By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University outscored the University of La Verne 19-0 in the second half as the Bearcats rallied for a 26-14 win at McCulloch Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 10. The Bearcats, who trailed 14-7 at the half, limited the Leopards to just 117 total yards in the final two quarters. Joseph Castillo (So., RB, Alta Loma, CA/Northview HS) of WU gained 60 of his 109 rushing yards in the second half, while quarterback Aidan Kuykendall (Sr., QB, San Pedro, CA/Palos Verdes Peninsula HS/L.A. Harbor College) threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.
The Bearcats evened their record at 1-1 on the season, while La Verne fell to 0-2. Both teams finished with 18 first downs, but the Bearcats achieved 13 first downs and 227 yards in the second half, while ULV registered just six first downs after the halftime break.
La Verne scored on the game's opening possession as Kyle Bandy concluded a 6-play, 63-yard drive with a 13-yard run at the 12:28 mark of the first quarter. Kapena Kamakawiwoole kicked the extra point to give the Leopards a 7-0 advantage. The key play of the drive was a 31-yard rush by Ezra Tom Hoon.
Willamette answered with a 14-play drive that covered 67 yards and took 7:41 off the clock. Kuykendall finished the drive with a 1-yard run on 4th-and-goal with 4:47 left in the quarter. Camdin Dirnberger (So., PK, Missoula, MT/Sentinel HS) connected on the extra point to tie the score.
The Leopards regained the lead at 14-7 on Bandy's second touchdown run, a 4-yard scamper with 9:48 remaining in the half. WU advanced to the La Verne 46 and the La Verne 37 before halftime, but had to punt twice.
On Willamette's second possession of the third quarter, the Bearcats scored at the end of a 73-yard drive. Castillo recorded the touchdown on a 1-yard run. Key plays during the drive were a 20-yard run by Kuykendall on 4th-and-7 from the ULV 31 and a 13-yard run by Kuykendall two plays later to the 1-yard line. Castillo scored on the next play. A bad snap on the extra point was recovered by Willamette, leaving La Verne with a 14-13 lead.
Late in the quarter, the Bearcats took over at the ULV 28-yard line following a short punt and a kick catch interference penalty against the Leopards. Kuykendall ran for six yards on the final play of the period. A false start penalty moved WU back five yards at the start of the fourth quarter. Kuykendall hit Jared Paredes (Jr., WR, West Covina, CA/Northview HS) with a 27-yard touchdown pass on the next play, giving WU a 19-13 edge. Kuykendall's pass on a two-point conversion attempt was intercepted.
Rocco Tate returned the ensuing kickoff 18 yards to the WU 45. La Verne drove to the WU 33, but a holding penalty set the Leopards back to 1st-and-20. After a 7-yard run by Bandy and a 7-yard catch by Spencer Pool, ULV quarterback Miguel Aguero Jr. threw back-to-back incomplete passes.
Willamette took over on downs at the WU 29. The Bearcats ran the ball on nine consecutive plays, including carries of 10 yards by Castillo and 20 yards by Steven Wright (So., RB, Hesperia, CA/Apple Valley HS). On the 10th play, with WU facing 3rd-and-10 at the La Verne 18-yard line, Kuykendall tossed a touchdown pass down the left sideline to Justin Genovia (Sr., WR, Aiea, HI/Iolani School), who scored with 5:56 left in the game. Dirnberger kicked the PAT for a 26-14 lead.
Five plays after the kickoff, WU defensive back Dominic Corado (So., DB, Lake Forest, CA/JSerra Catholic HS) intercepted a pass by Aguero Jr. at the WU 28 as the clock reached the 5:10 mark. ULV had moved the ball 22 yards from the midfield stripe.
After stopping the Leopards, the Bearcats ran three plays before punting and reduced the clock to 3:44. La Verne then drove from its own 39 to the WU 22, but Aguero Jr. threw an incomplete pass on fourth down. WU gained one first down while running out the clock.
Castillo gained his 109 rushing yards on 20 carries. Kuykendall added 73 yards on 14 carries and completed 9 of 15 passes for 99 yards and two scores. Genovia led the Bearcat receivers with four catches for 49 yards. Aguero Jr. of La Verne was 19 for 36 passing for 191 yards and one interception. Bandy rushed 11 times for 56 yards. Ethan Medeiros topped the Leopards with eight receptions for 66 yards.
Corado led WU's defensive efforts with eight total tackles (six solo) plus his interception. Keaton Adams (Sr., DE, Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty HS) added seven tackles, including three tackles for loss and one quarterback sack. Dylan Hall (Jr., LB, Erie, CO/Peak to Peak Charter School) also earned seven tackles for the Bearcats. Nicholas Meza registered seven tackles for La Verne, while JJ Rider provided 1.5 tackles for loss on his way to six tackles.
Willamette will play at Hilbert College (N.Y.) on Saturday, Sept. 17. Game time at St. Francis High School in Hamburg, New York, near Buffalo, is set for 12 p.m. EDT/9 a.m PDT.
