Willamette Falls to Whitworth, but Herrera Leads All Rushers with 72 Yards

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Gabriel Herrera (Jr., RB San Jose, CA/Adrian C. Wilcox HS/Foothill College) led all players with 24 carries and 72 yards, but Willamette University lost to Whitworth University, 59-7, in a Northwest Conference game on Saturday, Oct. 7 at McCulloch Stadium. The Bearcats trailed just 14-7 early in the second quarter and by a 24-7 margin at halftime, before the Pirates pulled away. Whitworth remained undefeated at 4-0 on the season and 2-0 in the NWC. Willamette slipped to 1-4 overall, 0-2 in the NWC.

Herrrera carried the ball on 24 of Willamette's 44 rushing plays. Whitworth's top runner was Luis Salgado with 10 carries for 34 yards and one touchdown. Cahlil Hooper (Grad., RB, Harbor City, CA/Culver City HS/San Jose State Univ.) ran seven times for 22 yards for the Bearcats.

Salgado scored the game's first touchdown on a 1-yard run with 12:24 left in the first quarter. The touchdown completed a 5-play, 80-yard drive that included a 75-yard pass from Austin Ewing to Dillon Kuk that began at the Whitworth 23-yard line and ended at the Willamette 2-yard linke. Salgado reached the end zone on 3rd-and-goal. Iden Bone kicked the extra point to give the Pirates a 7-0 lead.

Willamette responded with a 38-yard kickoff return by Jerrick Little (Fy., RB, West Valley City, UT/East HS) to the Bearcats' 42-yard line. Herrera gained 16 yards on five carries, and Hooper added six yards on one carry during the 9-play drive, before Willamette lost the ball on downs at the Whitworth 33.

The Pirates countered with a 67-yard drive that ended with a 34 yard touchdown catch by Duk from Ewing with 4:30 to go in the first quarter. Bone made the extra point, as Whitworth grabbed a 14-0 lead.

At the end of the first quarter and the start of the second quarter, Willamette went on a 12-play, 72-yard drive to cut the margin to 14-7. Quarterback Micah Ho'Omanawanui (Fy., QB, Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) completed passes of 13 yards, 14 yards, and 13 yards. Herrera provided runs of four and five yards. Ho'Omanawanui rushed for 17 yards to bring the ball to the Whitworth 5. On 2nd-and-goal, Ho'Omanawanui scored on a 6-yard jaunt. Camdin Dirnberger (Jr., PK, Missoula, MT/Sentinel HS) kicked the extra point.

Whitworth extended its lead to 24-7 at halftime by adding a 22-yard field goal by Bone and a 14-yard fumble return by Dylan Ventress. At the half, Whitworth held a 200 to 130 edge in total yards, while Willamette owned a 9-6 lead in first downs.

Turnovers continued to be a problem for the Bearcats in the second half, when Whitworth scored on a 42-yard fumble return, a 30-yard blocked punt return, and a 25-yard interception return. During the game, the Pirates registered 28 points directly off the blocked punt and three turnovers.

Ewing finished 15 of 19 passing for Whitworth as he connected for 298 yards and three touchdowns. Kuk led the Prates with four catches for 190 yards and two scores. Evan Liggett hauled in three passes for 32 yards.

For Willamette, Ho'Omanawanui was 8 of 19 in the air for 95 yards. He did not throw an interception. Justin Genovia (Sr., WR, Aiea, HI/Iolani School) caught three passes for 38 yards and Matthew Fiesta (Grad., WR, Waipahu, HI/Waipahu HS/Whitworth Univ.) grabbed three pases for 14 yards. Mason LaPlante (Fy., TE, Great Falls, MT/Great Falls HS) recorded two catches for 43 yards, including a 29-yard reception. Little averaged 26 yards on six kickoff returns.

Hogan Smith (Jr., DB, Prineville, OR/Crook County HS) ranked first on Willamette's tackle chart with 10 total stops. Peyton Zampko (Fy., LB, Redmons, OR/Ridgeview HS) added six tackles and recovered a fumble on the final play of the third quarter. Javi Rodriguez (Fy., LB, Gervais, OR/John F. Kennedy HS) forced the fumble and was one of four Bearcats with five tackles.

Zach Loveless led Whitworth's defense with 11 total tackles. Zachary Brooks made seven tackles. Ryan Kinney broke up two passes.

The Bearcats will take on Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Sept. 14 at McCulloch Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. PDT.