By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Wide receiver Matthew Fiesta (Grad., Waipahu, HI/Waipahu HS/Whitworth Univ.) scored a touchdown on a 64-yard pass from Willamette University quarterback Micah Ho'Omanawanui (Fy., QB, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) on Saturday, Oct. 14 against Pacific Lutheran University at McCulloch Stadium. The touchdown by Fiesta tied the game at 7-7 with 8:33 left in the first quarter, but Willamette committed eight turnovers during the rest of the game, as the Lutes defeated the Bearcats, 62-7.
Pacific Lutheran improved to 3-3 on the season and to 2-1 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette moved to 1-5 overall, 0-3 in the NWC.
Fiesta caught two passes overall for 67 yards. He also returned seven kickoffs for 145 yards for an average of 20.7 yards per return. Ho'Omanawanui was 6 of 12 for 125 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions before he left the game in the third quarter with an injury. Justin Genovia (Sr., WR, Aiea, HI/Iolani School) hauled in three passes for 42 yards. Cahlil Hooper (Grad., rB, Harbor City, CA/Culver City HS/San Jose State Univ.) rushed 13 times for 33 yards, while Steven Wright (So., RB, Hesperia, CA/Apple Valley HS) carried the ball eight times for 27 yards.
Also for the Bearcats, punter George Wiles-Koehler (So., P, Monrovia, CA/St. John Bosco HS) kicked seven times for 254 yards, as he averaged 36.3 yards per punt with one punt inside the 20-yard line. Pacific Lutheran punter Andrew Comito averaged 34.5 yards on two punts. He also had a punt blocked by Judah Ali'ifua (Fy., DB, Salem, OR/West Salem HS).
Cole Sargent of PLU kicked all eight extra points for the Lutes and made field goals of 29 and 22 yards in the second half. His only field goal attempt of the first half was a 37-yarder that was blocked by Manu Faleola (Fy., DB, Taylorsville, UT/Taylorsville HS). Camdin Dirnberger (Jr., PK, Missoula, MT/Sentinel HS) kicked Willamette's extra point.
PLU scored on the first possession of the game, when the Lutes drove 78 yards on 10 plays. Quarterback Darius Chaffin completed 6 of 7 passes during the drive, including passes of 14 yards and 11 yards before he connected with Thor Stepina on a 30-yard touchdown strike. After WU tied the game, Chaffin led the Lutes on a 7-play, 72-yard drive to take a 14-7 lead at the 5:39 mark of the first quarter. The drive ended with a 5-yard touchdown run by Raysen Montoyama.
Each team committed a turnover shortly after Montoyama's score. The turnovers left Willamette in a 1st-and-10 at the PLU 42-yard line. The Bearcats drove to the 7-yard line on the strength Hooper's running, as he carried the ball four times on the first six plays for a total of 25 yards, including gains of 12 yards and 11 yards. His 11-yard run brought the ball to the PLU 7. On the next play, Hooper carried the ball and was forced into a fumble by Jese Canda at the 4-yard line, where Kaysen Higa recovered for the PLU with 16 seconds to go in the first quarter.
Pacific Lutheran led 28-7 at halftime and continued to pull away in the second half. Overall, the Lutes scored 34 points off turnovers. PLU had just one turnover.
Chaffin was 22 of 28 passing for the Lutes as he threw for 242 yards and four touchdowns. Stepina led the PLU receivers with seven catches for 100 yards and one touchdown. Manuel Felan caught four passes for 46 yards and one score. Running back Noah Palitz gained 51 yards on two carries. Montoyama rushed for 49 yards on nine carries.
Landon Waters (Jr., CB, Martinez, CA/Alhambra HS) topped the WU defensive stats with 10 total tackles, on nine unassisted stops and one assist. He also broke up two passes and recorded one tackle for loss. Faleola, Ali'ifua, and La'Akea Like (Sr., LB, Littleton, CO/Columbine HS) each supplied the Bearcats with six tackles. All of Like's tackles were solo stops, while five of Faleola's tackles and three of Ali'ifua's tackles were unassisted. Michael Valtierra (Jr., DL, Culver City, CA/Brentwood HS) registered three tackles for loss, including 2.0 sacks for 27 yards, while making five total tackles.
Canda and Nico Golla led PLU with seven tackles apiece. Canda and Golla each also forced two fumbles. In addition, Canda intercepted a pass and recorded one pass break-up. Higa accumulated six total tackles and recovered two fumbles.
Willamette is set to play at George Fox University on Saturday, Oct. 21 in Newberg, Oregon. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. PDT.
