SPOKANE, Wash. -- Joel Clark, playing on a severely sprained ankle that limited both his running and throwing, rolled out to throw a one yard touchdown pass to Drew Griggs with 24 seconds to play in the game, lifting Whitworth to a 27-23 win over Occidental in the first round of the NCAA playoffs.

Clark hit Griggs with the game winning score

With the win the Pirates improved to 11-0 and earned the right to host St. John's (Minn.) in next week's second round game. It was also Whitworth's first post season victory in 100 years of football.

Occidental, three time champion of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletics Conference, finishes its season at 9-1. The Tigers will begin 2007 with a 26 game regular season winning streak.

The final touchdown capped a 64 yard drive that took 1:49 to complete. During the drive, Clark complete a pair of huge passes to 5'-6" wide receiver Nick Koller. On second and 10 at the Pirate 36, Koller made a diving catch at the Occidental 41 for a 23 yard gain. Then on third and 13, Clark found Koller for a 42 yard pass to the Tigers' four yard line with 44 seconds to play, setting up the winning score.

An offensively explosive first half was followed by a defensively dominant second half by both teams. Whitworth led 20-16 at halftime after opening a 13-3 lead, but watching the Tigers come back for a 16-13 advantage.

Milton Nelson's 53 yard run on Whitworth's first play from scrimmage set up Clark's eight yard touchdown pass to Steve Silva for a 7-0 Pirate lead 4:37 into the game. Occidental answered with a 49 yard drive, capped by Thomas Joraanstad's 33 yard field goal. Then, after a 49 yard kick off return by Jay Tully, Clark found Tully wide open over the middle two plays later for a 37 yard touchdown. After the PAT was blocked, Whitworth led 13-3.

Tully caught a TD and added an interception

It looked like Whitworth might run away with the game when Tully intercepted Occidental QB Andy Collins on the next Tigers' possession. But Occidental forced a three and out punt, which turned the momentum tide in the Tigers' favor.

Early in the second quarter, Jeremy Gruber intercepted Clark at the Occidental 49 yard line. Five plays later Collins passed 10 yards to Jason Lehman for a touchdown. The PAT wide wide, and Whitworth led 13-9. On Whitworth's next drive, Tim Tanous intercepted Clark at the Whitworth 37 yard line and returned the ball to the Pirates' 18. On the next play Chris Washington took a pitch and found Jordan Inabnit open in the endzone for a 16-13 Tigers lead with 8:55 to play in the half.

But then Whitworth went to its ground game, grinding out an 87-yard, 17 play drive that took up almost all of the rest of the second quarter. Kyle Havercroft carried the ball 10 times on the drive, and finally scored from a yard away with 53 seconds left in the quarter to put Whitworth back in front 20-16 at halftime.

Then the defenses took over the in the second half. Occidental had six first downs in the second half, and five of them came on an 88 yard drive that culminated in Matt Anderson's one yard touchdown run with 5:47 to go in the third quarter. The score put the Tigers up 23-20.

After that touchdown, Occidental had three chances to extend the lead, taking over possession either in Whitworth territory or near midfield. Each time the Whitworth defense did not allow a first down and turned the Tigers back. The Pirates recorded five of their six sacks in the second half.

Occidental had one final chance to run out the clock after forcing Whitworth to punt with 4:52 to play. But again they could not gain a first down and Whitworth got the ball back at its own 36 with 2:13 to play, setting up the game winning drive.

Clifton had eight tackles, including two sacks

Clark, the NWC Offensive Player of the Year, completed 18 of 26 passes for 204 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. His normal rushing ability and zip on his passes was missing due to the ankle sprain suffered last week against Puget Sound. He was sacked three times for 16 yards in losses.

Silva caught 8 passes for 55 yards, while Koller finished with five catches for 81 yards, as the Occidental defense threw double and triple coverage at Whitworth All-American tight end Michael Allan most of the game. Nelson ran for 87 yards on seven carries, while Havercroft finished with 79 hard earned yards on 27 carries.

Collins, the reigning SCIAC Offensive Player of the Year, completed 27 of 37 passes for 227 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. He ended up with -34 rushing yards after getting sacked six times for 47 yards. Anderson finished with 111 all-purpose yards, catching eight passes for 58 yards and running eight times for 63 yards. Inabnit added seven catches for 55 yards and Rocky Ciasulli caught six balls for 96 yards.

Whitworth's Casey Clifton, the NWC Defensive Player of the Year, finished with eight tackles, including two sacks for 15 yards. Peter Clark was also in on a pair of sacks for the Pirates. Peter Ghilardi had nine stops and broke up a pass.

Oxy's Tanous finished with a game high 11 tackles to go with his interception. Anthony Ostland added 10 tackles and also had an interception.

Next Saturday's second round game against the Johnnies will begin at Noon in the Pine Bowl. St. John's (10-1) was the co-champion of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics Conference, but needed an at-large bid after losing to Bethel in the final regular season game of the year.

Once again, there will be no advanced ticket sales since all seating is general admission. The Pine Bowl gates will open at 10:00 am. Admission will be $10 for adults and $5 for seniors, students and children.