PORTLAND, ORE. -- Willamette University amassed 518 yards of total offense and the defense earned three fumble recoveries, as the Bearcats rolled past Lewis & Clark College, 69-24, in a Northwest Conference game on Saturday, Oct. 10. Willamette, ranked #17 in the D3Football.com Top 25, improved to 5-1 overall, 2-0 in the NWC. Lewis & Clark dropped to 0-4 on the season, 0-2 in the NWC.
The Bearcats surged out to a 42-0 lead in the game's first 26 minutes. WU owned a 21-0 advantage at the end of the first quarter with touchdowns on a 12-yard run by Jamiere Abney (So., TB, Bremerton, WA/Bremerton HS), a 24-yard run by Matthew Williams (Fr., FL, Encinitas, CA/Las Costa Canyon HS) and a 21-yard fumble return by defensive end Cory Lowe (Sr., Beaverton, OR/Beaverton HS).
WU increased the lead to 28-0 on an 8-yard run by Deon Horne (Sr., TB, Issaquah, WA/Liberty HS) with 11:32 left in the second quarter. The touchdown came two plays after Lowe forced a second Lewis & Clark turnover, with running back Harrison Keller fumbling the ball at the L&C 19-yard line. Ralph Pineda (Jr.,, ILB, Los Angeles, CA/Cathedral HS/San Jose State Univ.) recovered the ball for Willamette and returned it eight yards to the Pioneers' 10-yard line.
On the first play following the kickoff, Lewis & Clark lost its third fumble of the half. Jordan Weil (Fr., LB, Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS) forced the ball loose from Adam Steinberg at the L&C 29-yard line. It was recovered by Willamette's Matthew Parr (Fr., LB, Lihue, HI/Kauai HS) at the 28.
Four plays later, following a bad field goal snap, Brian Widing (Fr., QB, Oregon City, OR/Canby Union HS) tossed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Walter Robinson, II (Jr., DE, Pasadena, CA/Cathedral HS). Mitchell Rowan (So., PK/P, Cotati, CA/Rancho Cotate HS) kicked the extra point for a 35-0 lead.
Willamette drove the ball 71-yards on six plays on its next possession. The big play of the drive was a 21-yard pass from Widing to Raymond White (So., WR, Corona, CA/Centennial HS) that brought the ball to the L&C 29.
Kevin Ramay (Fr. QB, Simi Valley, CA/Grace Brethren HS), who split time with Widing at quarterback in the first half, threw an 18-yard pass to Chad Pollard (So., FL, Bakersfield, CA/Liberty HS/Bakersfield College) to move the ball to the L&C 11. Terrell Malley (Fr., TB, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) scampered the final 11 yards for a touchdown on the next play. Rowan's extra point kick gave WU a 42-0 lead.
Logan Kotzian of Lewis & Clark mishandled the ensuing kickoff at the 7-yard line. He picked up the ball at the two, then raced 98 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown. Andrew Foote kicked the extra point.
The Pioneers followed with an onside kick toward the second row of Willamette defenders. Kotzian recovered the ball for L&C at the Willamette 36-yard line. WU had a chance to stop the Pioneers three plays later, but an interception by Cody Pastorino (Fr., CB, Atwater, CA/Buhach Colony HS) was wiped out by a defensive offside penalty.
L&C scored three plays later on a 1-yard run by quarterback Tucker Laurence with 38 seconds left in the half. Foote kicked the PAT, but Willamette held a 42-14 halftime lead.
Willamette outscored the Pioneers 27-10 in the second half with two touchdowns in each quarter. WU's touchdowns were scored by Pollard on a 19-yard run, Jake Turner (Fr., FL, Ontario, OR/Ontario HS) on a 17-yard run, Tyler Whitcomb (Jr., TE, Oakview, CA/Nordhoff HS/Ventura JC) on a 6-yard pass from Jake Jones (Fr., QB, Wilsonville, OR/Wilsonville HS), and Brent Turner (Jr., FL, Newman, CA/Orestimba HS) on a 1-yard run.
The Pioneer's scored on a 31-yard field goal by Foote in the third quarter and on a 1-yard run by back-up quarterback Nic Wilson with five seconds remaining in the game.
Willamette carried the ball 47 times for 370 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. The Bearcats averaged 7.9 yards per rush.
Malley led the way with six carries for 81 yards. Williams added four carries for 43 yards and Jose Green (Sr., TB, Downey, CA/Warren HS) gained 42 yards on seven carries. Sixteen WU players ran the ball, with six earning at least 36 yards.
The 'Cats passed for 148 yards. Widing was 6 of 11 for 93 yards and one touchdown. Ramay completed 3 of 8 passes for 35 yards and Jones was 2 of 2 for 20 yards and a TD. Whitcomb led Willamette with three catches for 29 yards. Pollard caught two passes for 29 yards and White had two catches for 28 yards.
Lewis & Clark completed 23 of 42 passes for 209 yards. Laurence was 21 of 27 for 173 yards. Shawn Evans was L&C's leading receiver with seven receptions for 76 yards. Keller added five catches for 32 yards.
Willamette limited L&C to 60 rushing yards on 29 carries, as the Pioneers averaged just 2.1 yards per rush. Keller gained 27 yards on four carries.
Andrew Ross (Sr., ILB, Petaluma, CA/Petaluma HS) and Henry Harrison (Fr., LB, Nevada City, CA/Nevada Union HS) tied for the Willamette defensive lead with six tackles each. Brooks Patterson topped L&C with 10 total tackles, including nine unassisted stops.
Willamette will play at home next weekend, when the Bearcats host Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Oct. 17. Game time at McCulloch Stadium is set for 1:30 p.m. (PDT).
BOX SCORE
Willamette University 69Lewis & Clark College 24
Cory Lowe scored his second touchdown of the season on a 21-yard fumble return. He also forced a fumble that led to another score.
Brian Widing was 6 of 11 passing for 93 yards, including a 28-yard TD pass following a bad field goal snap.
Mitchell Rowan attempted nine of Willamette's extra points and went 9 for 9.
Terrell Malley carried the ball six times for 81 yards and scored one touchdown. He's shown here on a kick return.
