Bearcats Run Past Whitworth, 28-12, to Improve to 6-2 on Season
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Willamette University gained 407 total yards, including 310 yards on the ground, as the Bearcats moved past Whitworth University, 28-12, in wet conditions at the Pine Bowl in Spokane, Wash., on Saturday, Oct. 30. Terrell Malley (So., TB) led the Willamette rushing attack with 17 carries for 103 yards and one touchdown.
With the win, the Bearcats improved to 6-2 on the season, including 3-1 in the Northwest Conference. Whitworth fell to 4-4 overall, 1-3 in the NWC,
Willamette ran the ball 65 times for 310 yards and three touchdowns. The Bearcats averaged 4.8 yards per rush and and had 11 players carry the ball. Malley's rushing efforts resulted in his second 100-yard game of the season, while Jose Green (Sr., TB) added 12 carries for 73 yards and one touchdown.
Four of Green's six carries in the second half resulted in first downs, including one on 3rd-and-4 in the third quarter and one on 4th-and-1 in the final period. The third down conversion kept alive a 15-play drive for a field goal and a 22-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.
The fourth down pick-up occurred on WU's next possession. It didn't result in points, but it helped the Bearcats run the final four plays in a 15-play drive that ended on downs at the Whitworth 21 and consumed 10:16 off the clock.
On a day where the field conditions favored the team that kept possession and found a way to add points, freshman place-kicker Kyle Derby of Willamette played an important role. He converted 3 of 3 field goal attempts on kicks of 29, 22 and 22 yards.
His first field goal gave the Bearcats a 3-0 led with 3:40 left in the first quarter. It ended an 18-play, 61-yard drive that lasted 9:07 on the clock. The drive started with a 12-yard run by Malley and included a total of 13 running plays. It also featured four pass completions by sophomore quarterback Brian Widing -- one to each of four players for a total of 26 yards.
Willamette also scored on its next two possession to surge out to a 16-0 advantage. Green scored on a 2-yard run with 12:36 left in the second quarter. The touchdown run finished a 10-play, 85-yard drive. The extra point kick failed.
Malley added another 2-yard touchdown run several minutes later at the 9:54 mark. Derby kicked the PAT.
The touchdown by Malley occurred four plays after Dominic David (So., S) of Willamette intercepted Andrew DeFelice and returned the ball 29 yards to the Pirates' 6-yard line. A penalty brought the ball back the Whitworth 21.
Whitworth countered by bringing in Taylor Eglet at quarterback. The Pirates proceeded to drive 67 yards on 11 plays. Eglet threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Wade Meyer with 5:23 remaining in the half to cut Willamette's lead to 16-6. Ryan Dunton was stopped short on the conversion run.
The Bearcats kept the ball for just three plays before punting. Whitworth drove the ball from its own 18-yard line to the Willamette 2 and called timeout with 24 seconds left. Eglet threw incomplete on first and second down.
Eglet lobbed the ball toward a receiver in the end zone on third down, but Cody Pastorino (So., S) leaped up at the last moment to deflect the ball from the receiver's hands. Pastorino also grabbed the ball as it fell, stopping the Whitworth drive with an interception. WU led 16-6 at the break.
Ball control and defense allowed Willamette to control the second half. Willamette ran 36 times for 190 yards in the final two quarters and kept the ball for an impressive 24:10 over the final 30 minutes. The Bearcats finished the game with 41:22 in overall time of possession.
Widing was 10 of 12 passing for Willamette. He threw for 97 yards and did not have an interception. Despite the wet conditions and intermittent rain, the Bearcats had no turnovers during the game and neither team fumbled. The Pirates tossed two interceptions.
Whitworth finished the afternoon with 265 total yards, but gained only 88 yards in the second half. The Pirates achieved 61 of their yards on their final drive, which started with 1:26 remaining. Jake DeGooyer scored on a 39-yard pass from Taylor Eglet with four seconds left in the game.
Willamette held the Pirates to just 63 rushing yards on 20 carries. Eglet topped Whitworth with 36 yards on 10 rushing attempts. Eglet also went 12 of 25 passing for 173 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Dale Entel of Whitworth recorded a game-high six catches for 78 yards.
Harmon Bruno (Jr., OLB) earned seven total tackles to lead the Bearcats on defense. He had one tackle for a loss and broke up one pass. Ralph Pineda (Sr., ILB) provided Willamette with six total tackles.
Layton Brown (Sr., LB) ranked first on Whitworth's tackle chart with 13 total stops, including 10 solo tackles. Scott Carr (So., DB) added 11 tackles and Paul Werhane (Sr., LB) achieved 10 tackles.
Willamette will host Lewis & Clark College at McCulloch Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 6. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. (PDT).
For More Information:
Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110
