Epefanio Grabs Five Passes, Scores a TD, before L&C Pulls Away in 4th Quarter

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Tyler Epefanio (Jr., WR, Spokane, WA/Lakeside HS) hauled in five passes covering 81 yards for Willamette University against Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, Sept. 9. Epefanio's receptions included a 22-yard touchdown catch with 4:05 left in the third quarter that pulled Willamette within 14-7. Lewis & Clark pulled away with 24 points in the fourth quarter, as the Pioneers defeated the Bearcats, 38-7, at Griswold Stadium.

Epefanio led Willamette's offense. His longest catch went for 38 yards. Quarterback Micah O'Homanawanui (Fy., Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) was 12 of 26 passing with one interception. He passed for 115 yards, including the scoring strike to Epefanio. Justin Genovia (Sr., WR, Aiea, HI/Iolani School) caught four passes for the Bearcats, while Gabriel Herrera (Jr., RB, San Jose, CA/Adrian C. Wilcox HS/Foothill College) carried the ball 22 times for 69 yards.

Hogan Smith (Jr., DB, Prineville, OR/Crook County HS) topped the WU defensive chart with nine total tackles. La'Akea Like (Sr., LB, Littleton, CO/Columbine HS) was credited with eight tackles, an interception, and a pass break-up.

The Pioneers scored on a 10-play, 58-yard drive on the game's opening possession. Ben Burnham recorded the touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Cruz Montana. Thien Hoang kicked the extra point with 10:42 on the clock. Lewis & Clark expanded its lead to 14-0 with 4:05 left in the second quarter when Elijah Washington crossed the goal line on an 18-yard pass from Montana to end an 8-play, 99-yard drive.

L&C continued to hold a 14-0 edge at halftime, but the touchdown by Epefanio tightened the score. Willamette's Michael Moreno (Jr., LB, Brawley, CA/Brawley Union HS/Whittier College) forced a fumble with 4:13 to go in the third quarter, and Dylan Hall (Sr., LB, Erie, CO/Peak to Peak Charter School) recovered the fumble and returned it 25 yards to the L&C 22-yard line. The touchdown pass from O'Homanawanui to Epefanio was on the next play. Camdin Dirnberger (Jr., PK, Missoula, MT/Sentinel HS) converted the extra point.

The Pioneers tallied 10 points early in the fourth quarter on a 37-yard pass from Cruz Montana to Elijah McGee at the 14:53 mark and a 24-yard field goal by Thien Hoang with 12:14 remaining for a 24-7 lead. L&C completed the game with a 35-yard rushing touchdown by Jordan Lahusky and an 18-yard scoring pass from Trey Morris to McGee.

In addition to kicking Willamette's extra point, Dirnberger averaged 55.5 yards on two kickoffs. George Wiles-Koehler (So., P, Monrovia, CA/St. John Bosco HS) averaged 34.8 yards on six punts with two punts inside the 20-yard line.

For Lewis & Clark, Montana was 23 of 34 passing for 296 yards and three touchdowns. He also had one interception. Burnham hauled in eight passes for 96 yards and one score. Davon Guest caught 5 passes for 105 yards, while Washington made five catches for 36 yards and one touchdown. Lahusky paced the Pioneers on the ground as he gained 71 yards and one touchdown on nine carries. Punter Huxley Richardson averaged 39.5 yards on two punts.

Andrew Baum and Ward Anderson each registered five total tackles for L&C. Thomas Reagan intercepted a pass and returned it 29 yards to the WU 32-yard line. Regan's interception set up Hoang's field goal six plays later.

L&C gained 452 yards of offense with 324 yards through the air. The Bearcats earned 175 total yards, including 115 passing yards.

The game was the first for both teams in the Oregon Cup. The competition features a round-robin schedule of non-conference games between Willamette, Lewis & Clark, Pacific University, and George Fox University, with each team playing one game in 2023, 2024, and 2025. In 2026, the top two teams will play for the Oregon Cup Championship, while the remaining two teams will compete for first place.

Willamette will be back in action on Saturday, Sept. 16 when the Bearcats will take on Southern Oregon University. Game time is set for 4 p.m. PDT in Ashland, Oregon.