By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
FOREST GROVE, Ore. -- Dylan Hall (Jr., LB, Erie, CO/Peak to Peak Charter School) provided Willamette University with nine total tackles, including six solo tackles and two quarterback sacks, but Pacific University used a balanced offensive attack and strong defense, as the Boxers downed the Bearcats, 35-0, in the Northwest Conference opener for both teams. Pacific moved to 2-1 overall, 1-0 in the NWC, while Willamette fell to 2-2 on the season, 0-1 in the conference.
Hall was one of three Bearcats with eight or more tackles. Landon Waters (So., DB, Martinez, CA/Alhambra HS) and Hogan Smith (So., DB, Prineville, OR/Crook County HS) each contributed eight tackles. Smith also intercepted a pass and broke-up one pass. Rustin Williams led Pacific with five total tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. The Boxers registered 12.0 tackles for loss overall and earned 3.0 sacks.
Pacific rushed for 228 yards on 43 carries and scored two touchdowns on the ground. The Boxers added 186 passing yards for a total of 414 yards of offense. The Pacific defense held Willamette to 24 rushing yards on 26 carries and limited the Bearcats to 111 yards on seven pass completions. Willamette gained 135 total yards.
The Boxers scored two touchdowns in the first quarter. After kicking off to start the game and pinning Willamette at its own 13-yard line, Pacific forced the Bearcats to punt on the fourth play. Pacific took over at the Willamette 40-yard line and scored a touchdown six plays later on an 8-yard run by Dominic Funk with 9:13 on the clock. Caden Almer kicked the extra point to give Pacific a 7-0 lead. Almer kicked all five extra points for the Boxers.
Willamette started its second possession at the Bearcat 25-yard line, but had to punt on 4th-and-19 following a 6-yard sack on third down. George Wiles-Koehler (Fy., P, Monrovia, CA/St. John Bosco HS) kicked a 42-yard punt and Tyler Vargas returned the ball eight yards, placing the Boxers at the midfield stripe. Pacific drove 50 yards on seven plays, with Isaiah Pitre catching a 17-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Helt to finish the drive as the clock reached the 3:48 mark.
The Bearcats fumbled the ensuing kickoff at the WU 20-yard line, with Josiah Chaffin forcing the fumble and recovering the ball for the Boxers. On third down, a holding penalty dropped the Boxers back to the 23-yard line for 3rd-and-13. Helt was sacked by Hall at the WU 40. Almer attempted a 48-yard field goal on 4th down, but it was blocked by Willamette's Dom Torres (Sr., DT, North Salt Lake, UT/Woods Cross HS). Raymond Pasay (So., LB, Turner, OR/Cascade HS) recovered the ball for the Bearcats at the WU 23 and returned it seven yards to end Pacific's possession.
On the next drive by the Boxers, Smith intercepted a pass by Helt at the Willamette 10-yard line with 7:54 left in the second quarter. The play began as 3rd-and-8 at the Willamette 31, but Smith's pickoff ended an 11-play, 34-yard drive.
Willamette moved 51 yards from the WU 10 to the Pacific 39 on six plays, but had to punt on 4th-and-7. The Boxers responded with a 10-play, 80-yard drive for a touchdown with 55 seconds remaining in the half. The touchdown was scored by Vargas on a 25-yard pass from Helt. The drive also included a pair of 19-yard passes, one to Brody Bantolina and the other to Pitre. Pacific led 21-0 at the break.
The Boxers added two touchdowns in the third quarter to complete the scoring. Kash Taylor crossed the goal line on a 19-yard pass from Helt with 7:49 left in the quarter and Bantolina scored on a 61 yard running play with 57 seconds on the clock.
Aidan Kuykendall (Sr., QB, San Pedro, CA/Palos Verdes Peninsula HS/L.A. Harbor College) of Willamette completed 7 of 15 passes for 111 yards and one interception. Joseph Castillo (So., RB, Alta Loma, CA/Northview HS) hauled in three passes for 21 yards and Justin Genovia (Sr., WR, Aiea, HI/Iolani School) caught two passes for 44 yards. Thomas Wirth (Sr., RB, Basalt, CO/Basalt HS) added one catch for 28 yards.
Helt was 14 of 25 passing for Boxers, as he accumulated 170 yards through the air. Pitre led the Pacific receivers with five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown. Vargas grabbed three passes for 46 yards and one score. Bantolina rushed six times for 88 yards and a touchdown, while Taylor carried the ball 19 times for 66 yards.
The Bearcats will take on George Fox University on Saturday, Oct. 8 at McCulloch Stadium in an NWC game. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. (PDT).
