SALEM, Ore. – Whitworth clinched a spot in the 2025 NCAA Division III football playoffs with a 29-0 win at Willamette University on Saturday while claiming at least a share of the Northwest Conference title.
The Pirates (7-2 overall, 6-0 NWC) posted their first shutout of the season and held the Bearcats (1-7, 0-6) to 134 yards of total offense.
After driving deep into Willamette territory on its first drive of the game, which took over nine minutes off the first quarter clock, the Pirates were stopped on fourth and one at the Bearcats' 12-yard line. Whitworth was still able to turn it into points when Willamette's shot gun snap sailed into the endzone and QB Alex Rivera touched his knee to the turf while scooping up the ball, leading to a safety.
Whitworth QB Logan Lacio was intercepted at Willamette's 29 on the Bucs' next possession and the Pirates' third drive ended in a punt. Then Whitworth's offense began to click. Lacio hit Chase Gomes with a four-yard touchdown pass to complete a 32-yard drive set up by a botched Willamette punt return. The Bucs led 9-0.
Later in the second quarter Iden Bone kicked his 13th field goal of the season, from 28 yards away, for a 12-0 lead. The Pirates went 51 yards in 11 plays.
Whitworth took a 19-0 lead into halftime after Luis Salgado sliced through the Willamette defense for a 17-yard touchdown run to complete an 84-yard drive.
Bone's 36-yard field goal was the only score of the third quarter. Lacio's four-yard scoring pass to Dietz with 5:42 left in the game completed the scoring.
Whitworth outgained the Bearcats 395-134 and had a 40:10 – 19:50 advantage in time of possession. The Pirates converted 25 first owns while allowing only seven in the game.
Drew Cody had a career-high 13 tackles to lead the Bucs. Omari Williams and Wyatt Hess each picked off a pass, while Luke McCorkle came away with a fumble recovery.
Salgado became the fourth player in school history to surpass 3,000 career rushing yards. He picked up 126 yards on 23 carries while scoring a touchdown. Lacio completed 26 of 31 passes for 197 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Dietz caught five passes for 30 yards and a score. Gomes caught his first touchdown pass of the season.
The Pirates will be playing in the NCAA playoffs for the third season in a row, a first for the program. The hold the tiebreaker over Linfield based on head-to-head results. Whitworth can clinch an outright Northwest Conference title with a victory over Puget Sound at the Pine Bowl in next Saturday's regular season finale.
