By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University battled #2-ranked Linfield College in the first half at McCulloch Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 17, with the Wildcats holding only a 7-0 lead over the Bearcats at the break. In the third quarter, however, Linfield scored 28 points on its way to a 49-7 win in Northwest Conference action.
The Wildcats upped their record to 5-0 on the season, including 3-0 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 1-4 overall, 1-2 in the NWC.
Linfield scored the only touchdown of the opening half on an 18-yard run by Spencer Payne with 13:24 left in the second quarter. Payne's run completed a quick 61-yard drive in just four plays. Michael Metter kicked the extra point.
Jack Valencia (Jr., RB, Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS) scored Willamette's only touchdown on a 50-yard run with 10:48 left in the fourth quarter.
The Willamette defense played a huge role in the first half and kept the Bearcats in the game at the intermission. Linfield scored just one touchdown and missed two lengthy field goals. Metter was wide left on a 48-yard field goal with 7:18 left in the first quarter. He was just short on a 50-yard field goal attempt with 3:41 remaining in the second quarter.
Donny Torres (Sr., OLB, Long Beach, CA/St. Anthony HS), Damian Jackson (Jr., FS, Puyallup, WA/Rogers HS) and Nikk Ryan (Jr., DE, Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS) led the Willamette defense in the opening 30 minutes. Torres registered eight tackles during the half, while Jackson earned seven and Ryan was credited with six.
In addition, Ryan recorded three tackles for losses of 10 yards and Torres achieved one tackle for a loss of five yards.
Other key defensive plays were made in the first half by Henry Adelman (Sr., ILB, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS), Rayvon Owens (Jr., DB, El Cajon, CA/Christian HS), Dustin Crabtree (Sr., OLB, Sherwood, OR/Sherwood HS) and Mark Mulligan (Jr., DE, San Francisco, CA/Archbishop Riordan HS).
Adelman and Owens each contributed five tackles. Mulligan provided four tackles and a quarterback sack. Crabtree also registered a sack.
The sack by Crabtree was for a loss of 13 yards on 3rd-and-18 for the Wildcats at the WU 19 nearly midway into the second quarter. Crabtree's sack forced Linfield quarterback Sam Riddle to fumble. Mulligan fell on the ball for the Bearcats at the 36-yard line.
Linfield's final possession of the half ended with an interception on a fake field goal. The Wildcats, who took over at their own 40 with 2:16 on the clock, drove to the WU 22 and appeared ready to try a 39-yard field goal with four seconds left. Instead, holder Johnny Carroll rolled out to the left and threw a pass. Jackson of WU hauled in the errant throw at the WU 7 and returned it one yard as time expired.
Four touchdowns in the third quarter -- two scored by the Linfield defense -- gave the Wildcats a 35-0 lead entering the final period.
Payne, who finished with a game-high 135 rushing yards on 12 carries, opened the second-half scoring with a 7-yard run at the 8:24 mark of the third quarter, as the Wildcats drove 75 yards on seven plays.
After forcing Willamette to punt, Linfield took over at its own 34 with 7:00 on the clock. On the second play, Riddle hit Eric Igbinoba with a 65-yard touchdown strike. Metters' extra point increased the lead to 21-0.
Mitchell Kekel of Linfield intercepted a pass by Ryan Knowlton (So., QB, Puyallup, WA/Emerald Ridge HS) of Willamette and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown with 4:33 left in the quarter. On the Bearcats' next possession, Knowleton fumbled while being sacked, and Asa Schwartz returned the ball 23 yards for a Linfeld score at the 3:07 mark.
The Wildcats outscored Willamette, 14-7 in the fourth quarter. After Linfield took a 42-0 lead on 1-yard touchdown run by Bryan Cassill, Jackson returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards for the Bearcats, who took over at the WU 41. Valencia scampered 50 yards up the middle to score Willamette's touchdown on the third play of the drive.
Linfield completed the scoring on its next possession, with Sutter Choisser ending a seven-play, 73-yard drive with a 31-yard run.
For the game, Linfield earned 536 total yards, including 288 yards on the ground. Riddle was 14 of 24 passing for 212 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Erick Douglas caught four passes for 37 yards, while Igbinoba grabbed two catches for 81 yards.
Willamette finished with 190 yards of offense. Knowlton completed 11 of 23 passes for 86 yards with two interceptions. Austin Jones (Jr., TE, Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS) led the WU receivers with four catches for 40 yards.
Torres topped the Bearcats on defense with 10 total tackles. Ryan and Jackson each supplied nine tackles, while Adelman recorded eight. Eli Biondine registered nine tackles for Linfield.
The Bearcats will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 24 against Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. Game time is set for 1 p.m. (PDT).
