Late Score Sends Puget Sound Past Bearcats, 24-20, in NWC Football Opener

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, Ore. -- Hans Fortune threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Parker Brisebois with 1:17 remaining to send University of Puget Sound to a 24-20 victory over Willamette University in the Northwest Conference opener for both teams at McCulloch Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 3. Puget Sound upped its record to 2-1, 1-0 in the NWC, while Willamette fell to 0-3, 0-1 in the NWC.

The Bearcats, who tailed 10-3 at halftime, took a 20-17 lead with 4:43 left on a 32-yard field goal by Cameron Coe. WU stopped the Loggers on four plays following the kickoff, but UPS got the ball back again with 3:06 left. The Loggers drove 79 yards on six plays for the winning touchdown.

Earlier in the game, Ryan Foote (Sr., WR, Sherwood, OR/Valley Catholic HS) gave Willamette its first lead of the afternoon on a 69-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Trent Spallas (Jr., QB, Elk Grove, CA/Franklin HS). Coe kicked the extra point for a 17-10 advantage with 1:02 left in the third quarter.

On its first possession of the game, Puget Sound drove 58 yards on eight plays for a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. Kevin Miller completed the drive by catching a 10-yard pass from Fortune. During the drive, Fortune was 5 for 6 passing. It was the Loggers' only touchdown until the fourth quarter.

Willamette cut the deficit to 7-3 when Coe connected on a 26-yard field goal with 9:34 left in the first quarter, just 1:32 after the touchdown by UPS. The Bearcats went 64 yards on five plays, with a 63-yard run off right tackle by Jimmy Sharpe (Jr., RB, Walnut Creek, CA/Northgate HS) providing nearly all of the yardage.

In the second quarter, following a short punt by the Bearcats, Puget Sound took over at the Willamette 46 with 10:52 on the clock. The Loggers picked up three first downs on pass completions, but failed to score a touchdown after earning 1st-and-goal at the 8-yard line.

After an incomplete pass on first down, Fortune was sacked for a 3-yard loss by Thomas Murphy-Piro on second down. Fortune threw another incomplete pass on third down. Sawyer Petre kicked a 28-yard field goal with 7:37 remaining in the half.

WU drove to the Puget Sound 16-yard line late in the first half. On the next play, the Loggers forced a fumble on a run by Jacob Swilley (Jr., RB, Olympia, WA/Yelm HS/Central Washington Univ.). Brett Pilling of UPS recovered the ball at the 15-yard line with 57 seconds to go. The Loggers led 10-3 at halftime.

The Bearcats tied the game early in the second half despite kicking off to the Loggers to open the third quarter.

On 3rd-and-12 for Puget Sound at its own 40, Fortune threw a pass that was intercepted by Ikaika Hall (So., DB, San Francisco, CA/St. Ignatius College Prep) in the flat and returned down the right sideline 48 yards for a touchdown.

WU drove to the UPS 33-yard line on its next possession, but Spallas was intercepted by Ronnie Espedel at the Loggers' 23. Espedel returned the pickoff 26 yards. The Loggers were stopped five plays later at the WU 32.

Willamette pulled in front with a drive that started with 2:24 left in the third quarter. Swilly rushed for nine yards, seven yards and five yards to open the drive. Then on a play-action pass, Spallas found Foote open over the middle for a 69-yard score.

Puget Sound tied the game again on a 38-yard touchdown pass form Fortune to Brennan Schon with 7:05 to go in the fourth quarter at the end of a six-play, 80-yard drive. A penalty following the touchdown forced UPS to kickoff from its own 20.

Jeremiah James (So./Fr., WR, Salem, OR/South Salem HS/Chemeketa CC) returned the kick 46 yards from the WU 24 to the Puget Sound 30. Seven plays and one first down later, Coe kicked his 31-yard field goal.

During the game, Puget Sound outgained Willamette, 373 to 372 in total yards. The Loggers completed 33 of 55 passes for 357 yards, but gained just 16 yards on 24 running plays. Willamette rushed for 197 yards on 49 carries, and completed 12 of 32 passes for 175 yards.

Jimmy Sharpe (Jr., RB, Walnut Creek, CA/Northgate HS) of WU rushed for 110 yards on 13 carries for his second consecutive 100-yard game. He gained 96 yards on 11 carries in the first half, but ran just two times in the second half before leaving the game with an apparent injury.

Foote led the Willamette receivers with two catches for 107 yards. Spallas was 12 of 31 passing.

Fortune went 31 of 53 through the air for UPS for 337 yards and three touchdowns. Miller hauled in 12 passes for 97 yards, while Bell caught nine passes for 94 yards.

Henry Adelman (Sr., ILB, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS) topped the Willamette defense with 11 total tackles, including eight unassisted stops. Rayvon Owens (Jr., CB, El Cajon, CA/Christian HS) added eight tackles (6 solo). The Bearcats recorded five sacks and eight tackles for loss, while breaking up eight passes.

The leading tacklers for Puget Sound were Chris Beaulaurier and Matt Gilbert. Beaulaurier made 12 takcles, while Gilbert finished with 10. Espedel and Misha Gordon each registered 1.5 of the Loggers' nine tackles for loss.

Willamette will play at Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Oct. 10. Game time in Puyallup, Washington, is scheduled for 1 p.m. (PDT). PLU fell to 0-3 overall, 0-1 in the NWC, with a 34-7 loss at Pacific University on Saturday.

NOTE:  Photos by Christopher Oertell for Willamette Athletics