Box Score SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth dominated visiting Willamette statistically, but still required a late field goal from Iden Bone to secure a 24-14 win over the visiting Bearcats in a Northwest Conference football game on Saturday afternoon at the Pine Bowl.
The Pirates improved to 5-3 overall and clinched their 13th consecutive winning season under 13th-year head coach Rod Sandberg. The Bucs are also now 4-2 in the NWC heading into the season finale at Puget Sound next Saturday.
Whitworth celebrated Senior Recognition Saturday by using a senior-only formation to score the game's first touchdown just over five minutes into the first quarter. Senior QB Colin Fulton ran in from two yards away behind a line made up entirely of seniors for a 7-0 lead.
Nathan Owens, another senior, scored on a 75-yard touchdown run later in the first quarter despite losing a shoe near midfield. He was still able to outrace the defense for the Pirates' longest scoring play of the season and a 14-0 lead.
Willamette (1-8 overall, 0-6 NWC) cut the lead in half when Jerrick Little scored on a 28-yard run straight up the middle to cap an 88-yard possession for the Bearcats. Willamette gained more than half of its total offense for the game on that one drive.
The Pirates were able to increase the lead to 21-7 at halftime when Grant Spillman scored on a five-yard run with only 38 seconds left in the second quarter to cap an 88-yard drive.
Whitworth appeared on its way to increasing the lead in the third quarter when Willamette's Javi Rodriguez took the ball away from Spillman and went the other way for a 70-yard fumble return touchdown.
The Bearcats had multiple chances to tie the game when they forced a punt and then recovered fumbles near midfield twice in the fourth quarter They lost the ball on downs the first time and were forced to punt the second time.
Whitworth took that punt 75 yards for the game-clinching 29-yard field goal by Bone with 2:06 to go in the game. Hayden Throneberry intercepted a desperation pass with 1:23 to play at the Pirates' 24 yard line.
Whitworth outgained Willamette 375-146 and had an 18-8 advantage in first downs. Logan Lacio completed 21 of 28 passes for 199 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Carter Steinwand went 2 for 3 for 11 yards near the end of the first half while Lacio was shaken up.
Keagan Lime caught seven passes for 74 yards, while tight end Nate Peterson had four receptions for 47 yards. Kurt Solano had the bulk of the carries running for 51 yards on 12 attempts.
Whitworth's defense held Willamette to 11 passing yards. QB Diego Franco was 4 for 12 with one interception. Little ran for 125 yards on 23 carries and also caught three of the four passes.
Drew Cody had 11 tackles, including one for loss of four yards, to lead the Pirate defense. Throneberry had seven tackles to go with his interception. Lucas Reynolds and Dylan McCain each had a sack in the game.
