SPOKANE, Wash. – After racing out to a 31-0 halftime lead, the 23rd-ranked Whitworth Pirates came home with a 31-19 win over visiting Eastern Oregon in a non-conference football game on Saturday afternoon at the Whitworth Pine Bowl.
The Pirates improved to 2-0 while the Mountaineers fell to 0-2. Whitworth hosts Chapman University next Saturday in a rematch of the first round of the 2023 NCAA Division III playoffs.
Whitworth scored on all five of its first half possessions to grab the early lead. Ryan Blair threw a touchdown pass of 13 yards to Caelin Johnson to cap the first drive. After recovering a fumble at the EOU 38, Luis Salgado scored the Bucs' first rushing touchdown of the season three plays later.
Evan Liggett caught a four-yard fade route touchdown on the first play of the second period, then added a seven-yard touchdown reception five minutes later to increase the lead to 28-0. The Pirates were driving for a fifth touchdown at the end of the first half when an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty killed the drive and they ended up with a 44-yard field goal by Iden Bone.
Whitworth outgained EOU 289-161 before halftime.
But the Pirates left something in the locker room at halftime. Whitworth missed a 54-yard field goal on the first possession of the second half. Then the Bucs had to punt twice and lost the ball on downs twice over their next four possessions.
Meanwhile the Mountaineers found their offensive mojo thanks to the scrambling feet of QB Quincy Glasper, who turned apparent sacks into third down conversions several times in the second half. His five-yard pass to Walker Camp got EOU on the board midway through the third quarter, but the PAT was missed.
Glasper connected with Malachi Spurrier from nine yards out near the end of the third to cap a 94-yard drive that made the score 31-13. The Mountaineers cut the margin to 31-19 on a two-yard touchdown run by Brody Macmillan with six minutes left. Glasper was sacked on the two-point attempt. EOU was unable to recover the on-sides kick attempt in bounds.
After Whitworth gave up the ball on downs with 2:45 to play at the EOU 34, Daniel McKeirnan's interception on the ensuing play sealed the win for Whitworth. It was his third of the season.
Ryan Blair completed 17 of 27 passes for 211 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Renat Mamikanyan Jr. went 4-6 for 67 yards as a back up. Liggett, who was the Northwest Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts in last week's win at Gustavus Adolphus, increased his touchdown reception total to five this season. Johnson finished with four catches for 64 yards and a score, his second of the season. Salgado ran 24 times for 150 yards and a touchdown.
Glasper completed 28 of 48 passes for 283 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for 79 yards on 15 carries. Spurrier caught 11 passes for 121 yards.
Zach Brooks led the Pirate defense with 11 tackles and a pass breakup. Caleb Shawen added eight stops. Whitworth had four more sacks this week.
