By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University nearly rallied from a 20-3 halftime deficit, but the University of Puget Sound managed to hold on for a 26-20 win over the Bearcats on Saturday, Nov. 12 at McCulloch Stadium. The Northwest Conference game concluded the season for both teams. The win moved Puget Sound to 1-8 overall, 1-6 in the NWC. Willamette finished at 2-8 overall, 0-7 in the NWC.
The game was not decided until the final play. Camdin Dirnberger (So., PK, Missoula, MT/Sentinel HS) of Willamette kicked a 21-yard field goal with 4:47 left to pull the Bearcats within 26-20. On the ensuing Puget Sound possession, Willamette stopped the Loggers after eight plays and the Bearcats took over at the WU 30-yard line with 1:17 left.
Quarterback Seth Beach (Sr., Kailua-Kona, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy), who entered the game in the third quarter when Aidan Kuykendall (Sr., QB, San Pedro, CA/Palos Verdes Peninsula HS/L.A. Harbor College) was sidelined by an injury, led WU on a the final drive. He completed key passes to Jared Paredes (Jr., WR, West Covina, CA/Northview HS) for 12 yards and to Justin Genovia (Sr., WR, Aiea, HI/Iolani School) for 11 yards on the second and third plays to advance the ball to the Loggers' 48-yard line.
A 14-yard pass to Paredes and a 14-yarder to Joseph Castillo (So., RB, Alta Loma, CA/Northview HS) on the fifth and sixth plays oved the ball to the PS 20. After the next two passes fell incomplete, WU faced 3rd-and-1 with six seconds on the clock. Beach was pressured and tried to move forward out of the pocket, but was sacked by Warren Sisneros-Barber at the 23-yard line as time expired.
Although the game ended in disappointment, there were many great moments for Willamette throughout the game that the Bearcats and their fans will remember.
It all started with the Senior Day presentations prior to the game, as the Bearcats honored this year's 18 seniors. Then there was a gallant effort by Kuykendall, barely recovered from an injury a couple of weeks ago, as he started in place of Dante Chaney (Jr., QB, Arlington, TX/Mansfield Legacy HS), who suffered an injury during the week. Kuykendall tried to achieve success on Saturday, but a sore wrist limited him to three completions on 12 passing attempts to go along with 18 rushing yards on eight carries.
Beach, who had thrown just three career passes prior to Saturday, provided WU with a lift when he entered the game. He finished 11 of 15 passing for 116 yards and threw his first career touchdown pass. Beach, a consistently solid holder for extra points and field goals, held for four successful kicks against the Loggers, as Dirnberger went 2 for 2 on field goals (25 yards and 21 yards) and 2 for 2 on extra points.
On defense, the Bearcats blocked two extra points and a punt. The PAT attempts were blocked by Michael Valtierra (Jr., DL, Culver City, CA/Brentwood HS) in the second quarter and by Keaton Adams (Gr., DE, Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty HS) in the fourth quarter. Raymond Pasay (So., LB, Turner, OR/Cascade HS) blocked a punt in the third quarter that Dominic Corado (So., DB, Lake Forest, CA/JSerra Catholic HS) returned five yards for a touchdown, reducing Puget Sound's lead to 20-17.
The game began with PS driving 65 yards on 11 plays to score on a 4-yard run by Silas Washington with 10:46 remaining in the first quarter. Willamette answered with another 11-play, 65-yard drive, but had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Dirnberger with 4:55 on the clock.
In the second quarter, the Loggers tacked on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Mason Binning to Izaiah Jerenz at the 11:47 mark. Jordi De La Torre was blocked by Valtierra. Washington scored on a 1-yard run with 4:37 left in the half, as Puget Sound increased its lead to 20-3.
The third quarter began with a 60-yard kickoff return by Genovia to put the Bearcats at the PS 31-yard line. Three plays later, Beach hit Genovia with a 10-yard touchdown strike. Dirnberger's kick pulled WU within 10 points at 20-10. On the fourth play following the kickoff, Pasay blocked a punt by Alex Everett. The play began at the Loggers' 40 prior to the snap and ended with Corado picking up the ball at the 5-yard line and running the last few yards to score a touchdown. With the extra point, Willamette reduced the lead to 20-17.
Neither team scored during the remainder of the third period. The Loggers added a touchdown early in the fourth quarter on a 9-yard pass from Binning to Jerenz. Adams blocked the extra point kick, but Puget Sound held a 26-17 lead. Dirnberger's 21-yard field goal cut the lead to six points.
