By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
LA VERNE, Calif. -- Running back Gabriel Herrera (Jr., San Jose, CA/Adrian C. Wilcox HS/Foothill College) rushed for 132 yards on 22 carries and Justin Genovia (Sr., Aiea, HI/Iolani School/Central Washington University) scored the winning touchdown on a 42-yard catch with 6:55 left, as Willamette University defeated the University of La Verne, 24-21, on Saturday, Sept. 2. Willamette moved to 1-0 on the season, while La Verne dropped to 0-1.
"I was really proud at how our team responded to adversity. All three phases of the game stepped up when they needed to in order to secure the win," Willamette Head Football Coach Isaac Parker said. "This team is so fun to coach. They sincerely care about each other, and I'm so happy for them to get to experience a win and start the season off this way. We are far from playing our best football, so being abel to have an opportunity to learn and still walk away with a win feels great!"
Herrera carried much of Willamette's offensive load throughout the evening in his first game since transferring from Foothill College (Calif.). The offensive line provided holes for Herrera, who kept pushing forward for additional yards. With the Leopards trying to stop Herrera, it was Genovia who scored the decisive touchdown in the fourth quarter. Genovia is in his third year at Willamette since transferring from Central Washington University.
Offensive miscues had a major impact on the game, as there were six turnovers on five interceptions and one fumble. A bad snap for ULV on a punt led to a 15-yard loss that also functioned as a turnover. Including the bad snap, 38 of the 45 points were scored following turnovers. Three of the touchdowns were on interceptions returned to the end zone. Genovia's winning touchdown was the only score that didn't involve a turnover.
Willamette trailed 14-0 and 21-17, but rallied on each occasion. The Bearcats led 17-14 at halftime and held the same lead entering the fourth quarter.
La Verne scored the game's first touchdown one play after Aidan Clinton intercepted a Willamette pass and returned it 20 yards to the 5-yard line. Jonathan Berus rushed for the touchdown and Max Jimenez kicked the extra point with 6:07 remaining in the first quarter. ULV's lead reached 14-0 just two plays later when WU quarterback Micah Ho'Omanawanui (Fy., Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) was intercepted by De Lante' Moore, who returned the pick 45 yards for a touchdown.
WU battled back to take the lead before halftime. Landon Waters (Jr., DB, Martinez, CA/Alhambra HS) set up the first score by intercepting ULV quarterback Trevor Tedesco at the Willamette 3-yard and returning the ball 35 yards on the first play of the second quarter.
An 8-yard pass from Ho'Omanawanui to Tyler Epefanio (Jr., WR, Spokane, WA/Lakeside HS) started the drive. Three plays later Ho'Omanawanui hit Epefanio on a 34-yard pass, as the Bearcats reached the La Verne 18. On 4th-and-5 at the 13-yard line, Camdin Dirnberger (Jr., PK, Missoula, MT/Sentinel HS) kicked a 30-yard field goal.
On the Leopards' next possession, punter Sean Garvey fielded a bad snap on fourth down and the 15-yard loss placed Willamette at the La Verne 22. Several plays later, Ho'Omanawanui completed his first touchdown pass as a college player, hitting Mason LaPlante (Fy. TE, Great Falls, MT/Great Falls HS) for a 9-yard score. Dirnberger's extra point pulled WU within 14-10 with 8:02 remaining in the first half.
La Verne's first offensive play following the kickoff was a pass by Andre Maldonado that was intercepted by Waters and returned for a 30-yard pick-six. Dirnberger tacked on the PAT to give Willamette a 17-14 advantage. At halftime, the Bearcats had 115 yards of total offense, while La Verne had 55 total yards.
The defenses continued to play well in the second half. Even so, Willamette finished the game with 271 total yards. The Bearcats limited the Leopards to just 157 total yards on the night.
Neither team scored in the third quarter and both teams scored one touchdown in the final period. Oscar Montenegro of La Verne set up the Leopards' touchdown by intercepting a pass at the WU 36 (no return) with 10:00 left in the game.
On the fourth play, Nicolas Garcia tossed a 22-yard touchdown pass to Juan Gutierrez with 8:49 on the clock. Jimenez kicked the extra point to provide ULV with a 21-17 edge.
Cahlil Hooper (Grad., Harbor City, CA/Culver City HS/San Jose State Univ.) returned the ensuing kickoff 22 yards for Willamette, giving the Bearcats control at their own 32-yard line. Herrera carried the ball on four consecutive plays, gaining eight yards on each of the first two carries, and producing five yards on each of the next two rushing attempts. On the fifth play, Genovia caught a screen pass from Ho-Omanawanui and scampered 42 yards for the touchdown with 6:55 to go. Dirnberger made the extra point, as Willamette retook the lead at 24-21.
Two possessions later, La Verne took over the ball at its own 11-yard line. The Leopards drove to the Willamette 18-yard line, where the Bearcats called timeout with 45 seconds left. The big play for La Verne was a 30-yard pass by Garcia to Gutierrez that went from the ULV 33 to the WU 37.
After the timeout, a holding penalty on La Verne moved the ball back to the 28-yard line. On 1st-and-20, Noah Reese (Fy., LB, Albany, OR/West Albany HS) sacked Garcia for a 4-yard loss. Garcia then spiked the ball to stop the clock. Another 4-yard sack was registered by the Bearcats as Sterling Hunkin (Fy., DL, Salt Lake City, UT/Kearns HS) forced a fumble and AJ Conrad (Sr., DL, Temecula, CA/Murrieta Valley HS) recovered the ball. Willamette ran one play to end the game.
For Willamette, Ho'Omanawanui was 10 for 23 passing for 120 yards and two touchdowns. He threw three interceptions. Max Grizzell (Fy., QB, Park City, UT/Park City HS), also playing in his first college game, was 1 for 1 in the air for 18 yards. Epefanio led the Bearcats with five catches for 57 yards. Genovia caught three passes for 56 yards and Luke Seymour (Sr., TE, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA/Palos Verdes Peninsula HS) hauled in one pass for 18 yards.
Tedesco of La Verne was 4 for 13 passing with one interception. Garcia completed 6 of 12 passes for 80 yards and one touchdown. Berus was ULV's top rusher with 36 yards on 12 carries. The Bearcats held the Leopards to 57 yards on 41 carries (1.4 yards per rush). Gutierrez grabbed seven passes for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Defensive leaders for Willamette included Waters, La'Akea Like (Sr., LB, Littleton, CO/Columbine HS) and Mason Polier (Jr., DL, Big Stone Gap, VA/Union HS/Western Carolina University). Waters scored on one of his two interceptions and provided the Bearcats with two solo tackles and one pass break-up. Like led all players with nine unassisted tackles, including one sack for a 10-yard loss. Polier registered four unassisted tackles. La Verne's defensive leaders were Montenegro and Moore, each with seven total tackles.
Willamette will play at Lewis & Clark College in a non-conference game on Saturday, Sept. 9. Game time at Griswold Stadium is set for 1 p.m. PDT.
