Bearcats and Pirates to Play at Pine Bowl in Battle of Top Offensive Teams

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

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University football team travels to Spokane, Wash., this weekend to take on Whitworth University in a Northwest Conference game at the Pine Bowl. Kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 11 is set for 1 p.m. (PDT). Willamette enters the game with a 3-0 record, including 1-0 in the NWC. Whitworth is 3-2 overall, 1-1 in the NWC.

You can listen to Willamette's Live Audio, watch Whitworth's Live Video and follow Live Stats from the game. The webcast, featuring play-by-play from Mike Allegre, will begin at 12:45 p.m.

The game matches two of the top offensive teams in NCAA Division III. Whitworth is ranked third in the nation in passing offense with 388.2 yards per game, while Willamette is 13th in the nation in rushing offense with 271.3 yards per game. The Pirates are 29th with 38.4 points per game and the Bearcats are 33rd with 38.0 points per game.

In addition, each team leads the NWC in a major offensive category. The Bearcats ranks first in rushing offense, while Whitworth ranks first in passing offense. Willamette received votes in this week's D3football.com Poll but did not break into the Top 25.

Dylan Jones (Sr., RB, Santa Maria, CA/Ernest Righetti HS) has carried much of the load for Willamette's rushing attack. He has rushed 80 times for 426 yards and six touchdowns. He is averaging 142.0 yards per game and 5.3 yards per carry.

Jones is ranked nationally in several categories. He is 10th in rushing yards per game and is 15th in scoring with 12.0 points per game. He is 28th in rushing touchdowns with six.

Ryan Foote (Jr., WR, Sherwood, OR/Valley Catholic HS/Allan Hancock JC) has contributed 109 rushing yards on just 10 attempts. He is averaging 10.9 yards per rush, including a 57-yard touchdown against George Fox University last weekend. Jimmy Sharpe (So., RB, Walnut Creek, CA/Northgate HS) has produced 89 yards on 19 carries.

Quarterback Trent Spallas (So., QB, Elk Grove, CA/Franklin HS) has completed 57.6% of his passes (38 of 66) for 387 yards and four touchdowns. Top receivers have been Derek Traeger (Sr., WR, Mount Angel, OR/John F. Kennedy HS) with 12 catches for 96 yards and Beau Smith (Sr., WR, Roseville, CA/Roseville HS) with nine catches for 51 yards.

Other key receivers include Foote and Austin Jones. Foote has caught six passes for 110 yards, and Jones has hauled in five passes for 64 yards. Traeger, Foote, Jones and Joe Mendoza (Sr., WR, Ventura, CA/Ventura HS/Ventura College) each have scored one touchdown on a pass reception.

Whitworth's offense relies on the throwing arm of senior quarterback Bryan Peterson, who has completed 131 of 198 passes (66.2%) for 1,214 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has thrown three interceptions. Peterson ranks third in NCAA Division III with 32.75 completions per game.

Ian Kolste (So., QB) is 45 of 79 passing for 474 yards and six touchdowns and two interceptions. Michael McCune (Sr., QB) has connected on 14 of 24 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns.

Five Pirates have caught at least 20 passes. Connor Williams (Jr.) leads the team with 40 receptions for 408 yards and three touchdowns. He is 18th in Division III with 8.0 catches per game. Drew Clausen (Sr., WR) has grabbed 37 catches for 228 yards and two scores, while Anthony Fullman (Jr., WR) has caught 25 passes for 357 yards and five touchdowns.

Nick Kiourkas (Fr., WR) has brought in 23 passes for 298 yards and has scored three touchdowns. Duke Degaetano (So., RB) has caught 20 passes for 113 yards.

Degaetano is the team's leading rusher with 48 carries for 246 yards (5.1 avg.) and two touchdowns. He is averaging 49.2 yards per game on the ground

Willamette may have an edge on defense, as the Bearcats are ranked 76th in Division III in total defense at 339.7 yards per game, while Whitworth is ranked 224th at 484.4 yards per game. Willamette is 19th in first down defense, allowing only 55 first downs, while the Pirates are 238th, allowing 125 first downs.

The leading tackler for the Bearcats is Jack Nelson (Sr., ILB, Portland, OR/Jesuit HS), who has achieved 33 total tackles this season. He tops the defensive chart with 16 solo tackles and 17 assists. Brendan Manion (Sr., OLB, Los Altos, CA/Archbishop Mitty HS) and Donny Torres (Jr., DB, Long Beach, CA/St. Anthony HS) each have made 18 tackles.

Benjamin Jahn (Fr., OLB, Juneau, AK/Thunder Mountain HS) tops Willamette in quarterback sacks (2.5) and tackles for loss (4.5). Torres leads the team with two fumble recoveries.

Wendell Galvan (Sr., CB, Bothell, WA/Bothell HS) ranks first for the Bearcats with two interceptions and eight pass break-ups. He leads Division III with 3.3 passes defended per game.

For Whitworth, Paul Miller (Jr., DB) leads the way with 37 tackles on 20 solo stops and 17 assists. Nick Brockhoff (Sr., LB) has made 35 total tackles and ranks first for the Pirates with 27 assists. Jacob Sturtevant (Fr., DB) follows with 33 total tackles, but ranks first with 23 unassisted tackles.

Danny Welstad (Jr., DE) has recorded a team-high 4.0 quarterback sacks. He also leads Whitworth with 8.5 tackles for loss. J.T. Phelan (Fr., LB) has made 32 tackles, while earning 7.0 tackles for loss.

Willamette place-kicker Conner Mertens (Fr., Kennewick, WA/Southridge HS) is 15 of 16 on extra points and 1 for 1 on field goals. He kicked a 22-yarder against George Fox on the Bearcats' first field goal attempt of the season. Punter David Cheng (Jr., P/DB, Dublin CA/Dublin HS) is averaging 37.5 yards per punt with five punts inside the 20-yard line.

Bryan Toles (So., DB, Clovis, CA/Clovis North HS) is averaging 11.8 yards on four punt returns for the Bearcats. Galvin is averaging 8.7 yards on six punt returns.

Place-kicker Robert Thullen (Jr.) has converted 15 of 18 extra points and 1 of 2 field goals. Michael Zeng (Fr., PK) is 5 of 6 on PATs and 3 of 4 on field goals with a long of 38 yards. Thullen is averaging 40.4 yards per punt to rank 27th in the nation in punting. He has placed eight of 25 punts inside the 20-yard line.

After this weekend's game, the Bearcats will return home to host Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, Oct. 18. at McCulloch Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (PDT).