By Charlie McGuire, Athletics Communications Assistant
SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth University led by a slim 14-7 margin after one quarter, but extended the lead to 35-7 at halftime, and the Pirates went on to defeat Willamette University, 66-7, in a Northwest Conference football game at the Pine Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 23. The Pirates improved to 6-1 on the season, 3-1 in the NWC, while Willamette slipped to 1-6 overall, 0-4 in the NWC. Whitworth received votes in both polls this week but was not ranked in the AFCA Coaches Poll or in the D3football.com Top 25.
Whitworth scored twice in the first quarter as Soloman Hines found paydirt on a 4-yard run at the 7:44 mark and quarterback Jaedyn Prewitt ran in from 10 yards out to take a 14-0 lead with 4:20 on the clock.
A bit later in the opening quarter, Keaton Adams (Sr., DE, Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty HS) sacked Prewitt. Adams forced and recovered a fumble on the play to give the Bearcats possession at the Pirates' 45-yard line. Dante Chaney (So., QB, Arlington, TX/Mansfield Legacy HS) covered 10 yards on a sweep around the right end before Aidan Kuykendall (Sr., QB, San Pedro, CA/Palos Verdes Peninsula HS) entered the game to finish the drive. Kuykendall scored on an 8-yard run to cut the deficit to 14-7 as time ran out in the period.
The Pirates answered almost immediately with 13:34 remaining in the half. Prewitt connected with Matthew Fiesta for a 58-yard completion to set up a 20-yard scoring run by Hines that stretched the lead to 21-7.
With 11:57 on the clock, the Pirates took over on the Willamette 35-yard line following a 19-yard punt return from Matthew Fiesta combined with a Bearcat penalty. Hines capped another scoring drive with a 30-yard reception to give the hosts a 28-7 advantage with just under 10 minutes to play before the halftime break.
The Whitworth defense held again, forcing another Willamette punt. Whitworth wasted little time during the possession, scoring on the first play of the drive with a 54-yard scoring strike from Prewitt to Alan Ballew.
Following the kickoff, Willamette moved the ball into Whitworth territory behind some strong running from Dylan Sparks (Sr., RB, Beaumont, CA/Beaumont HS) and help from a pair of Pirate penalties. The drive stalled, however, forcing the Bearcats to settle for a 38-yard punt from Sam Adams (Sr., WR/P, Sacramento, CA/Rio Americano HS) that pinned Whitworth on its own 6-yard line with just under four minutes to play in the half.
Dominic Corado (Fy., DB, Lake Forest, CA/JSerra Catholic HS) capped a solid defensive stand for the Bearcats, dropping Hines for a 4-yard loss on third down to force a punt with two minutes on the clock.
Willamette took possession at its own 48-yard line, but was unable to gain a first down. Adams boomed a 54-yard punt that landed inside the 10-yard line but crawled into the end zone for a touchback. The Bearcats limited the Pirates to one first down, sending the game into halftime with Whitworth holding a 35-7 lead.
The Bearcats received the kickoff to open the second half, but a fumble on the first play from scrimmage led to a defensive touchdown for Whitworth just seconds into the third quarter. The Pirates came up big again on the next two drives, intercepting a pair of passes, leading to a field goal and a touchdown, stretching the margin to 52-7. Whitworth led 66-7 with 6:57 left in the third quarter.
Adams continued to be a bright spot early in the fourth quarter when he hit a 55-yard punt to the Whitworth 11-yard line. The Pirates moved across the midfield stripe, but the Bearcat defense forced a fumble, allowing Willamette to take over at its own 38-yard line. The Bearcats couldn't make their way into the end zone, but did reach the Whitworth 37-yard line before being stopped on a fourth down play.
For the game, Prewitt completed 14 of 18 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns. Hines added three touchdowns on runs of 4 and 20 yards and on a 30-yard pass reception.
La'Akea Like (So., LB, Littleton, CO/Columbine HS) led the Bearcats with six tackles and a sack, while Dylan Streett (Sr., DB, Santa Barbara, CA/Bishop Diego HS) and Christopher Brown (Jr., LB, Ketchikan, AL/Ketchikan HS) each recorded six stops. Brown also added a forced fumble. Adams tallied five tackles, including two for losses and one sack. He also forced and recovered a fumble.
Adams averaged 39.4 yards on 10 punts. He had two punts over 50 yards and dropped a pair inside the 20-yard line.
The Bearcats return home to face Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Oct. 30 at McCulloch Stadium. Kickoff in Salem, Oregon, is set for 1:00 p.m. (PDT).
