Pirates Unable to Overcome Injuries and Turnovers

SPOKANE, Wash. -- On a day when it needed almost everything to go right to have a chance to win, too much went wrong for the Whitworth University football team in a 38-20 loss to 7th-ranked Linfield on Saturday afternoon at the Whitworth Pine Bowl.

The Pirates dropped to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the NWC after giving up six turnovers and losing two quarterbacks to injury. Aaron Williams ran for 102 yards and three touchdowns as the Wildcats remained unbeaten at 5-0 (2-0 in the NWC) and clinched their 54th consecutive winning season - extending the all-time record.

Andrew Durant (So., QB, Spokane, Wash.) directed the Pirates down the field on their first drive. But on third and goal at the Linfield one yard line, Durant was intercepted by Kole Krieger in the endzone, thwarting a chance for Whitworth to jump ahead early.

The Wildcats wasted little time responding, going 80 yards on seven plays, scoring when quarterback Aaron Boehme hit Trevor Patterson in stride over the middle and Patterson scored from 38 yards away.

A sack led to a quick three and out on Whitworth's next possession and Linfield answered with another quick drive, making the score 14-0 after a three-yard touchdown run by Williams capped a 59-yard march in only six plays.

Instead of a quick lead, the Pirates were in a two-touchdown hole.

But the Pirate defense settled down and after the teams exchanged punts Whitworth again drove deep into Linfield territory early in the second quarter. A third down pass from the Wildcats' 14 yard line was knocked out of a Whitworth receiver's hands and into the hands of Linfield's Christian Hanna for an interception at the two. Hanna returned it to the seven to prevent another Pirate scoring opportunity.

Later in the second quarter Whitworth's Layton Brown (Jr., LB, Kennewick, Wash.) intercepted Boehme near midfield. The Pirates moved into Wildcat territory, keeping the drive alive when Nick Ashley (Jr., DE, Lind, Wash.) ran for a first down on a fake punt. But on the next play Durant was injured after scrambling for four yards, and he was unable to return to the game. His replacement, Cub Jansen (So., QB, Mukilteo, Wash.) fumbled on the next play, the Pirates' third turnover of the half.

The Wildcats took that momentum and drove 77 yards in six plays, scoring on Boehme's 12 yard pass to Gunna Cederberg with 2:40 left in the second quarter.

But Whitworth's Cailen Thomason (So., DB, Vancouver, Wash.), who returned kicks well all day, took the ensuing kick off back 80 yards to Linfield's three yard line. Two plays later Jansen scored from three yards away, but suffered a severe knee injury.

The Wildcats didn't rest with a 21-7 lead, instead using most of the final 1:34 to move deep into Pirate territory for a 30-yard field goal from Maika Kunioka to take a 24-7 lead into the locker rooms.

Taylor Eglet (Fr., QB, Spokane, Wash.), who began the day third on Whitworth's depth chart, threw the Pirates' third interception of the half on Whitworth's final play before the period ended.

Linfield took a 31-7 lead after opening the second half with a 60-yard drive. Williams ran in from five yards away for his second touchdown of the game.

Late in the third quarter Eglet was finding his place in the Whitworth offense, leading the team 63 yards for a touchdown. Fellow freshman London Vessey (RB, Tumwater, Wash.) carried five times on the drive and scored his first career touchdown from two yards away, pulling the Pirates within 31-14.

After a quick three and out by Linfield, Whitworth might've had a chance to pull closer still. But Eglet was intercepted for the second time in the game, by Taylor Score at the Linfield 29 yard line. The Pirates forced another punt by Linfield, but on Whitworth's first play of offense, Vessey fumbled and the Wildcats' Krieger recovered his second turnover of the game at the Whitworth 19 yard line.

Jeff Erlenmer led the Pirates with seven tackles Find more Pirate football photos at Erlenmeyer Photography

Linfield took six plays to cover that 19 yards, Williams scoring from two yards out with 10:13 to play for a 38-14 lead.

Eglet led the Pirates back down the field with his running and passing, converting a fourth and nine pass to Andy Largent (Sr., WR, Spokane, Wash.) at Linfield's 36 yard line. Eglet hit Brian Ball (So., TE, Murietta, Calif.) over the middle for a 22-yard scoring pass. It was Eglet's first career touchdown pass and Ball's first career touchdown reception on the same play. The extra point was wide.

The Pirates tried an on-sides kick, but Linfield recovered and ran out the clock.

Williams carried 22 times for his 102 yards. Boehme finished 16 of 35 for 274 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He was not sacked. Patterson led the Linfield receivers with six catches for 106 yards.

Durant was 7 of 18 for 79 yards with two interceptions in the first half, while Eglet completed 9 of 20 for 83 yards with one TD and two interceptions in the second half. Eglet was also Whitworth's leading runner, carrying five times for 34 net yards. Largent led Pirate receivers with five catches for 59 yards.

Linfield outgained Whitworth 439-243.

Defensively Bryce Comfort led the Wildcats with seven tackles. But it was Krieger, who had an interception and an fumble recovery that both led to touchdowns, that might've had the biggest impact. Ian Estrada was in on a pair of sacks for Linfield.

Jeff Erlenmeyer and Layton Brown had seven tackles each to lead the Pirate defense.

Whitworth will head west to play at University of Puget Sound next Saturday. Linfield returns home for the first time in five weeks to host Lewis & Clark College.