SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Lewis & Clark Pioneers were unable to hold an early third-quarter lead against the No. 18 Whitworth Pirates in a 35-17 defeat at the Whitworth Pine Bowl on Saturday.
Dyontae Navarrette scored a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Pios a 14-10 lead in the early third period, his fifth rushing touchdown this season. In the first half, Elijah McGee caught a 23-yard TD from Cruz Montana to even the game at seven. Alex Koga added a 35-yard field goal in the third.
Lewis & Clark recovered three fumbles by Sam Meinhard, Ari Blemur and Ramsen Paz, but the Pioneers also committed five turnovers.
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Key Moments
Turnovers helped lead to a scoreless first quarter. The first three drives of the game ended with a fumble recovery. Whitworth starting quarterback Jaedyn Prewitt was sacked by Cameron Chang and fumbled on the opening drive. On the next Pirates series, Nicolas Lang sacked Prewitt and the ball belonged to Lewis & Clark again. In between, Navarrete fumbled after catching Montana's pass.
Prewitt left the game midway through the Pirates third possession and was replaced by Jacob Hogger. On the following series, Caleb Christensen went in at QB, and Whitworth scored on Solomon Hines' 4-yard touchdown to cap off a 16-play, 83-yard drive at the beginning of the second quarter. Christensen finished 28 fo 42 for 407 yards and two touchdowns including an 88-yard touchdown pass that gave Whitworth the lead in the mid-third quarter.
Lewis & Clark outrushed Whitworth, 195-99. Navarette had his second straight 100-plus yard day with 164 yards on 24 carries (6.8 yards per carry). Montana went 15 for 25 and 207 yards including the 23-yard TD throw to McGee. With 1:02 remaining in the first half, the Pios forced Whitworth to punt from their own 19, and Alvaro Campos-Ontiveros' punt went 31 yards. A 15-yard catch interference penalty gave the Pioneers the ball at the Whitowrth 35, and Montana found McGee three plays later. McGee finished with four receptions for 115 yards, followed by three catches apiece for Sean Bodi and Aidan Verba-Hamilton.
The opening drive of the second quarter for Lewis & Clark was a 9-play, 74-yard effort that Navarette capped off with a 2-yard score. Montana had three 10-plus yard completions on the drive, while Navarette had rushes of 13 and 15 yards.
The Pirates scored points on their next five possessions, while the rest of the Pioneers drives were either punts or turnovers except for Koga's field goal.
Deeper Look
- Whitworth's 35 points are its fewest against Lewis & Clark since the Pios last beat the Pirates in 2011 (30-22)
- Lewis & Clark was 2 of 11 on third down, while the Pirates converted 61% of theirs (11 of 18)
- The Pioneers sacked Whitworth five times and had nine total tackles for loss, two from Blemur
- Anakin Mares added two more pass break-ups and was the Pios leading tackler (12)
- Daniel Pham added seven tackles, while Makana LaBoy, Alex Hensley and Minehard had six apiece
- Evan Powers had a 25-yard run and finished with two carries for 29 yards
- Isaac Cordova had a 19-yard reception as one of his two catches
- Lewis & Clark committed just one penalty for five yards in the game
Looking Ahead
The Pioneers host Pacific Lutheran on Oct. 9.