By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University forced George Fox University to lose the ball on a fumble and an interception, and the Bearcats blocked a punt, but the Bruins won the Northwest Conference battle 27-10 at McCulloch Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 8. The Bruins led 17-0 at halftime, before both teams scored 10 points in the second half. GFU improved to 4-1 on the season, 1-1 in the NWC, while Willamette moved to 2-3 overall, 0-2 in the NWC.
Willamette received the ball first and drove from its own 29-yard line to the GFU 37. A pass on third down fell incomplete and the Bearcats were forced to punt after holding the ball long enough to take 6:23 off the clock.
On the Bruins' fifth play of the game, Cayden Stankavich (So., DL, Wishkah, WA/Hoguiam HS) recovered a fumble by George Fox quarterback Haiden Schaan with 6:02 left in the quarter. The Bearcats threw an interception on the third play of the ensuing drive.
George Fox then drove 40 yards on six plays ending with a 33-yard field goal by Ethan Hoffman. The Bruins added two touchdowns in the second quarter on a 1-yard run by Taylor Saben with 11:13 on the clock and a 24-yard pass from Schaan to Josh Hauenstein at the 6:46 mark.
Camdin Dirnberger (So., PK, Missoula, MT/Sentinel HS) of Willamette scored the only points in the third quarter by either team when he kicked a 19-yard field goal to pull the Bearcats within 17-3. The Boxers tacked on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Schaan to Leon Johnson III on the first play of the fourth quarter, and Hoffman kicked a 43-yard field goal for the Bruins with 9:58 to go.
The second GFU turnover was a bit later in the fourth quarter. Michael Wong (So., LB, Apple Valley, CA/Apple Valley HS) intercepted a pass by Schaan at the WU 46-yard line and returned it to the GFU 45 with 6:04 remaining. Six plays later, on 4th-and-2 at the GFU 22, Nash Wylie of George Fox intercepted a pass at the Bruins' 15-yard line and returned it 19 yards to the GFU 34.
After Wylie's interception, the Bearcats allowed a first down before forcing a punt. On 4th-and-17 at the GFU 38, Willamette's Raymond Pasay (So., LB, Turner, OR/Cascade HS) blocked the punt by Hoffman and Brandon Johnson (So., WR, Moses Lake, WA/Moses Lake HS) picked up the ball at the GFU 20. Johnson returned the ball six yards. Willamette scored on 4th-and-7 at the GFU 11, when quarterback Aidan Kuykendall (Sr., QB, San Pedro, CA/Palos Verdes Peninsula HS/L.A. Harbor College) threw a touchdown pass to Justin Genovia (Sr., WR, Aiea, HI/Iolani School) with 12 seconds left in the game.
Dirnberger completed the scoring when he kicked WU's extra point following the touchdown by Genovia. Dirnberger is 2 of 2 on field goals and 10 of 10 on extra points this season. He is WU's third-leading scorer with 16 points. Genovia and Kuykendall are tied for the scoring lead with 18 points.
Against GFU, Kuykendall completed 13 of 26 passes for 83 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He also ran 12 times for 44 yards. Joseph Castillo (So., RB, Alta Loma, CA/Northview HS) led the rushing attack with 59 yards on 19 carries. Steven Wright (So., RB, Hesperia, CA/Apple Valley HS) carried the ball seven times for 36 yards. Genovia led the receiving corps with six catches for 43 yards and a touchdown. Castillo caught five passes for 25 yards. Ashton Reed (Fy., DB, Carlsbad, CA/Army & Navy HS) gained 141 yards on four kickoff returns, including a 70-yarder for an average of 35.3 yards per return.
Schann was 20 of 26 through the air for the Bruins with two touchdowns and one interception. Johnson III hauled in seven passes for 125 yards and one score, while Dillan Dobbins and Logan Candanoza each grabbed three passes. Candanoza led all rushers with 67 yards on nine carries.
Luke Lowe (Sr., DB, Fresno, CA/Clovis West HS) and Dylan Hall (Jr., LB, Erie, CO/Peak to Peak Charter School) topped the Willamette tackle chart with seven total tackles. Lowe led the team with six solo stops. Michael Valtierra (Jr., DL, Culver City, CA/Brentwood HS) and Dom Torres (Sr., DT, North Salt Lake, UT/Woods Cross HS) each recorded a quarterback sack, while Pasay and Keaton Adams (Gr., DE, Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty HS) both achieved a tackle for loss.
Top defensive players for GFU included Wylie, Dustin Kunze, and Kiegan Schaan. Wylie earned nine tackles, Kunze registered eight, and Schaan finished with seven. Jacob Erickson was credited with five tackles, including two quarterback sacks and four tackles for loss.
Willamette is set to travel to Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, Oct. 15. The NWC match-up is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. (PDT).