By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director
NEWBERG, Ore. -- It was an unlucky day for the Willamette University Bearcats on Saturday, Nov. 14 in a 21-14 loss against George Fox University at Stoffer Family Stadium. Willamette outgained the Bruins 412-222 in total offense, including 281-105 in passing yards, but GFU scored on its first possession of the game and scored on two short drives after turnovers in the third quarter.
Willamette kept battling and received two touchdowns from running back Jacob Swilley (Jr., RB, Olympia, WA/Yelm HS/Central Washington Univ.) to get back in the game after trailing 21-0. Swilley scored on a 4-yard run with 6:04 left in the third quarter, and reached the end zone on a nifty 17-yard run with 12:13 remaining in the game.
The Bearcats had two more possessions in George Fox territory. A 13-play, 86-yard drive by Willamette stalled at the GFU 10-yard line with 3:29 remaining, and the next possession, which started at the GFU 46 with 2:16 to go, ended after four plays.
George Fox concluded the season with a 4-6 overall record, including 2-5 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette finished 2-7 for the season, 2-5 in the NWC. The Bearcats lost five games by seven points or less, including four games against NWC opponents.
On the first George Fox drive of the game, the Bruins moved 54 yards on six plays to reach the end zone. John Shaffer scored on a 13-yard run to end the drive with 10:28 left in the opening quarter.
A 48-yard field goal for GFU was missed by Lenan Meekisho with 13:50 left in the second quarter, leaving the Bruins in front, 7-0.
Willamette reached the red zone twice in the first half. Cameron Coe (Fr., PK, La Puente, CA/Bishop Amat Memorial HS) missed barely wide left on a 36-yard field goal with 5:57 remaining in the first quarter. Coe's 20-yard field goal attempt with 2:51 to go in the half was blocked.
GFU managed just 168 yards over the game's final 40:28, including just 89 yards in the second half. Willamette, which had 151 yards at halftime, added 261 yards in the second half.
The Bearcats committed five turnovers during the game on four interceptions and a fumble. Two of the interceptions proved costly early in the second half.
On 3rd-and-22 at the Willamette 26-yard line about three minutes into the third quarter, WU quarterback Ryan Knowlton (So., QB, Puyallup, WA/Emerald Ridge HS) was intercepted by Rudy Hughes at the WU 22. Two plays later, GFU quarterback Gran Schroeder scrambled 22 yards for a touchdown. The extra point by Anthony Galat gave the Bruins a 14-0 lead with 11:40 on the clock.
After the kickoff, Willamette had the ball at its own 28. On the first play, Knowlton was hit as he threw the ball. The deflection sent the ball about a yard away from Knowlton, but defensive end Caleb Dalzell was there to intercept the pass at the 20 and return it to the Willamette 6-yard line.
Shaffer then ran the ball on three consecutive plays for GFU. He scored for the Bruins on 3rd-and-inches with 10:14 left in the quarter. Galat increased the lead to 21-0 with the extra point kick.
Willamette took the kickoff and drove 66 yards on nine plays. The drive ended when Knowlton's first down pass from the GFU 20 was intercepted in the end zone by Adrian Bonner with 7:05 on the clock.
On the very next play, Schroeder was hit by Paimon Jaberi (Jr., ILB, Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) and fumbled the ball. Henry Adelman (Sr., ILB, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS) recovered for the Bearcats at the GFU 29-yard line.
Knowlton threw a 20-yard pass to Bryan Toles (Sr./Jr., WR, Clovis, CA/Clovis North HS) on second down to set up 1st-and-goal at the 4-yard line. Swilley scored on the next play.
The Bearcats cut the lead to seven points when Swilley's 17-yard touchdown run completed a 6-play, 57-yard drive early in the fourth period. The drive included a 17-yard pass from Knowlton to Alex Israel (Jr., WR, McMinnville, OR/McMinnville HS) and a 20-yar pass to Ryan Foote (Sr., WR, Sherwood, OR/Valley Catholic HS).
Swilley finished with 81 yards and his two touchdowns on 18 carries. Knowlton completed 25 of 43 passes for 281 yards, but threw four interceptions. Foote led the Bearcats with six catches for 113 yards. Toles hauled in six passes for 52 yards.
Schroeder was 15 of 25 passing for 105 yards and no interceptions for the Bruins. Schroeder also ran nine times for 46 yards. Shaffer rushed 24 times for 71 yards and two scores. Brad Lander led GFU with five catches for 32 yards.
Adleman topped the WU defensive chart with nine total takcles, two fumble recoveries and 1.5 tackles for loss. Jaberi finished with eight total tackles, a forced fumble and 0.5 tackle for loss. The George Fox defense was led by Jesse Bresser, who recorded 16 tackles and had 2.0 tackles for loss.
