Bearcats Power Past Boxers, 69-7

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- Willamette University piled up 579 yards of total offense, as the Bearcats rolled to a 69-7 victory over Pacific University on Saturday, Oct. 9. The Bearcats built a 42-0 lead in the first half. The Bearcats improved to 3-2 on the season, including 1-1 in the Northwest Conference. Pacific fell to 0-4 overall, 0-2 in the NWC.

The Bearcats rushed for 330 yards and six touchdowns on 57 carries. A total of 24 Willamette players had at least one carry. Five WU quarterbacks combined to complete 15 of 21 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns.

Scott Schoettgen (Sr., WR, Columbia, CA/Sonora HS) scored two touchdowns in the first half. His first touchdown came on a 5-yard pass from Brian Widing (So., QB, Canby, OR/Canby Union HS) with 8:52 left in the first quarter. The catch ended a 70-yard drive on nine plays and gave WU a 7-0 lead.

Schoettgen scored again with 23 seconds left in the second quarter on a 23-yard pass from Kevin Ramay (So., QB, Simi Valley, CA/Grace Brethren HS). The touchdown came three plays after a 13-yard punt by the Boxers gave Willamette the ball at the Pacific 23.

The two TDs moved Schoettgen within one score of tying WU's all-time record for career touchdown receptions. He now has 28 touchdowns and trails only Justin Pate. Pate caught 29 touchdown passes for the Bearcats from 1990 through 1993.

In addition to closing in on the touchdown record, Schoettgen also moved past 100 career receptions. He caught four passes for 76 yards against the Boxers and now has 102 career catches for 1,927 yards.

Terrell Malley (So., TB, Portland, OR/Roosevelt HS) rushed five times for 78 yards and scored two touchdowns. He reached the end zone on a 49-yard run at the 6:06 mark of the first quarter. He added a 12-yard TD run with 11:15 left in the second period.

For the season, Malley has carried 36 times for 360 yards and four touchdowns.

The Bearcats also received first half touchdowns from Mikey Lemon (Sr., FL, McMinnville, OR/McMinnville HS/Linfield Coll.) and Brent Turner (Sr., TB, Newman, CA/Orestimba HS).

Lemon crossed the goal line on a 9-yard pass from Widing with 14:33 left in the second quarter. Turner recovered a blocked punt in the end zone with 9:30 remaining in the half.

On the blocked punt, the Boxers faced 4th-and-12 at their own 15-yard line. Cody Pastorino blocked the kick (So., S, Glenn, CA/Willows HS), as he took the ball off the foot of punter Spencer Bell.

WU extended its lead to 56-0 with a pair of scored in the third quarter. Both touchdowns were recorded by Marcus Woo (Sr., TB, Cupertino, CA/Monta Vista HS) on runs of 2 and 3 yards.

Jake Knecht (So., WR, Issaquah, WA/Skyline HS/Illinois State Univ.) added a 13-yard touchdown run with 12:48 to go. The extra point failed, leaving WU with a 62-0 advantage.

Pacific scored less than a minute later with 12:10 left in the game. Will Marchbanks recorded the touchdown on a 5-yard pass from P.J. Minaya. Jon Lee kicked the extra point. On the play immediately prior the touchdown, Minaya completed a 40-yard pass to Drew Steindl that brought the ball to the 5-yard line.

The game's final touchdown was tallied by Willamette freshman tailback Joseph Harman (Philomath, OR/Philomath HS) on an 8-yard run with 4:09 remaining. It was Harman's first career touchdown for the Bearcats.

Willamette limited Pacific to 171 total yards during the game. The Boxers rushed for 74 yards on 22 carries and passed for 111 yards. Pacific was 10 of 16 through the air. At halftime, the Boxers had just 26 total yards, including a net of 1 yard on 14 running plays.

Malley led all players with his 78 rushing yards. Jake Turner (So., FL, Ontario, OR/Ontario HS) added 47 yards on three carries for the Bearcats. Davis Jacobs led Pacific with six carries for 45 yards.

Widing started at quarterback for Willamette and completed 4 of 6 passes for 67 yards and two scores. Ramay connected on 5 of 7 passes for 98 yards and one TD. Ryan Whitcomb (Jr., QB/WR, Oak View, CA/Nordhoff HS/College of the Canyons) went 3 for 4 for 44 yards.

Schoettgen's four receptions led WU's receivers. Will Pohl (Sr., TE, Boise, ID/Boise HS) caught three passes for 45 yards and Raymond White (Jr., WR, Corona, CA/Centennial HS) grabbed two passes for 27 yards.

T.C. Campbell, the starting quarterback for Pacific, was 6 of 15 passing for 25 yards. Minaya completed 3 of 6 passes for 50 yards. Taylor Hickson and Cameron Yip each caught two throws for the Boxers.

Willamette's defense registered four quarterback sacks. Walter Robinson II (Sr., DE, Altadena, CA/Cathedral HS) recorded one of the sacks and led WU with five total tackles.

Three Willamette place-kickers contributed on extra points. Kyle Derby (Fr, Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS) kicked the first four PATs. Mitchell Rowan (Jr., Cotati, CA/Rancho Cotate HS) made the next two kicks. Sean Penberthy (Fr., Issaquah, WA/Skyline HS) finished the game by going 3 for 4.

The game was the first meeting between the Bearcats and the Boxers since 1991, when Willamette won, 45-3. Pacific dropped its football program after the 1991 season and is now competing for the first time in 19 years.

Despite the break in the series, Willamette and Pacific have met 84 times. Willamette leads the series, 54-25-5, including an 18-4 win over the Boxers in WU's first-ever game in 1894.