SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University led the
University of Puget Sound by just a 17-14 margin at halftime, but
the Bearcats exploded for 35 points in the second half to defeat
the Loggers, 52-21, at McCulloch Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 16. WU
improved to 4-2 overall, 2-1 in the Northwest Conference. UPS fell
to 1-5 overall, 0-3 in the NWC.
Willamette wide receiver Scott Schoettgen (Sr.) tied a school
record with his 29th career touchdown catch on a 2-yard pass from
Brian Widing (So., QB) with 1:16 left in the third quarter.
Schoettgen tied the record of 29 touchdown receptions set by
Justin Pate at Willamette from 1990-93.
During the game, Schoettgen caught 8 passes for 159 yards and the
record-tying touchdown. He now has 110 career receptions for 2,086
yards.
WU scored its 52 points with only 24:38 time of possession due to
several quick scoring drives in the second half. During the second
half, Willamette needed just 7:11 to score touchdowns on five of
its first six drives, then drained the final 4:50 off the clock
with its last possession at the end of the game.
After forcing Puget Sound to punt on the fourth play of the game,
Willamette put up its first points of the afternoon on a 4-play,
43-yard drive. Schoettgen caught a 19-yard pass from Widing to move
the ball to the USP 22 on the second play. Terrell Malley (So., TB)
followed with a 17-yard run.
Chad Pollard (Jr., FL) completed the drive with a 4-yard scamper
to the end zone. Kyle Derby (Fr., PK/P) tacked on the extra point
to give the Bearcats a 7-0 lead with 11:50 left in the opening
quarter.
WU reached the USP 7 on its next possession, but Widing was
intercepted in the end zone by Roy Fuchigami on third down.
When the Bearcats got the ball back, Widing drove the team eight
plays and 56 yards for a touchdown. A 15-yard pass to Schoettgen
and a 2-yard run by Jamiere Abney (Sr., TB) on 4th-and-1 at the UPS
35 were key plays.
Another big play followed Abney's run, as Widing tossed a 23-yard
pass to Jake Knecht (So., WR). Malley dashed into the end zone on
the next play, a 10-yard run to the left side of the field.
Puget Sound cut the lead to 14-7 on its next drive. The Loggers
faced 4th-and-3 at their own 38 five plays into the drive and lined
up in punt formation. Instead of kicking, punter Tyler Schaner
scooped the snap off the ground and passed to Ryan Rogers for a
35-yard gain to the WU 27.
A 26-yard pass from quarterback Duncan White to Adam Kniffin moved
the ball to the 1-yard line. Casey Larson carried the ball into the
end zone on second down with 10:25 remaining in the half.
Willamette countered with a drive from the midfield stripe to the
USP 20. On 4th-and-9, Mitchell Rowan (Jr., PK/P) kicked a 37-yard
field goal, as the Bearcats took a 17-7 lead.
Larson of UPS tallied his second 1-yard touchdown run of the day
with 3:00 to go in the second quarter, completing a 75-yard drive
by the Loggers. Schaner kicked the extra point to pull Puget Sound
within three points.
WU used just 1:53 at the start of the second half to extend its
advantage to 24-14. Pollard recorded the touchdown on a 34-yard run
and Derby provided the extra point.
Puget Sound drove 75 yards on 13 plays to cut the lead back to
three points. White was 7 of 11 passing on the drive and also
gained 10 yards on two running plays. he threw a 6-yard pass to
Rogers for the score.
Malley responded with two plays that regained momentum for
Willamette.
First, he grabbed the kickoff and returned it 40 yards to the UPS
39. On the first play, he added a 39-yard touchdown run. Derby's
PAT gave the Bearcats a 31-21 edge.
After WU forced Puget Sound to punt, the Bearcats added another
quick drive. The key play was a 40-yard throw from Widing to
Schoettgen that bought the ball to the UPS 15. Two plays later,
Pollard worked his way through the defense for a 10-yard
touchdown.
Cody Pastorino (So., S) blocked Puget Sound's punt four plays
later. Harmon Bruno (Jr., OLB) recovered the ball for WU at the UPS
15.
Mikey Lemon (Sr., FL) rushed for 11 yards, and Schoettgen hauled
in Widing's pass on the next play for the touchdown that tied the
WU career record. The Bearcats led 45-21 after scoring four TDs in
the third quarter with just 4:32 for time of possession.
Lemon produced the final touchdown with a 2-yard run at the 9:12
mark of the fourth quarter. Derby converted the extra point.
The Bearcats gained 494 total yards during the game. WU rushed for
286 yards on 42 carries, led by Malley, who gained 96 yards and two
touchdowns on nine carries. Malley also averaged 31.5 yards on four
kickoff returns. Abney provided 67 yards on four running plays.
Widing completed 11 of 14 passes for 208 yards. He tossed one TD
pass and threw two interceptions.
Puget Sound finished with 301 total yards. Quarterback Duncan
White completed 27 of 47 passes for 262 yards and one TD. Schaner
was 1 for 1 for 35 yards on the fake punt.
Kniffin led UPS with nine catches for 125 yards, while Chang
Thiesen caught nine passes for 68 yards. The Loggers rushed for
only 4 yards on 25 carries.
Willamette amassed six quarterback sacks. Juan Alvarado (Jr., DT)
led the way with 1.5 sacks. Nine Bearcats contributed to the
overall sack total. Bruno and Ralph Pineda (Sr., ILB) tied for the
WU lead in tackles with nine apiece. Matt Parr (So., ILB) added
eight tackles.
Justin Erickson (Jr., LB) topped the Puget Sound defense with 10
tackles. He had one sack. Taylor Firman (Sr., LB), Kyle Rodriguez
(Fr., LB) and Demarkus Milner (Jr., SS) each registered eight
tackles.
The Bearcats will remain at home next weekend to take on former
NWC member Menlo College on Saturday, Oct. 23. Game time at
McCulloch Stadium is set for 7 p.m. (PDT). Menlo, which joined the
conference in football only in 2006, withdrew earlier this year to
compete in the NAIA.
For More Information:
Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503)
370-6110