Complete stats and play by play

Spokane, Wash. - Kyle Havercroft led a strong Whitworth College running attack that controlled the clock and possession to help the NCAA Division III Pirates defeating NAIA Eastern Oregon 31-28 on a sunny Saturday afternoon in the Whitworth Pine Bowl.

The win keeps Whitworth undefeated in 2004 at 3-0, while Eastern Oregon drops its second straight to fall to 2-2.

Havercroft carried 26 times for 113 yards and a touchdown for Whitworth, leading a Pirate ground game that finished with 230 yards. The ground game was key for the Bucs, who churned out 21 first downs (12 on the ground) and held possession for 38:55 to Eastern's 21:05. That effort overcame the outstanding game of EOU's Justin Alsterlund, who finished with 185 yards on 17 carries and one score.

The Mountaineers led twice in the game. Their first lead came after they drove 68 yards in eight plays on their first possession to take an early 7-0 lead. Asterlund gave a glimpse of what was to come on Saturday when he netted 41 yards on Eastern's first play from scrimmage. Ryan Shimabukuro caught a four-yard pass from Scott Jensen to complete the drive.

Whitworth did not get on the board until Cameron Collings booted a career-best 53-yard field goal at 13:57 of the second quarter to pull Whitworth within 7-3.

The Pirates then shocked the Mountaineers with two touchdowns in the final 1:29 of the first half. Whitworth scored on a five-yard pass from Joel Clark to Pat Vestal with 1:29 to go in the second quarter, capping a 60 yard drive. On Eastern's first play, Jeremy Scroggins intercepted Jensen at the Mountaineer 29-yard line with 1:21 to go. Five plays later Clark scored on a QB draw with 13 seconds left in the half to give Whitworth a 17-7 lead at halftime.

Eastern came out on fire in the second half. Fullback Jimmy Hoffman scored on a one-yard plunge on the Mountaineers' first possession, capping a 62 yard drive, to pull EOU within 17-14. Whitworth drove into Eastern territory on the Pirates' next drive, but the Mountaineers sniffed out a fake punt on their own 38-yard line. Three plays later Alsterlund broke free for a 54-yard touchdown to give Eastern a 21-17 lead.

But Whitworth answered on its next possession, driving 83 yards in 12 plays. Clark scrambled and passed 13 yards to Mathew Johnson for the score, giving Whitworth a 24-21 lead with 13:28 to play.

After the Pirates got the ball back again, Whitworth went 52 yards in six plays to score again. Havercroft carried over from three yards to put the Pirates up 31-21 with 6:47 to go in the game. Chris Ahsing set up the score with a 36-yard burst to the Eastern nine-yard line.

The Mountaineers answered quickly, going 70 yards in ten plays and scoring on a three-yard pass from Jensen to Vernon Smith with 3:41 to play.

However, Whitworth was able to run out the rest of the clock by keeping the ball on the ground and gaining three first downs.

Whitworth evened the all-time series 15-15-2 against Eastern. The Pirates will now head to Oregon to take on 2nd-ranked Linfield College in McMinnville next Saturday. Eastern Oregon will head to NCAA Division II Central Washington University next Saturday.

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