PUYALLUP, Wash. – Drew Cody had a career-high 14 tackles and Nathan Owens rumbled 33 yards for a game-clinching touchdown to lift visiting Whitworth to a 33-24 see-saw win over Pacific Lutheran on Saturday afternoon at Sparks Stadium.
The Pirates (4-3 overall, 3-2 NWC) broke a two-game losing skid and won their 15th consecutive NWC road contest. The Lutes (3-5, 2-3) lost their second straight game.
Whitworth led 10-0, fell behind 17-10, went ahead 20-17, fell behind again 24-20, then scored the final 13 points of the game.
Hayden Throneberry's 44-yard punt return to the Lutes' 16-yard line set up the Pirates' first touchdown. Logan Lacio hit Tyson Hoke with an eight-yard pass to get the Bucs on the scoreboard. After forcing another PLU punt, Whitworth got three more points when Iden Bone kicked the first of four field goals, from 21 yards away. However, the Pirates missed an opportunity for a touchdown after having first and goal at the one-yard line.
Then PLU's offense caught fire behind first-year QB Dallas So'oto. He drove the Lutes to the Pirates' five before Whitworth's defense stiffened and an offensive pass interference penalty cost PLU a touchdown. The Lutes got a 36-yard field goal from Caleb Moberg.
Lacio was intercepted at the PLU 32-yard line on Whitworth's next play. One play later Darius Sum broke through the middle for a 68-yard touchdown run. Then the Pirates were forced to punt and PLU's David Castleberry got a hand on the ball, limiting the distance to 17 yards. The Lutes then went 63 yards in 12 plays. On third and goal at the Whitworth 10, So'oto escaped a sure sack and hit Connor Meade for a touchdown to put the Lutes ahead.
With only 1:09 left in the half, Whitworth still had time to drive 53 yards in nine plays, getting a 39-yard field goal from Bone as time expired to pull within 17-13 at halftime.
Both teams punted on their opening possessions of the second half. Just like in the first half, Throneberry set the Pirates up with a 46-yard punt return to the PLU nine-yard line. One play later Grant Spillman ran in from nine yards away to give Whitworth a 20-17 lead.
PLU answered with a 70-yard drive, its longest of the game, getting a 14-yard pass from So'oto to Ha'aheo Felipe to retake the lead 24-20 after the extra point.
It took the Pirates two possessions to retake the lead. First Whitworth went 60 yards in 15 plays, using almost nine minutes of clock, before Bone converted a 37-yard field goal to pull the Bucs within 24-23 just before the end of the third quarter. A quick PLU three and out allowed Whitworth to take over the ball near midfield. After getting to the Lutes' 23-yard line, Lacio was sacked for a loss of seven. No issue for Bone, whose 47-yard field goal gave Whitworth a 26-24 lead with 12:09 to play.
Looking to see-saw back in front once again, PLU moved to the Whitworth 19-yard line. On first down a bad snap led to a loss of 14 yards. Then on third down So'oto was sacked for a loss of 14 yards, moving the Lutes completely out of field goal range.
Whitworth took over at its own 20 after a short punt. The Pirates then went 80 yards in only six plays. Owens had three runs on the drive, totaling 59 yards. The final 33 came on a run straight up the middle that went for a touchdown with 3:17 left in the game.
Omari Williams and Ryen Borchers came up with interceptions on PLU's final two possessions to secure the win.
Lacio completed 25 of 34 passes for 224 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Owens finished as the team's leading rusher with 62 yards on only five carries. Keagan Lime caught nine passes for 93 yards, several to convert third downs into fourth downs. Hoke's touchdown reception was his team-leading fourth of the season.
Sum ran for 130 yards for PLU. So'oto completed 31 of 44 passes for 252 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Meade caught nine passes for 81 yards.
Cody led Whitworth's defense with a career-best 14 tackles. He was in on a tackle for loss and broke up two passes. Williams added 11 tackles to go with his first interception of the season. Throneberry had eight stops in addition to his big day returning punts.
The Pirates return to host Willamette in the final home game of the season next Saturday.
