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Atherton, Calif. - Joel Clark threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jared Thomas on the first play of Whitworth College's second overtime possession to lift the visiting Pirates to a 41-35 win over Menlo College in a non-conference football game on Saturday afternoon at Connor Field.

Clark completed 23 of 32 passes for 325 yards with two touchdowns and one interception to lead the Pirates (4-1). He also ran 12 times for 48 yards and another score.

The final pass thwarted a Menlo comeback that saw the Oaks (1-4) rally from a 28-14 deficit with less than seven minutes to play. Menlo tied the game 28-28 when freshman QB Dustin Guglielmelli threw 15 yards to Russ Fukushima with only 19 seconds to play.

Menlo won the toss and elected to play offense first in overtime. The Oaks scored on Eddie Conner's three yard run to lead 35-28, Menlo's first lead of the game. Whitworth responded when Clark scampered five yards on a keeper to tie it 35-35.

The Oaks could not gain a first down on their second overtime possession. Guglielmelli's pass on 4th and 8 went through the hands of Kevin Lyle at the 10 yard line. Clark then hit Thomas on the Pirates' first play from scrimmage.

Whitworth scored on its first two possessions to lead 14-0 at halftime. Kyle Havercroft scored both on three yard runs to lift his season touchdown total to 10. But he left in the third quarter after a leg injury.

Guglielmelli, a true freshman in his first start from nearby Palo Alto, completed 27 of 51 passes for 358 yards with four touchdown passes and only one interception. He also led the Oaks in rushing with 95 yards on 14 carries.

Menlo outgained Whitworth 520-453, but could not score on its first five trips deep into Whitworth territory. They fell short on a fake field goal, missed another and turned the ball over on downs twice more. But once Guglielmelli hit Lyle on a 31-yard sideline streak to pull the Oaks within 14-7 at the end of the third quarter, Menlo would score on five of its final six possessions.

Clark's favorite receiver on Saturday was Thomas, who caught nine passes for 126 yards and one score. Kyle Snell caught the other TD and had five catches for 53 yards.

Marvin Stickel led the Oaks with nine catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Fukushima caught eight balls for 85 yards and a score.

Whitworth will return home to host Lewis & Clark College in a Northwest Conference game next Saturday. Menlo will play its second consecutive NWC opponent when the Oaks travel to second-ranked Linfield.

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