SPOKANE, Wash. – For the second season in a row the Whitworth Pirates will take on the Linfield Wildcats with the Northwest Conference football title on the line in the regular season finale for both schools. This year the game is at Whitworth. Kickoff is scheduled for noon in the Pine Bowl. Check the online football schedule for live links.
Whitworth (9-0 overall, 6-0 NWC), ranked 10th in the AVCA Division III coaches poll and 16th in the D3football.com poll, won at George Fox 31-0 last Saturday. In its 2024 home finale, #14/17 Linfield rolled to a 38-10 win over Pacific Lutheran.
Tickets: Digital tickets are required for entrance to the Whitworth Pine Bowl for all fans. Tickets can be purchased in advance using the Hometown Ticketing App. Follow the link for access. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for senior adults, non-Whitworth students and children. Whitworth students get free admission by using a student ID number.
The Pirates: Whitworth got its second shutout of the season and earned its largest margin of victory in the series with last Saturday's 31-0 victory at George Fox.
The Pirates' defense limited the Bruins to 50 yards and no first downs in the first half. GFU finished the game with 134 yards and five first downs. The Bruins had only one extended drive and in that possession had first-and-goal at Whitworth's two-yard line. Micajah Weisner made a tackle for loss of five on first down. After an incomplete pass, Weisner and Zach Brooks stopped QB DeMonte Thomas II for no gain. On fourth down Thomas II was flushed from the pocket and Nathan Hummell tackled him at the line of scrimmage. Brooks had ten tackles and Weiser had eight stops. Chris Knutson made a game-changing play, jumping in front of a screen pass at the GFU four-yard line and waltzing into the endzone for a 14-0 lead in the final minute of the first half.
Whitworth's offense rolled up 458 yards, including 244 on the ground against the NWC's second-best running defense. But the Pirates had trouble getting on the scoreboard in the first quarter. The Pirates' first two possessions ended on downs, the initial drive at the Bruins' 12-yard line. Luis Salgado ran for 136 yards on 14 carries (9.7 ypc), while Kurt Solano picked up 83 yards and scored a rushing touchdown. Ryan Blair completed 29 of 40 passes for 214 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He has now thrown 32 touchdowns to only three picks. Evan Liggett caught 10 passes for 95 yards and one touchdown. He now has 17 touchdown receptions this season. Tight end Taylor Wells caught his second touchdown in as many games.
Iden Bone made a 24-yard field goal and had a 47-yard effort blocked. He also made all four PATs. Matthew Herzog punted twice for an average of 37.0 yards. Jake Gaffaney kicked off five times and Bone once.
Title on the Line: Saturday's game will determine the Northwest Conference title and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Last season the two teams were undefeated heading into the game and Whitworth rallied from a 24-14 fourth quarter deficit for a 28-24 win in McMinnville. The Pirates have put themselves in position to win back-to-back NWC championships for the first time since 2005 and 2006.
Team Captains: The Pirate team captains in 2024 are QB Ryan Blair and OG Jake Trost from the offense and ILB Zach Brooks and DT JT Muñoz from the defense. A special forces captain is selected on a week-by-week basis. Last week's special forces captain was Luke McCorkle.
Special Forces Captains, week-by-week: Sept. 7 – Luke Roberts; Sept. 14 – Ryan Kinney; Sept. 21 - Micajah Weisner; Oct. 5 – Dawson Tobeck; Oct. 12 – Chris Knutson; Oct. 19 – Trey Rose; Oct. 26 – Daniel McKiernan; Nov. 2 – Cameron Sheley; Nov. 9 – Luke McCorkle.
In the Polls: The Pirates remained in the same position in this week's AFCA Coaches poll (10th) but dropped one spot in the D3football.com poll to 16th.
Whitworth was picked second in the Northwest Conference preseason poll behind Linfield. The Wildcats received seven first place votes to only one for the Bucs.
It's Better to Take than Give: Whitworth's defense has been downright effective taking away the ball in 2024. Through nine games this season the Pirates have 22 takeaways, which is second in the NWC and ranks 11th in NCAA Division III. More importantly, Whitworth is second in the nation in turnover margin (22-3, or +2.11 turnovers per game). The Bucs are first in the NWC and rank 13th in Division III in fumbled recovered (10) and second in the NWC in pass interceptions with 12 (38th in DIII). Daniel McKeirnan, who earned first team All-NWC and led the Bucs in interceptions last season, has three in 2024.
Selfish with the Ball: On the flip side, the Pirate offense has been downright selfish with the ball. Whitworth leads all of NCAA Division III in turnovers lost with three. The Pirates gave up one interception in the first half of the season opener at Gustavus Adolphus and went 25 quarters without a turnover until the third quarter at Pacific. Whitworth is one of only three NCAA Division III teams not to have given up a fumble so far this season.
