By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
NEWBERG, Ore. -- Gabriel Herrera (Jr., RB, San Jose, CA/Adrian C. Wilcox HS/Foothill College) of Willamette University carried the ball 13 times for 110 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown, as the Bearcats played George Fox University on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Stoffer Stadium. The night game began with Willamette scoring a field goal for a 3-0 lead, but George Fox led 28-3 at halftime and the Bruins went on to win the game 63-10.
Willamette started the game with an impressive 15-play drive that covered 69 yards. Late in the drive, a holding penalty on the Bruins moved the ball from the GFU 13 to the 6-yard line. Quarterback Jack McCarty (Fy., Keizer, OR/McNary HS/Lewis & Clark College) threw three incomplete passes and Camdin Dirnberger (Jr., PK, Missoula, MT/Sentinel HS) concluded the drive with a 25-yard field goal.
George Fox countered with a nine-play, 89-yard drive to take a 7-3 lead. The drive included a 39 yard pass from DeMontre Thomas II to Elias Polanski that advanced the ball from the GFU 32 to the WU 29. Five plays later, Logan Candanoza scored for the Bruins on a 1-yard run. Mikey Goforth kicked the extra point with 4:40 left in the first quarter.
The Bruins added three touchdowns in the second quarter. Taylor Saben scored on an 18-yard run with 11:29 on the clock. River Osen crossed the goal line on a 52-yard pass from Thomas II with 8:52 to go in the half. Logan Klopfenstein hauled in a 41-yard touchdown pass from Thomas II with 40 seconds left before halftime. Ben Rembisz kicked all three extra points.
At the start of the second half, George Fox picked up a first down at its own 39-yard line, but WU gave up just five yards on the next three plays. The Bruins punted and Willamette took over at the Willamette 35-yard line following a kick catch interference penalty against GFU.
On WU's third play from scrimmage after the punt, Herrera scampered 56 yards to the end zone. Dirnberger kicked the PAT to pull the Bearcats within 28-10 with 10:46 remaining in the third quarter.
George Fox scored two touchdowns later in the third quarter and three TDs in the fourth quarter. All of the Bruins' touchdowns in the second half were scored on the ground.
Herrera's 110 rushing yards led Willamette's offense. His 13 rushing attempts did not include a single carry for negative yards. McCarty was 14 of 33 passing for 78 yards and one interception. It was WU's only turnover and did not lead to a score. Seth Beach (Sr., QB, Kailua-Kona, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) completed 3 of 6 passes for 21 yards.
In addition to his efforts on the ground, Herrera led the Bearcats with five catches for 23 yards, giving him 133 yards of total offense. Jerrick Little (Fy., RB, West Valley City, UT/East HS) caught three passes. WU punter George Wiles-Koehler (So., P, Monrovia, CA/St. John Bosco HS) averaged 35.4 yards on seven punts.
Thomas II was 20 of 33 on passing plays for the Bruins for 278 yards and two touchdowns. Williams Moffitt topped the GFU rushing attack with eight carries for 71 yards and one score. Candanoza rushed three times for 63 yards and two touchdowns. The Bruins gained 345 rushing yards during the game, including 293 yards in the second half.
Dillan Dobbins led GFU's receivers with five catches for 54 yards. Osen grabbed four passes for 77 yards, while Polanski achieved three receptions for 56 yards. Goforth punted for GFU and averaged 39.7 yards on three punts.
Michael Valtierra (Sr., DL, Culver City, CA/Brentwood HS) registered nine total tackles for Willamette. Orion Woods (Jr., LB, Morgan Hill, CA/Ann Sobrato HS/Foothill College) added eight tackles. Raymond Pasay (Jr., LB, Turner, OR/Cascade HS) earned six tackles -- all unassisted -- and broke up a pass. For GFU, Nash Wylie recorded nine total tackles.
The Bearcats will take on the University of Puget Sound on Saturday, Oct. 28. Kickoff at McCulloch Stadium is set for 1 p.m. PDT.
