Offense and Defense Comes Through for the Pirates

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth University posted 410 yards of total offense, while holding Chapman University to 148 total yards and out of the endzone until late in the fourth quarter of a 23-8 win over the visiting Panthers in a non-conference NCAA Division III football game on Saturday afternoon at the Whitworth Pine Bowl.

The Pirates (2-2) dominated the first half but only led 2-0 before pulling away with three second half touchdowns.

With All-American running back Adam Anderson (Sr., RB, Elk, Wash.) still out of commission with a sprained ankle, Sean Scott (So., RB, Milwaukie, Ore.) and Milton Nelson (Sr., RB, Spokane, Wash.) combined for 180 rushing yards. Scott had 97 yards on 19 carries and scored his second career touchdown. Nelson totaled 83 yards on 22 attempts. Back up quarterback Cub Jansen (So., Mukilteo, Wash.) also carried eight times for 29 hard-earned yards.

Andrew Durant (So., QB, Spokane, Wash.) had his second straight strong game throwing the ball. He completed 17 of 26 passes for 221 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Eric Entel (Sr., WR, Clarkston, Wash.) caught six passes for 74 yards and a touchdown, while Andy Largent (Sr., WR, Spokane, Wash.) caught five passes for 101 yards and a career-long 54 yard touchdown.

Whitworth's only trouble came at the end of three long first half drives. First Largent had a field goal blocked in the first quarter. Then in the second quarter the Bucs had drives of 67 and 49 yards end on fumbles in the red zone. So even after outgaining Chapman 191-36 in the first half, Whitworth only led 2-0.

Those two points came after the first fumble when Paul Werhane (Jr., LB, Beaverton, Ore.) and Nick Ashley (Jr., DE, Lind, Wash.) combined to sack Panther QB Eric Willcockson, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Chapman in its own endzone. Nate Hadley (Sr., LB, Mukilteo, Wash.) tackled the Panther receiver in the endzone for the two-pointer.

But the Pirates got things untracked in the third quarter. After forcing a quick punt by the Panthers, Whitworth went 70 yards in 12 plays, capped by Scott's four yard TD run to go ahead 9-0. The Bucs scored on their next possession after Scott Carr (Fr., DB, Rathdrum, Idaho) intercepted Chapman's Blake Vanderweil on the Panther 37 yard line. Seven plays later Durant hit Entel on a 12 yard pass for a score.

Whitworth made it three touchdowns on three possessions when the Bucs forced a missed field goal, then went 80 yards in seven plays. On third and nine from just inside the 50, Durant found Largent on a deep out, Largent broke a tackle and was off down the sideline for a 54 yard score.

Chapman finally got on the board when Mike Lambesis caught a five yard fade pass on fourth down with 7:02 left in the game. The 70 yards Chapman gained on that drive accounted for nearly half of the Panthers' total offense in the game.

Whitworth had a 4-3 edge in turnover margin. The Pirates gave up three fumbles in the game, but intercepted Panther quarterbacks three times and recovered a fumble of their own. In addition to Carr's interception, Cailen Thomason (So., DB, Vancouver, Wash.) and Kyle Duncan (Sr., DB, Kennewick, Wash.) had the other two. Nick Ashley had the fumble recovery.

The Pirates had a 38:43 - 21:17 edge in total time of possession. Therefore the Panther defenders were on the field for extended periods of the game. But Collin Hoyer had a strong outing for Chapman with 13 total tackles, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Andrew Carcova made 11 stops and Pat McFadden had 10 tackles.

Brandon Martin (Sr., DT, Sweet Home, Ore.) led Whitworth with six tackles, including two for losses of 6 yards. Hadley finished with five tackles, including the 17 yard loss on the safety and a three-yard sack.

Akio Lloyd, who ran for 104 yards and a touchdown in Chapman's season-opening win over Menlo, finished with 69 yards on 18 attempts. Willcockson was 7 of 13 for 90 yards with one TD and one interception. Vanderweil was 3 of 7 for one yard with two interceptions. Chris Langstaff had six catches for 49 yards.

Whitworth will open Northwest Conference play next Saturday at defending champion Willamette University. That kickoff in Salem, Oregon will be at 2:00 p.m.

Chapman will play at Pomona-Pitzer next Saturday.