Boxers Stay In Game With Three 4th Qtr. Scores
TACOMA, Wash. – Pacific scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter of their rematch with Puget Sound, turning a potential rout into a close game as the Boxers fell to the Loggers 42-31 in Northwest Conference football action at Baker Stadium.
The Boxers (0-7, 0-5 NWC) trailed 35-10 at the end of the third quarter when things started falling into the place for the Pacific offense. T.C. Campbell (Fr., Kaimuki, Hawaii) found Jordan Fukumoto (Fr., Mililani, Hawaii) on a 20-yard pass and capped a three-minute, 60-yard drive with 13:13 to go to make it a 35-17 game.
After the Loggers scored their sixth touchdown of the game, the Boxers converted another pair of quick drives. Campbell found Brian Taylor (Fr., Lewiston, Idaho) on a 12-yard strike with 9:20 to go. Trevor Okamoto (Fr., Windsor, Colo.) then gave Pacific fans a chance for hope when he threw a 35-yard scoring pass to Jayson Fukumoto (Fr., Mililani, Hawaii) with 2:51 left to bring the Boxers within 11.
Pacific tried for one more chance on offense with an onside kick following the final touchdown, but the Loggers recovered and proceeded to run out the clock.
Campbell and Okamoto combined to throw for a season high four touchdowns and 309 yards as the Boxers finished with a total of 372 yards of offense, also a season high. Campbell completed 20 of 40 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Jordan Fukumoto led 10 Pacific players to catch balls, making four receptions for 72 yards.
Puget Sound (2-6, 1-5 NWC) was led by quarterback Duncan White, who completed 30 of 41 passes for 360 yards and four touchdowns. Adam Kniffin caught 14 balls for 133 yards and three touchdowns and Casey Larson rushed 12 times for 67 yards and a touchdown. The Loggers finished with 457 yards of total offense.
The Loggers opened the game by scoring the game's first three touchdowns. White completed five passes in the opening drive, capped by a 5-yard touchdown reception to Kniffin three minutes into the game. After stunting a Pacific drive that came into Puget Sound territory, White marched the Loggers 91 yards down the field and scored on one-yard pass to Kniffin to make it 14-0 at the 2:55 mark.
Larson had the Loggers' only rushing touchdown with 8:48 to go in the first half, connecting on a short 3-yard run to make 21-0. The Boxers appeared to have been stopped on their next series on a fourth down play at the Puget Sound 25-yard line, but a pass interference call gave Pacific first and goal. Campbell found Jake Toll (Fr., Forest Grove, Ore.) on a 10-yard pass for the Boxers' first score of the day.
Jon Lee (Sr., Kahalu'u, Hawaii) closed the half by hitting his first field goal since Sept. 18, easily connecting from 30 yards out to bring the Boxers within 21-10 at halftime.
Puget Sound's defense stopped Pacific's opening drive of the third quarter, holding the Boxers on fourth down at the Loggers' 36-yard line. The Loggers quickly converted when White again found Kniffin for a 6-yard touchdown pass to make it 28-10. Puget Sound needed just 3 minutes, 31 seconds to go 64 yards. Special teams then stepped up to open up the 35-10 lead when Justin Erickson blocked a punt at the Pacific 7-yard line, which Riley Neff-Warner collected and ran into the end zone.
The Loggers last score came with 11:50 left in the game when White found Thiesen Chang for an 18-yard touchdown strike.
With the score 42-31, the Boxers tried an onside kick to get the ball back, but the Loggers recovered the ball and then proceeded to turnover the ball on downs. The last Pacific chance truly ended when Erickson intercepted Okamoto with 1:03 to go.
Tim Hastie (Fr., Auberry, Calif.) led Pacific defensively with six solo tackles. Josh Beck (Sr., Prosser, Wash.) finished with 5.5 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss. Taylor Firman led Puget Sound with 6.5 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
Pacific will play its 2010 home finale next Saturday night when they host Pacific Lutheran at Lincoln Park Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Puget Sound finished the year on Nov. 13 at Whitworth.
