By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- Trinity University scored 21 points off turnovers on its way to a 35-6 victory over Willamette University on Saturday, Sept. 12. The Tigers improved to 2-0 on the season. The Bearcats, playing their season opener, dropped to 0-1.
Willamette committed a total of five turnovers during the game on three interceptions and two lost fumbles. Trinity lost the ball just once -- on an interception in the third quarter.
The Tigers built a 14-0 lead with two lengthy drives. Trinity went 92 yards in 11 plays on its second possession of the game. Cody Sandman caught a 19-yard pass from Austin Grauer to complete the drive with 3:16 left in the first quarter.
On Trinity's next possession, the Tigers went 80 yards in 12 plays. Including a 6-yard run by punter and receiver Rhodes Legg on 4th-and-3 from the 50-yard line. Six plays later, Travis Williams crossed the goal line on a 1-yard run with 8:24 remaining before halftime. Miguel Mendiola kicked his second extra point of the game.
Willamette responded with a 41-yard kickoff return by Jeremiah James (So./Fr., WR, Salem, OR/South Salem HS/Chemeketa CC) to give the Bearcats control at the TU 46-yard line. WU kept the ball for nine plays.
Midway through the drive, WU took advantage of an offside penalty on Trinity that resulted in 1st-and-goal at the 6-yard line. The Bearcats were called for holding on the next play, but on third down, James took the ball on a double-reverse and rushed 16 yards for a touchdown. The extra point kick failed with 3:47 to go in the second quarter.
Later in the half, WU quarterback Trent Spallas (Jr., QB, Elk Grove, CA/Franklin HS) was intercepted by Josh Cook at the Trinity 34. Cook returned the ball six yards with 1:40 remaining. The Tigers converted 4th-and-3 at the WU 41 five plays later with a 6-yard carry by Jerry Simmons. Sandman hauled in a 35-yard pass from Grauer on the next play with 49 seconds on the clock. Mendiola kicked the conversion to give the Tigers a 21-6 halftime lead.
Henry Adelman (Sr., ILB, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS) of Willamette intercepted a pass by Grauer at the Trinity 22-yard line early in the second half and advanced it to the 10. A personal foul on the play gave WU the ball at the TU 25.
WU picked up a first down at the 11-yard line, but a false start penalty and a 7-yard sack led to 4th-and-20 at the 21. Conner Mertens (Jr./So., PK/P, Kennewick, WA/Southridge HS) attempted a 37-yard field goal, but it was blocked by Adam Saunders.
On Willamette's next possession, quarterback Reece Hack (Fr., QB, Stayton, OR/Stayton HS/Chemeketa CC) was intercepted by Camden Joubert at the Trinity 20-yard line at the end of a long pass. The Tigers drove 80 yards on 16 plays and converted two fourth downs, before eventually scoring on a 17-yard pass from Grauer to Legg with 13:39 left in the game.
Trailing 28-6, the Bearcats drove from their own 26-yard line to eventually earn 1st-and-goal at the Trinity 10-yard line. The drive featured a 22-yard pass from Spallas to Kevin Martz (So., WR, Salem, OR/South Salem HS/Claremont McKenna College), plus a 14-yard pass to James and a 14-yard run by Sharpe.
Three plays after WU reached he 10-yarrd line, a personal foul on the Tigers resulted in a first down three yards from the end zone. Jimmy Sharpe (Jr., RB, Walnut Creek, CA/Northgate HS) gained two yards on first down, but Spallas fumbled on second down as he was being tackled for a 13-yard loss.
Alejandro Anzaldua of Trinity recovered the ball and the Tigers drove 86 yards for a touchdown on seven plays. Travis Williams rushed 57 yards to complete the drive with 5:46 left. Mendiola hit the extra point for the final 35-6 score.
Trinity gained 436 yards of total offense, including 260 passing yards. Grauer completed 19 of 33 passes for three touchdowns and one interception. Sandman led all receivers with seven catches for 150 yards and two scofeds. Legg caught five passes for 56 yards.
Williams rushed 13 times for 100 yards for the Tigers. Jeremy Simmons added 75 yards on 18 carries.
Willamette finished with 322 yards, as the Bearcats achieved 206 passing yards and 116 yards on the ground. Spallas was 18 of 29 through the air for 153 yards and two interceptions. Hack completed 8 of 11 passes for 53 yards with one interception.
Martz caught four passes for 34 yards. Sam La Haie (Fr., WR, Colfax, CA/Colfax HS) grabbed four passes for 21 yards and James caught three for 29 yards. Sharpe rushed for a solid 72 yards on 12 carries, as he averaged 6.0 yards per rush.
Each team recorded 21 first downs. The Bearcats moved inside the TU 40-yard line six times, including five drives inside the 25, but scored only once. Two drives ended with fumbles, one drive was stopped by an interception and two drives resulted in missed field goals.
Rayvon Owens (Jr., DB, El Cajon, CA/Christian HS) led the Bearcats on defense with nine total tackles. Three other WU players -- Adelman, Donny Torres (Sr., LB, Long Beach, CA/St. Anthony HS) and Paimon Jaberi (Jr., LB, Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) each earned six tackles.
Julian Turner was credited with 12 tackles for Trinity. Brad Hood added 10 tackles and Mitch Gobe made nine stops for the Tigers.
WU punter Joshua Cabral (Fr., PK/P, Concord, CA/De La Salle HS) averaged 45.0 yards on two punts. His first punt covered 40 yards and went out of bounds at the Trinity 8-yard line. His second punt went 50 yards to the Trinity 22.
The Bearcats will host California Lutheran University in the Homecoming Game on Saturday, Sept. 12 at McCullough Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. (PDT).
