PUYALLUP, Wash. -- (From Dave Girrard, PLU SID) Whitworth built a 33-7 halftime lead and the Pirates went on to defeat Pacific Lutheran, 54-35, in a Northwest Conference game this afternoon at Sparks Stadium. The Lutes end the season with a 3-6 overall record, 0-4 in the conference. Whitworth finishes the year with a 5-3 overall record including 2-2 in the conference. Tight end Michael Allan caught two more touchdown passes to break the Whitworth single season touchdown receptions record of 13, set by former Pirate All-American Doug Long in 1976. Allan's number also ties the overall single season touchdown record, which he now shares with another former Pirate All-American - John Murio - originally set in 1961. Joel Clark finished the game completing 18 of 27 passes for 264 yards and six touchdowns with one interception. His 29 touchdown passes break another Whitworth single season record of 26, set by Whitworth Hall of Fame quarterback Dennis Spurlock in 1961. Clark also ran for 73 yards on 14 carries for a total of 337 yards of total offense. His single season total of 2,668 yards of total offense is the second highest total in Whitworth history, trailing only Danny Figueira's 2,726 in 1993. Kyle Snell had a huge day in the final game of his career, catching 11 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Chris Ahsing carried 20 times for 114 yards and a score, while Kyle Havercroft ran 16 times for 46 yards and a touchdown. The Pirates accumulated 508 yards of total offense in the game. Whitworth put the ball in the end zone on five of their seven first half possessions, including the first four times the Pirates had the ball. After taking the opening kickoff, Whitworth drove 64 yards in 11 plays, with Ahsing's one-yard carry giving the Pirates a 7-0 lead. Clark then tossed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Snell. After Whitworth got the ball on an interception, Clark found Allen on a one-yard TD pass for a 20-0 lead with 37 seconds left in the first quarter. Whitworth was forced to kick off from their own 20 after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the touchdown, and the Lutes began their next possession on the PLU 36. It took just one play to score, on a 64-yard pass from Chris Maine to Craig Chiado. The Pirates added two touchdowns in the second quarter, on a 12 yard pass from Clark to Nick Koller and a 15 yard completion from Clark to Drew Griggs, for a 33-7 halftime lead. The Lutes rallied in the third quarter, scoring three touchdowns. Chase Reed scored on a 14-yard run to begin the second half. Whitworth answered on Clark's four yard pass to Snell, but PLU came right back on Maine's 43-yard completion to Chiado. Clark was intercepted by Ryan Lehmann on Whitworth's ensuing possession and the Lutes took advantage, with Anthony Canger's two yard run bringing PLU to within striking distance at 40-29. The Pirates put the game away with two touchdowns in the early minutes of the fourth quarter. Clark passed to Allen for a 20-yard touchdown completion with 12:06 left. Whitworth got the ball back less than a minute later when Maine was sacked and fumbled. The Pirates returned the ball to the PLU six, and Kyle Havercroft scored on the next play for a 54-29 advantage. Maine found Reed on a 10-yard touchdown pass with 1:18 left to end the scoring. The Lutes finished with 432 yards in total offense, including 331 in the second half. Maine was 22-38 for 344 yards. Chiado caught nine passes for 217 yards and Reed led the ground game with 75 yards on seven carries. Andrew Eisentrout had 11 total tackles for the Lute defense. Casey Clifton had eight total tackles, including three tackles for losses of nine yards, one quarterback sack and forced a fumble to lead the Whitworth defense. Ryan Marshall picked off his fifth pass of the season for the Bucs. Whitworth has now won consecutive games against PLU for the first time since 1965. |
