Complete Box and Play by Play

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth College took control of the game by halftime and then cruised to a 48-10 victory over visiting Menlo College in a non-conference football contest on a sunny Saturday afternoon before 1,750 Parents' weekend fans in the Whitworth Pine Bowl.

The Pirates (4-2), thanks to four second quarter touchdowns, led 35-3 at halftime. In addition, Whitworth had a 342-160 halftime edge in total offense over the Oaks (0-7), who will become affiliate Northwest Conference members in football in 2006.

Michael Allan caught two touchdown passes

Junior quarterback Joel Clark completed 11 of 16 passes for 239 yards and three touchdowns. For the second straight week he did not throw an interception. Tight end Michael Allan caught five passes for 156 yards and two scores, including an 85 yard touchdown right before halftime. Whitworth also ran for 203 yards, led by Chris Ahsing, who carried 15 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

Menlo quarterback Adam Hazel completed 25 of 45 passes for 295 yards. He was intercepted twice. Eddie Eyo caught eight of the passes for 128 yards. Menlo did not establish any running game, finishing with seven yards on 24 carries.

Whitworth scored on all five of its first half possessions to take the big lead into the locker room. Ahsing completed the first drive of the game with a four yard touchdown run, set up by his own 37 yard carry into Menlo territory. After the Oaks drove deep into Whitworth territory and missed a 32 yard field goal, the Pirates went 80 yards to score again on Kyle Havercroft's two-yard carry.

Jay Tully intercepted Hazel at the Menlo 34 yard line the next time the Oaks touched the ball, and it only took the Pirates four plays to score from there when Clark found Allan from 27 yards away on fourth down.

Menlo got on the board after driving 67 yards to the Pirates' three yard line. After a pass interference penalty gave Menlo a first and goal at the Whitworth two, the Pirate defense stiffened and the Oaks had to settle for a 21 yard field goal by Brandon Gresham. Whitworth then drove quickly and scored when Clark found back up tight end Drew Griggs over the middle for a 22 yard touchdown. It was Griggs' first touchdown of his career.

Whitworth held Menlo on downs with 1:21 to play in the second quarter at the Pirates' 13 yard line. After Menlo called time out on third and six, Clark found Allan open over the middle at the Menlo 40 and Allan outran the Oaks' secondary to score an 82 yard touchdown with only 26 seconds to play before halftime.

Ahsing scored his second touchdown of the day, a one yard plunge, in the third quarter and back up quarterback Zach Henningsen found Kyle Snell on a 21 yard corner pattern early in the fourth quarter to give the Pirates a 48-3 lead.

Justin Rundle has seven tackles and two sacks

Menlo finally found the endzone when Eddie Conner plowed over from the one yard line on fourth down with 6:51 to play in the game.

Whitworth's defense forced three turnovers and three sacks. In addition to Tully's interception, Ryan Marshall picked off his third pass of the year. He also forced a fumble that was recovered by Peter Clark. Tully was joined by Zac Farnam with eight tackles to lead the team. Justin Rundle had seven tackles and two sacks for a total of 21 yards.

Ryan Stockwell led the Oaks with 11 tackles, while Travis Correa added six stops, including two sacks for eight yards.

Whitworth has next Saturday off because the originally scheduled game against Lewis & Clark College was cancelled by the Pioneers prior to the season. Menlo will return home to host defending national champion Linfield College in the Oaks' final home contest of 2005.