier.”

Last season, Stitt split time with Fredrik Nanhed, who became Cal Lutheran’s career rushing leader with 2,938 yards.

“I’m used to it,” Stitt said of sharing the workload. “As long as we win and he is a good contribution to the team, I don’t have a problem with it.”

Stitt, whose 2 1/2-year career total stands at 1,775 yards, could break the record next season.

“I’ll try to make my senior year the best I can,” Stitt said. “Try to break Freddy’s rushing record. Try to get bigger and stronger.”

Despite being overshadowed by big-name backs, Stitt has stood out.

While Nanhed broke the school rushing record last season against Occidental, Stitt ran for a game-high 131 yards in a 40-7 SCIAC victory.

Stitt had 70 yards to Nanhed’s 99 in a victory over San Diego. But Stitt provided the game’s highlight with a 21-yard touchdown run in which he shed tacklers on three occasions to give the Kingsmen their first lead.

“He’s an electric kind of guy and in some games he’s really given us a spark,” Squires said. “A lot of long runs, a lot of big plays.”

Cal Lutheran recruited Stitt, an all-Ventura County outfielder, before Squires was coach. Stitt opted for St. Mary’s but soon reconsidered.

After transferring, Stitt redshirted the baseball season because of shoulder surgery. Squires coaxed Stitt, whose injury hindered his throwing, to play football.

“They still had all their films on me,” Stitt said. “I figured, maybe I’d give it a try after they asked me. I really didn’t care if I was going to play or sit on the bench or anything. I just wanted to be a part of it.”