SPOKANE, Wash. – On a day when both offenses struggled, visiting Pacific (Ore.) put together a 93-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to win 14-7 at Whitworth in a Northwest Conference football game in the Pine Bowl.
The Boxers (5-3 overall, 4-2 NWC) got their first win in Spokane since 2013. The Pirates (7-2, 4-2) saw their post-season hopes take a severe blow.
Neither team scored in the opening quarter, though Pacific had a chance for a field goal on its first possession but the snap went too high.
The Boxers got into the endzone early in the second quarter when Josh Harris scored on an 11-yard run to cap a 51-yard drive. Pacific converted a 4th and 10 from the 33 yard line one play earlier.
Whitworth answered with a 78-yard drive to tie the game. Jaedyn Prewitt completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jerusalem To'oto'o one play after Prewitt found Kanen Ables for 23 yards on third and 10.
Pacific had a chance to extend the lead late in the half after recovering a fumbled punt on Whitworth's 16 yard line. But the Pirate defense forced an incomplete pass on fourth down.
After a quiet third quarter for both teams, the Boxers began the game-winning drive from their own seven with 14:15 to play. They converted two third downs over 12 plays and went ahead when Josh Harris scored from two yards out.
Caleb Christensen took over at QB for Whitworth when Prewitt was injured late in the third quarter. The Pirates did not threaten until their final possession, moving from their own 24 to the Pacific 16, converting a 3rd and 10 and a 4th and 2 along the way. After getting first down at the 16, Pacific forced a two-yard loss on a run and three incomplete passes to get the ball back on downs with 47 seconds to play.
Whitworth finished with 235 yards of offense, a season-low. The Pirates threw for 177 yards and ran for only 58 yards. The Boxers gained 245 yards, 183 through the air and 62 on the ground. Pacific did have a 34:59 – 25:01 edge in time of possession.
Prewitt completed 14 of 20 passes for 128 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He was the only Pirate who ran effectively, finishing with 68 yards despite two sacks. Christensen was 5 of 14 for 49 yards.
Ables caught four passes for 37 yards and Jarvis Natividad had three for 43 yards. To'oto'o's touchdown catch was his second of the season.
Josh Harris, the top runner in the NWC, had 101 yards on 32 carries – an average of 3.2 yards per attempt. Kenyon Harris completed 15 of 27 passes for 183 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Ty Hargis caught five passes for 91 yards.
Jaylen Gonzales had eight tackles to lead the Pirate defense. RudyJay Keopuhiwa had seven stops, including a six-yard sack. Colton Chelin broke up three passes.
Michael Timmerman had ten tackles for Pacific and broke up a pass. The Boxers had four sacks.
Whitworth will complete the season at George Fox next Saturday. If the Pirates are able to defeat the Bruins, it creates a three-way tie for second place in the NWC standings between Whitworth, Pacific and George Fox, if Pacific beats PLU in its finale.
