McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Iden Bone's 37-yard field goal with 2:24 to play in the game clinched a 30-20 win for visiting Whitworth at 24th-ranked Linfield in a Northwest Conference football game on Saturday at Maxwell Field.
The Pirates (4-2 overall, 3-0 NWC) earned their second straight win at "the Catdome."
Whitworth quarterback Logan Lacio completed 24 of 38 passes for 275 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for the Pirates' go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Running back Luis Salgado ran for 119 yards on 27 carries and converted several third downs in the fourth quarter.
The Whitworth defense shut out the Wildcats in the second and fourth quarters and withstood the efforts of Linfield QB Luke McNabb. McNabb threw for 303 yards and one touchdown while running for 74 yards and two scores. But the Pirates shut down everyone else and got two big takeaways.
The first caused-turnover came at the end of Linfield's first possession when Trey Rose dispossessed a Linfield receiver from the ball and Hunter Letteer recovered the fumble and Whitworth's 13-yard line. The Bucs then went 78 yards in 11 plays and got Bone's first field goal of the game from 26 yards.
The Wildcats answered with a 62-yard drive that culminated in McNabb's 16-yard scramble for a touchdown after he avoided a heavy rush.
Bone's second field goal early in the second quarter cut the margin to one point. After forcing consecutive three-and-outs by the Wildcats, the Pirate offense got its first touchdown when Lacio hit Caleb Northcroft for a six-yard scoring pass. Northcroft made an acrobatic effort, turning 180 degrees at the last second and pulling the ball in with one hand.
The Pirates got another stop and scored again, this time a 24-yard touchdown pass to Tyson Hoke when Lacio was able to absorb the pressure of Linfield's all-out blitz and Hoke burned his defender to get wide open with less than a minute to play in the half.
Whitworth led 20-7 at halftime thanks to a key play by the special teams. Chris Knutson got around the end of the line to get a finger on Gavin Dalziel's 40-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter, causing it to miss wide right.
Showing resolve, the Wildcats took the second half kickoff and went 75 yards in only five plays to pull within one score. McNabb found Kai Laukkanen open over the middle and the play went 50-yards for a touchdown.
Whitworth was able to move the ball to midfield on its first drive, but three straight incomplete passes forced a punt from Linfield's 41-yard line. The ball skirted into the endzone for a touchback. The Wildcats then drove 80 yards, converting four third downs, to score on McNabb's seven-yard, third down run. The game remained tied when Ryen Borcher's blocked the extra point.
That special teams play turned the tide back in Whitworth's favor. The Pirates went 71 yards on a scoring drive that spanned the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth. Lacio rolled right on second down and outraced the Linfield defense to the corner of the endzone to put the Bucs back ahead 27-20 with 13 minutes left in the game.
The defense held and forced a punt. Whitworth then used seven and a half minutes to go 55 yards on 12 plays. Salgado ran the ball ten times on the drive and converted three first down runs. That set up the game-clinching field goal by Bone.
Knutson iced the game with his second interception of the season on Linfield's next possession.
Whitworth outgained Linfield 410-405 and had a 36:03 – 23:57 advantage in time of possession.
Hoke caught seven passes for 101 yards and a score while Northcroft had four receptions for 52 yards and a score. Tight end Taylor Wells also had four pass catches as Lacio spread the ball around to eight different receivers.
Letteer, Drew Cody and Wyatt Hess had seven tackles each to lead the defense. Hess broke up a pair of passes. Lane Watkins and Luke Jacobson each recorded a sack.
Whitworth will return to Oregon next weekend to take on Lewis & Clark (5-1, 2-1).
