Willamette Set for Friday Night Match-up with George Fox in NWC Action

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

SALEM, ORE. -- After two non-conference wins in their first two games, the Willamette University Bearcats are ready to open Northwest Conference action against George Fox University on Friday night at McCulloch Stadium. Game time is set for 7 p.m. (PDT).

It's also the first conference game of the season for George Fox, which is competing in football for the first time since 1968.

You can watch the Live Video Webcast and follow Live Stats from the game. The webcast, featuring play-by-play from Mike Allegre and commentary from Brandon Chinn, will begin at 6:45 p.m.

Willamette (2-0) and George Fox (0-2) won't be playing the NWC's first game of the season. That honor went to Whitworth University and Lewis & Clark College, which played each other on Sept. 6. Whitworth defeated the Pioneers, 63-10, to take an early lead in the NWC race.

The Bearcats began the season with a 34-10 victory over Trinity University (Texas) at McCulloch Stadium on Sept. 13. WU followed up that win with a 42-24 victory at California Lutheran University on Sept. 30. Willamette has received votes the past two weeks in the D3football.com Poll, but has not moved into the Top 25.

So far this year, Willamette has averaged 386.0 total yards per game, including 284.5 rushing yards per contest. Two weeks ago at CLU, the Bearcats piled up 466 rushing yards on 66 carries.

Dylan Jones (Sr., RB, Santa Maria, CA/Ernest Righetti HS) tops the rushing chart with 303 yards on 52 carries, for an average of 5.8 yards per rush. He has scored a team-high five touchdowns. Jones has advanced his career rushing totals to 1,561 yards and 21 touchdowns on 299 carries.

Shawn Wong (Sr., WR, Fremont, CA/American HS) has rushed for 79 yards, while Jimmy Sharpe (So., RB, Walnut Creek, CA/Northgate HS) has gained 75 rushing yards and Austin Jones (So., WR, Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS) has added 73 yards. Willamette has scored eight of its 11 touchdowns on the ground.

Quarterback Trent Spallas (So., QB, Elk Grove, CA/Franklin HS) has completed 23 of 45 passes (51.1%) for 202 yards and three touchdowns. Derek Traeger (Sr., WR, Mount Angel, OR/John F. Kennedy HS) leads WU with eight catches for 67 yards and one score. Austin Jones has caught 5 passes for 54 yards and one touchdown.

Willamettes defense has allowed 17.0 points per game, while shutting out the opponents in the second half of both contests. WU has limited its foes to 37% on third down conversions and to a minimal 20% on fourth down conversions.

Jack Nelson (Sr., ILB, Portland, OR/Jesuit HS) is WUs top tackler with 18 total stops, including 14 unassisted tackles. Donny Torres (Jr., DB, Long Beach, CA/St. Anthony HS) has earned 13 tackles and recovered two fumbles. Brendan Manion (Sr., OLB, Los Altos, CA/Archbishop Mitty HS) and Kyle Shaver (So., OLB, Bend, OR/Mountain View HS) each have made nine tackles.

Wendell Galvan (Sr., CB, Bothell, WA/Bothell HS) leads Willamette with eight pass break-ups and has intercepted one pass. Daley Smith (Sr., CB, St. Paul, OR/St. Paul HS) also has achieved one pass interception.

Place-kicker Conner Mertens (Fr., Kennewick, WA/Southridge HS) has made 10 of 11 extra points, missing only after a holding penalty in the first game. Punter David Cheng (Jr., Dublin CA/Dublin HS) enters tonights game averaging 38.0 yards per punt, with 5 of 12 kicks inside the 20.

Bryan Toles (So., DB, Clovis, CA/Clovis North HS) has returned three punts for an average of 18.0 yards. Galvan has been the returner on three punts and is averaging 7.2 yards per return.

George Fox scored an average of 30.0 points and allowed an average of 38.6 points in its first two games. GFU lost to Arizona Christian University, 30-27, in the season opener on Sept. 6 and fell to the University of La Verne (Calif.), 47-33, on Sept. 13. The Bruins did not play a game during the past two weekends.

Leading the Bruins on offense are freshman quarterback Grant Schroeder and sophomore running back John Shaffer. Schroeder has hit 38 of 67 passes (56.7%) for 545 yards and four touchdowns. He has thrown two interceptions. Shaffer has carried the ball 50 times for 239 yards and one touchdown. He is averaging 119.5 rushing yards per game.

Brad Lander (Fr., WR) ranks first among GFUs receivers with 11 catches for 204 yards. Derek Richwine (Fr., TE), Charles Riga (Fr., WR) and Ryan Russo (Fr., WR) each have caught five passes, with Riga gaining 100 yards through the air.

The GFU defense has four players with more than 10 tackles for the season. Riga, who also plays linebacker, leads the team with 19 total stops, including 12 solo tackles. Adrian Bonner (Fr., CB) and Spencer Price (Jr., LB) both have earned 16 tackles, while Justin Kruse (Fr., DL) has contributed 13 tackles.

George Fox has picked off five passes, led by Tell Cruickshank (Fr., LB) with two interceptions for 58 yards. Bruins with one interception are Bonner, Justin Leatherman (Fr., SS) and Will Leenders (Fr., LB).

Uriel Gonzalez (Fr., PK) is 4 for 4 on field goals with a long of 35 yards. He is 4 for 7 on extra points. Lenan Meekisho (Fr., P) is averaging 37.5 yards per punt. Bonner has gained 23.8 yards per kickoff return.

After tonight's contest, Willamette will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 11 with a road game against NWC rival Whitworth. Kickoff at the Pine Bowl in Spokane, Wash., is set for 1 p.m. (PDT).