To Protect and to Serve: The Whitworth offensive line is a huge reason for the records broken and milestones attained in 2024. Dillon Helle (RT) and Patton Miller (C) were first team All-NWC honorees last season, while Jake Trost (RG) was an honorable mention selection. Along with returning starters Kiefer Furness (LT) and Jake McCabe (LG), the offensive line is playing at a high level. The Pirates lead the NWC in total offense per game (465.4) by a slim margin over Linfield but lead in yards per play (7.6) by a wide margin over the entire league. The offensive line has allowed only seven sacks in nine games (0.78 per game), which leads the NWC and ranks 18th in DIII.
Touchdown Machine: Evan Liggett has 17 touchdown receptions in 2024, which is second in all of NCAA Division III and more-than double any other player in the NWC. That total is also a new Whitworth record, breaking the mark of 15 set by former All-American tight end Michael Allen in 2005. He has caught 56 passes for 1078 yards, an average of 19.3 yards per reception, which leads the NWC. He became the first Pirate with 1,000 receiving yards since Garrett McKay in 2018. Liggett was a second team All-Northwest Conference honoree in 2023 when he caught seven touchdowns.
Surgical Precision: Ryan Blair has thrown the ball to devastating effect for Whitworth's opponents in 2024. He has completed 187 of 275 passes (67.2%) for 2541 yards with 32 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Blair threw 181 passes between his first and second interceptions of the season. He leads the NWC and is eighth in NCAA DIII in touchdown passes. Blair has broken Whitworth's single season record of 29, previously shared by Joel Clark (2005) and Ian Kolste (2016). His passing efficiency rating of 181.8 leads the NWC and ranks 17th in NCAA Division III.
Running Man: Luis Salgado has shot up the rankings for rushing yards over the last four weeks (759 combined yards). He now has 1150 yards this season (8th in NCAA Div. III) and is averaging 127.8 yards per game (7th in Division III). His average of 7.28 yards per carry is 8th in Division III. He is Whitworth's first 1,000-yard rusher since Duke DeGaetano ran for 1,001 yards in 2016 and is within distance of the Pirates' single-season record of 1,293 set by Damion Putney in 1999.
Inside Man: Zach Brooks, Whitworth's inside linebacker, is proving his worth in 2024. Brooks leads the NWC, and ranks tenth in Division III, in tackles per game (11.0). He has 99 tackles in 2024. The next closest total in the NWC is 75. Brooks, who was a first team All-NWC honoree in 2023, has led Whitworth in tackles in eight out of nine games of the season.
11th Heaven: With the win over Puget Sound on October 19th, Whitworth clinched its 11th consecutive winning season under head coach Rod Sandberg. That extended the longest streak of winning campaigns in school history. The previous long streak of seven was set between 1959 and 1965.
Above Water: The Pirates' all-time record in football now stands at 427-418-18. This season Whitworth moved above the .500 mark in all-time won-loss record for the first time since the Bucs were 32-31-2 before the start of the 1929 season.
Whitworth won its 100th game in 1959, during Heritage Gallery member Sam Adams' second season. The 200th victory came in 1981 under Bruce Grambo and the 300th win came in 2006 when John Tully led the Pirates to an 11-1 finish. Whitworth won for the 400th time in school history on October 16, 2021 vs. PLU. It took 55 years to get the 100th win, 22 more to get to 200 and 25 to get to 300. It took Whitworth only 15 years to get to 400.
In 1997 Whitworth's record in football was 248-337-18, 89 games under .500. Since that point Whitworth is 179-81.
Winning the Opener: Following the win at Gustavus Adolphus on Sept. 7, Whitworth has won nine of its 11 season-openers under head coach Rod Sandberg. The Pirates are 5-1 at home and 4-1 on the road. Whitworth's only season-opening losses under Sandberg came in 2016 and 2022.
On the Internet: This season Whitworth's games air live on the internet at WhitworthPirates.com. Inland Northwest Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Bud Nameck, familiar in Spokane as the KXLY channel 4 sports director for over 20 years and the longtime host of the KXLY 920am Morning News, is in his tenth season as the voice of the Pirates in 2024. He was the voice of Washington State University men's basketball for 22 years and spent that same amount of time on the Cougar football broadcasts – the final three on play by play. He is a longtime resident of the Inland Northwest who began his career as the Sports Information Director and radio voice of Gonzaga University basketball and baseball in the 1980s.
