SPOKANE, Wash. -- Michael Allan caught two touchdown passes and the Whitworth defense held an opponent under 200 total yards for the fourth straight week as the Pirates downed visiting Willamette 28-14 in a Northwest Conference football game on Saturday afternoon at the Pine Bowl.

Clifton led the Pirate defense with 12 tackles

The 11th-ranked Pirates improved to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the NWC. It is only the fifth time in 100 years of Whitworth football that the team has won eight games in a season. The Bearcats fell to 1-6, 1-3.

The Pirate defense held Willamette to 189 yards of total offense thanks to a season-high six sacks. Linebacker Casey Clifton led the way with 12 tackles, including two for loss against the Bearcats' "fly" offense. Ryan Marshall intercepted his fifth pass of the season to tie teammate Jay Tully with the most in the NWC in 2006 so far.

Joel Clark completed 11 of 20 passes for 219 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Clark was also the game's leading rusher with 49 yards on ten carries and a touchdown. Allan finished with five catches for 124 yards and two scores, one of which was a 16 yard scoring pass from back up quarterback Jon Luke with 18 seconds to play in the second quarter that gave the Pirates a 21-7 halftime lead. Jay Tully caught the other touchdown pass.

Willamette's Dan King ran for 47 yards on nine attempts, while Ryan Hernandez scored both Bearcat touchdowns, but was held to 26 yards on ten carries. Kevin Whipps played the first half at QB for Willamette, completing 3 of 3 passes for 37 yards, but he was sacked three times for 20 yards in losses. Grant Leslie played the second half and was 2 of 10 for 13 yards with an interception. Hernandez caught four passes for 47 yards.

Allan caught two more touchdown passes

Whitworth did not get on the board until the final play of the first quarter, when Clark hit Allen for a 33 yard score on fourth down and six, completing a 61 yard drive. The Pirates scored on their next possession when Clark hit a wide open Tully while eluding a Bearcat blitz.

Willamette scored on its next drive, covering 80 yards in 11 plays, the best offensive execution of the day for the Bearcats. Hernandez swept around right end from one yard out on fourth down with 3:04 left in the half.

But Whitworth used the final three minutes perfectly, going 73 yards on 10 plays. On fourth and six at the Willamette 16 yard line, Allan lined up wide without catching the attention of any Bearcat defenders as Whitworth set up for an apparent field goal attempt. All Luke, the holder, had to do was loft an easy pass for a touchdown.

Willamette scored on its second possession of the third quarter to pull within 21-14. Hernandez ran in from 10 yards, completing a 70 yard drive. The Bearcats gained 150 of their 189 yards of offense on their two scoring possessions.

Whitworth regained a two touchdown advantage, scoring on its next series when Clark ran in from five yards, completing a 78 yard drive.

Willamette gained only one first down on four fourth quarter possessions as the Pirate defense prevented any hope of a comeback.

The Bearcats' defense held the Pirates to 334 yards of offense, 50 yards under the season average. Whitworth gained only 99 yards rushing. Phil Sweet led the defensive effort with seven tackles, while Ben Fennimore had six stops and a pass break up.

Whitworth will play 16th-ranked Linfield (5-2 overall, 4-0 NWC) next Saturday in McMinnville for sole possession of first place in the NWC standings. The Wildcats have won the last six NWC titles.

Willamette will host winless Lewis & Clark College next Saturday in its final home game of the season, battling for the coveted Wagon Wheel trophy.