SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth limited visiting George Fox to only 144 yards of total offense and a single touchdown in a 30-7 Northwest Conference victory over the Bruins on a rainy Saturday afternoon in the Pine Bowl.
The Pirates improved to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the NWC with a single game to play. They have clinched a winning record overall and in the conference in head coach Rod Sandberg's first year leading the team. The win also sent out 14 seniors with a victory in their final home game.
"It was great win today on Senior Day," Sandberg said. "I am proud of our entire senior class. It was nice to honor them before and after the game."
George Fox, in its first season back as a football program after dropping the sport in 1968, fell to 0-7 overall and 0-5 in the NWC.
Despite the strong defensive effort, Whitworth failed to put the winless Bruins away until the fourth quarter. Midway through the third quarter Grant Schroeder completed a 34-yard touchdown pass to Brad Lander on fourth down, pulling GFU to within 17-7. But that was the only points the Pirate defense allowed on Saturday.
"I was very impressed with George Fox and the job their coaching staff does," Sandberg said. "Coach (Chris) Casey gets his team to play very hard."
Whitworth forced GFU to punt 11 times in 15 possessions. Danny Welstad also forced a fumble that was recovered by Kelvin Mackey and the Pirates forced two turnovers on downs.
TheWhitworth offense picked up 460 total yards, but sometimes had trouble sustaining possession against both the GFU defense and the conditions. Bryan Peterson completed 35 of 47 passes for 343 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for two touchdowns. Duke DeGaetano finished with 145 all-purpose yards – he ran for 87 on 20 carries and caught eight passes for 58 more.
"I thought the conditions really slowed our offense," Sandberg said. "Duke played hard and had a very productive game running and receiving."
Peterson's one-yard touchdown carry got the Pirates on the board late in the first quarter, capping a 56-yard drive. Whitworth increased the lead to 10-0 at halftime on Michael Zeng's 21-yard field goal with 1:25 to play in the second quarter.
George Fox prevented further damage, thanks in part to five sacks of Peterson in the opening half.
Whitworth opened the second half with a 70-yard scoring drive. Peterson found Drew Clausen for a two-yard touchdown pass to increase the lead to 17-0. That pass also broke Whitworth's team record for TD passes in a season (33).
After Lander caught his TD pass to pull GFU within 17-7, the teams traded possessions and the game still could have gone either way. But after they took over on their own 22-yard line following another Bruin punt, the Pirates took only four plays to go 78 yards for a touchdown. Peterson used a pump-fake to allow Brett Moser to break free in the secondary, turning the play into a 51-yard touchdown pass with 1:33 to go in the third quarter.
Peterson ran in from seven yards away for the final touchdown of the game on Whitworth's next possession early in the fourth quarter.
Clausen led Whitworth with 11 catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Moser finished with five grabs for 100 yards.
Schroeder finished the game 13-33 passing for 106 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Lander caught five of those passes for 60 yards and a score. Ryan Comstock carried the ball nine times for 47 yards to lead the Bruins on the ground.
George Fox finished with 38 net yards rushing and 106 yards passing.
Luke Peterson led the Whitworth defense with seven tackles (six solo), including three for losses of eight yards. The Pirates sacks Schroeder five times, including one by Danny Welstad that increased his season total to seven.
Justin Leatherman led the Bruin defense with 12 tackles, 11 of which were solo stops. Brian Sarbeck had three of GFU's eight sacks on the day, totaling 17 yards. Dane Jensen added two sacks for 20 yards.
"It was good to get five sacks on defense," Sandberg said. "We were a 4th & 24 to go where they got a long touchdown pass away from a shutout. Two wins in a row gives us some momentum heading into our last game on the road at PLU."
Whitworth will conclude its season next Saturday in Puyallup at Pacific Lutheran.