SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth exploded for six second quarter touchdowns to roll past visiting Puget Sound 63-21 in a Northwest Conference football game on Saturday at the Pine Bowl.
The Pirates (5-0 overall, 3-0 NWC) clinched their 10th straight winning season under head coach Rod Sandberg, extending the school record for most winning years in a row.
Luis Salgado led the way, running only five times for 119 yards and three touchdowns.
Puget Sound (2-3 overall, 1-2 NWC) got out fast, taking the opening kickoff down the field with ease. Whitworth's defense stiffened inside the ten, but quarterback Mason Binning hit Tommy Milton with a four-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to complete a 12-play, 75-yard possession.
It took the Bucs less than a minute to tie the game. Salgado ran 15 yards for a touchdown, set up by a 40-yard pass completion from quarterback Austin Ewing to Cameron Sheley.
The Loggers appeared primed to retake the lead after going back down the field on their next drive. But running back Solo Hines blocked a short field goal attempt.
That started the onslaught as Whitworth would score eight consecutive touchdowns. Salgado ran for two more scores, including a 71-yard burst and a 19-yard run. In between, Hines ran one yard for a touchdown and caught a short pass before going 18 yards to score.
Then Dillon Kuk got into the action. The NWC co-leader in touchdown receptions caught a 49-yard bomb and a 20-yard touchdown in the final minute of the half to give Whitworth a 49-7 lead at halftime.
With Ewing out of the game at halftime, Ryan Blair capped Whitworth's first drive of the second half with a nine-yard touchdown run, increasing the lead to 56-7.
After Puget Sound gained 140 yards on its first two drives, the Loggers were mostly held in check the rest of the way. Whitworth finished with a 465-335 edge in total offense.
Binning scrambled 12 yards for a UPS touchdown in the third quarter, then he threw a four-yard touchdown to Izaiah Jerenz in the fourth quarter, getting the Loggers within 56-21.
Nathan Owens, Whitworth's fourth-stringer at running back, scored late on a 13-yard run for the game's final tally.
The Pirates rushed for a season-high 299 yards on 40 carries (7.5 yards per carry). Owens finished with 60 yards and Hines had 43. Ten different Pirates had positive running yards in the game.
Ewing completed 8 of 12 passes for 166 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Whitworth only threw 13 passes all day. Kuk caught three of those balls for 78 yards and two scores, lifting his season touchdown total to eight.
Whitworth's defense pressured Binning throughout, finishing with eight sacks for 54 yards and 11 total tackles for loss. There were also seven more QB hurries. Dylan Owen was in on 2.5 sacks for 19 yards. Ryan Kinney had a team-high eight tackles, while Dylan Ventress had seven. Luke McCorkle had his first career interception late in the game.
Binning completed 23 of 44 passes for 274 yards with two touchdowns. Hayden Teeter threw the late interception. Jerenz, the NWC leader in receptions and receiving yards, had 14 catches for 160 yards with one touchdown. Henry Hernandez ran 14 times for 57 yards to lead the running game.
Whitworth will play a second straight home game next Saturday when Pacific (Ore.) visits for a Northwest Conference contest.
