Box Score
PORTLAND, Ore. – Jakob Lawrence (Sr., Sherwood, Ore.) scored on a 25-yard touchdown pass on Pacific's first offensive play in overtime Saturday, allowing the Boxers to escape a surprising Lewis & Clark squad, 48-42, and take sole possession of first place in Northwest Conference football standings at Griswold Stadium.
Pacific forced Lewis & Clark to try for a 42-yard field goal after Cody Rochon threw three incompletions on their overtime possession, which the Pioneers' Colin Brown kicked well short of the uprights. No sooner than Pacific had taken over did Warner Shaw (Jr., Waimea, Hawaii) found Lawrence on a slant route and the senior ran to the corner of the end zone for the winning touchdown.
While the Boxers (5-2, 5-0 NWC) were playing to keep their five-game win streak alive, the team had little idea how big the win really was. Earlier in the day, Willamette scored a 31-28 upset of Linfield, allowing the Boxers to move into sole possession of first place in the NWC football standings. With a win over Willamette in the home finale next Saturday, Pacific would win a share of their first NWC championship since 1952.
But the win over the winless Pioneers (0-8, 0-6 NWC) was far from guaranteed. Lewis & Clark matched the Boxers point for point most of the game and had the game tied at 35-35 with 5:48 left when they recovered an onside kick at the Pacific 42-yard line. Rochon marched the Pioneers to the end zone in less than two minutes, scoring on a six-yard rush to go up 42-35 with 2:28 to go.
That was enough time for the Boxers to tie it and more. A second pooch kick was controlled easily and Shaw led the Boxers 61 yards in 1 minute, 10 seconds, finding Jordan Fukumoto (Sr., Mililani, Hawaii) for a five-yard touchdown pass to make it 42-42. Lewis & Clark had two more possessions and Pacific had one in regulation, but neither team scored to force Pacific's first overtime game since 1990.
Lewis & Clark outgained Pacific on offense 488 to 381, with the Boxers gaining 254 passing yards. Shaw completed 18 of 22 for 254 yards and five touchdowns. Fukumoto caught five balls for 93 yards and a touchdown while Lawrence caught six passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns while Caleb Roher (Sr., Gresham, Ore.) caught three for 53 yards and a touchdown. Bronson Barretto (Jr., Mililani, Hawaii) led the rushing attack with nine carries for 57 yards and a touchdown while also taking three kick returns for 105 yards. Bobby Ladiges (Jr., Escalon, Calif.) rushed 11 times for 53 yards and a score.
Rochon had a career day for Lewis & Clark, completing 26 of 37 for 333 yards and four touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed 24 times for 127 yards and a pair of scores. Michael Hawkins was Rochon's top target, catching 13 balls for 125 yards and a touchdown.
After both team's first possession ended in punts, Pacific scored their first touchdown on a 55-yard drive that took nearly seven minutes. Shaw ended the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Suyematsu (Jr., Tualatin, Ore.) that made it a 7-0 game with 1:35 left in the first quarter.
The Pioneers answered back on their next possession with Rochon finding Nico Ohland for the 11-yard touchdown pass with 12:19 to go in the half. After Barretto moved the ball into L&C territory with a 38-yard kickoff return, Shaw used a 44-yard reception to Fukumoto before Ladiges rushed six yard for the score to put Pacific back up 14-7. After L&C's next series fell short, Shaw found Roher for a 45-yard touchdown pass that made it a 21-7 game with 7:40 left in the period.
Lewis & Clark used nearly all of the rest of the period to come within a touchdown right before halftime, with Rochon's 15-yard rush to the end zone completing an 80-yard drive that ate up nearly seven minutes.
Pacific added their fourth touchdown on the game on the first possession of the second half, with Barretto rushing 29 yards for the score, but the Pioneers scored touchdowns on each of their next two possessions to tie the game. Rochon used the big play for the first, finding Jacob Constantino for a 47-yard touchdown pass. After Josh Cena forced a Pacific turnover on their next series, Rochon connected with Gage Bumgardner for an 11-yard scoring pass that tied the contest at 28-28 with 5:36 left in the third quarter.
Pacific pulled ahead again early in the fourth quarter, with Shaw hooking up with Lawrence for a 22-yard scoring reception for a 35-28 lead. The Pioneers tied it at 35-35 with 4:17 to go when Rochon's nine-yard pass to Michael Hawkins completed an 11-play, 64-yard drive. Lewis & Clark recovered the ensuing onside kick and two minutes later Rochon rumbled in from six yards out to take the 42-35 lead with 2:28 left.
Lewis & Clark attempted the pooch kick on their next kickoff, but Pacific smartly called for the fair catch to take over at their own 39-yard line. Shaw wasted no time moving the Boxers down field and ended with a five-yard pass to Fukumoto and the point-after made it a 42-42 game.
Pacific had a chance to win it in regulation when Chase Rogers (Sr., Lahaina, Hawaii) intercepted Rochon at the Pacific 40-yard line. The Pioneers' defense held and Pacific was forced to punt to all but ensure overtime.
Lewis & Clark won the toss to take possession to start overtime, but Rochon threw three incompletions to force Brown to try a 42-yard field goal, which landed well short of the uprights. Pacific needed just one play to earn the win as Shaw found Lawrence for the 25-yard touchdown reception.
Brandon Harms (Sr., Canby, Ore.) led the Pacific defense with eight tackles while Trey Kodama (So., Pearl City, Hawaii), Josh Brinkworth (Sr., Elk Grove, Calif.) and Jack Perez (Jr., Petaluma, Calif.) each had seven tackles. Andrew Traver's 12 tackles led Lewis & Clark.
Pacific will play it's home finale on Saturday, hosting Willamette at 1 p.m. at Hanson Stadium. Live audio and video webcasts of the game will be available at GoBoxers.com. The contest was Lewis & Clark's last home game of the season. They will finish the year on Saturday at George Fox.
BOXER BYTES: Pacific last played an overtime game during the 1990 season. Ironically, the Boxers played Lewis & Clark in that game, which finished in a 22-22 tie…The victory extended the Boxers' all-time best five-win start to the NWC season and is the Boxers' third consecutive victory over Lewis & Clark…The win secures the Boxers' second consecutive winning season. It is the first time since the 1964 and 1965 seasons that Pacific has had back-to-back overall winning records…Pacific is assured no less than a tie for second place in the NWC standings for the first time since 1972.
Pacific Beats Lewis & Clark In Overtime, Moves Into 1st Place In NWC
/seasons/2014/boxscores/20141101_baz6.xml
2014
Pacific
48
Lewis and Clark
42
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific (5-2) | 7 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 48 |
| Lewis and Clark (0-8) | 0 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 42 |
Nov 01, 2014