The Head Coach: Now in his 11th season, Rod Sandberg has entrenched himself in the Whitworth and NCAA record books as the Pirates' head football coach. Sandberg has guided the Pirates to an 83-22 record over that span, including three appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs (2015, 2018 and 2023). He is in second place in total victories in school history and no Pirate coach reached 50 victories as quickly as Sandberg. Sandberg's winning percentage of .771 is the best among Whitworth coaches with at least five seasons and currently ranks among the top 10 active coaches in all of Division III. He coached the Pirates to the fourth unbeaten regular season in school history (9-0) in 2018 and repeated that accomplishment last season. The Bucs' 15-game winning streak, counting the final five games of 2017 and the first ten of 2018, is the second-longest in school history. Whitworth was 6-4 in 2014, Sandberg's first season, the best first-year record for a Pirate football coach since Rod Enos led the team to a 6-3 mark in 1965. Sandberg spent 19 seasons on the defensive staff at Wheaton College (Ill.), including the last 11 as defensive coordinator. Wheaton made the NCAA Division III playoffs five times during Sandberg's tenure as defensive coordinator. The team never lost a first round playoff game and reached the Division III semifinals in 2008 and quarterfinals in 2003. Sandberg's 2007 and 2013 squads led the Collegiate Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, regarded as one of the strongest football leagues at the Division III level, in scoring defense. The Thunder were second in the league in scoring defense five other times.
Sandberg wins in 100th game: Rod Sandberg coached his 100th game at Whitworth on Oct. 5 at Pacific Lutheran. Only John Tully, who went 131-103 in 24 seasons as Pirate head coach, reached the 100-game plateau at Whitworth.
The Wildcats: Linfield rolls into Saturday's game 8-1 overall and 6-0 in the NWC, leading the league in both scoring offense (47.9 ppg) and scoring defense (11.2 ppg). The Wildcats are second in offensive yards per game (454.1) and first in yards allowed per game (239.7). Linfield is ranked 14th in the AFCA coaches poll and 17th in the D3football.com poll. The Wildcats have won seven in a row, including last Saturday's 38-10 thrashing of third place Pacific Lutheran.
Joseph Smith, a life-long Wildcat, is in his 19th season as Linfield's head coach. He carries a 164-30 record into Saturday's game. Smith previously served as a Wildcats' assistant coach for 13 seasons, including seven years as the defensive coordinator. Smith graduated from Linfield in 1993 after earning NAIA All-America honors (second team) as a corner back.
The Wildcats are explosive on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Blake Eaton has completed 67.1% of his passes for 1965 yards with 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Luke McNabb has played both QB and running back this season, rushing for 368 yards and 12 touchdowns, while passing for 503 yards with eight touchdowns and no interceptions. The pair has a deep and talented receiving corps to throw to. Five different receivers have caught between 28 and 32 passes. Connor Wolfe is one with 30 receptions for 446 yards and six touchdowns. On defense, All-American LB Blake Rybar has 62 tackles, including 9.0 tackles for losses of 54 yards. Sophomore DE Caleb Sell leads the NWC in tackles for loss (12.0 – 68 yards) and sacks (9.5 – 62 yards). Corner back Chance Sparks leads the conference with five interceptions to go along with 20 tackles, and he is also a dangerous receiver on the other side of the ball.
Last week the Wildcats outgained PLU 376-293, holding the Lutes to six yards rushing. They picked off four PLU passes and had four sacks. McNabb earned the NWC's offensive player of the week honors by running for 73 yards and two scores and passing for 101 yards and a touchdown. Eaton completed 10 of 14 passes for 172 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Wolfe caught four passes for 48 yards and a score. Sparks made five tackles, intercepted a pass and caught two passes on offense for 53 yards and a touchdown.
Last Season: Whitworth rallied from a 24-14 fourth quarter deficit to defeat #4/#8 Linfield 28-24 on the road in a game that decided the Northwest Conference title, the league's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs and ended the Wildcats' 33-game NWC winning streak.
Austin Ewing fired a five-yard touchdown pass to Evan Liggett with 29 seconds to play to complete a game-winning 75-yard drive that took 14 plays. Ewing completed 37 of 52 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for a touchdown, but had to survive three interceptions. Liggett had five catches for 53 yards and his game-winning score. Caelin Johnson caught five passes for 41 yards, with four of those receptions converting first downs. Luis Salgado caught seven passes for 37 yards and ran for 25 yards on nine attempts. Whitworth finished with 368 yards of total offense.
The Pirate defense bounced back from a shaky start after Linfield scored on its first two possessions. Whitworth settled down and limited the Wildcats to ten points over their next nine drives. Zach Brooks had ten tackles, including a three-yard sack, and recovered a fumble to lead the defense. JT Muñoz made six stops, including a key tackle for loss, and broke up a pass at the line of scrimmage. Caleb Shawen made five stops and forced a fumble.
The Series: Linfield leads the overall series 40-7-2. The Pirates ended an 11-game losing streak to the Wildcats in 2018. Linfield won the last game played in Spokane 35-17 in 2022. The first meeting was a 13-13 tie in 1952. Linfield's largest margin of victory was 61-0 in 1966, while Whitworth's largest win was 41-13 in 1954. The Wildcats once had a 14-game winning streak in the series that ended in 2005. The Pirates have won consecutive games in the series once, in 2005 and 2006.
Coming up next: The field for the NCAA Division III playoffs will be announced at 2:00 pm (PST) on Sunday, Nov. 17.
