Willamette Edges Lutes 10-9 on Touchdown by Sharpe, Extra Point by Coe

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

PUYALLUP, Wash. -- Jimmy Sharpe (Jr., RB, Walnut Creek, CA/Northgate HS) scored on a 1-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter and Cameron Coe (Fr., PK, La Puente, CA/Bishop Amat Memorial HS) kicked the extra point, giving Willamette University the lead in a 10-9 win over Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Oct. 10.

The road win improved Willamette to 1-3 on the season, 1-1 in the Northwest Conference. Pacific Lutheran fell to 0-4 overall, 0-2 in the NWC.

Sharpe's touchdown completed a whopping 20-play drive that began with 7:28 left in the third quarter and covered 74 yards. The longest play of the drive was an 18-yard run by Bryan Toles (Sr./Jr., WR, Clovis, CA/Clovis North HS) on the second play.

A bit later, on 4th-and-1 at the PLU 45, Sharpe rushed for one yard to sustain the drive. Three plays later, quarterback Ryan Knowlton (So., QB, Puyallup, WA/Emerald Ridge HS) connected with Austin Jones (Jr., TE, Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS) on a 12-yard pass, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on WU after the play moved the ball back for a 1st-and-10 at the PLU 47.

On 3rd-and-1 at the PLU 38, Knowlton rushed for 13 yards, and on 3rd-and-8 at the 23, he completed a 10-yard pass to Jones. Five plays later, Sharpe tied the score with his one-yard touchdown run.

Coe kicked the extra point to put WU in front, 10-9.

The Lutes lost five yards on the first play of the next drive on a sack by Joseph Blanc (Sr., DL, Simi Valley, CA/Royal HS/L.A. Pierce College), who forced a fumble by quarterback Jon Schaub. PLU recovered the ball, but later faced 4th-and-15 at their own 23.

Anthony Louthan punted for the Lutes, and Damian Jackson (Jr., DB, Puyallup, WA/Rogers HS) of Willamette fumbled the ball. Reggie Collins recovered for PLU at the WU 45. The Lutes gained one first down, but on 4th-and-4 at the WU 27, Cole Chandler was stopped by Nikk Ryan (Jr., DL, Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS) for a 2-yard gain.

Pacific Lutheran had possession two more times, starting at the PLU 36 and the PLU 3. The Lutes never reached Willamette territory on either possession, but did get to their own 44 on the second drive before time expired.

Neither team scored in the first quarter. Pacific Lutheran started the game's first scoring drive late in the opening period. Seven plays into the second period, Schaub hit DJ Winter with an 11-yard touchdown pass to complete the 12-play, 80-yard drive. Dallan Rodriguez missed the extra point kick, leaving PLU in front, 6-0.

Late in the half, Willamette drove 72 yards in 12 plays to set up a 25-yard field goal by Coe on the final play of the second quarter.

PLU extended its lead to 9-3 with another 12-play drive in the third quarter. The drive ended with a 32-yard field goal by Rodriguez with 7:31 on the clock. Willamette took over following the kickoff a its own 26-yard line and started the drive that led to Sharpe's winning touchdown.

Knowlton finished the game 17 of 35 for 131 yards and no interceptions. Daniel Abdie (Jr./So., WR, Beaverton, OR/Westview HS)  led the way with five catches for 49 yards, while Jones hauled in four passes for 34 yards.

Ryan Foote (Sr., WR, Sherwood, OR/Valley Catholic HS) rushed seven times for 33 yards for WU. Sharpe, returning from an injury suffered in the second half of last week's game, rushed 13 times for 31 yards. The Bearcats gained 122 rushing yards on 33 carries.

Pacific Lutheran gained 264 total yards to narrowly outgain the Bearcats, who earned 253 yards. Schaub was 17 of 31 passing for 185 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Marc Gallant led the rushing attack for PLU with 33 yards on 10 carries.

WU punter Joshua Cabral (Sr./Fr., P, Concord, CA/De La Salle HS) played a key role by averaging 43.1 yards on seven punts, including a 63-yarder. Knowlton quick kicked once for 43 yards. Luthan of PLU averaged 39.5 yards on six punts with two inside the 20-yard line.

Henry Adelman (Sr., LB, Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS) topped the Willamette defense with 11 total tackles. Jackson, playing on his former high school field, added seven tackles and intercepted a pass.

The Bearcats registered four sacks and 11 tackles for loss during the game. Ryan earned 1.5 sacks, with Blanc and Tyler Ropp (Jr., DL, Corvallis, OR/Santiam Christian HS) each contributing 1.0, and Ben Keller (Jr., DL, Honolulu, HI/University Laboratory School) added one-half sack.

Parker Trewet topped PLU with nine tackles. Kyle Bennett produced seven tackles for the Lutes. Tanner Perry achieved Pacific Lutheran's only sack.

Willamette will host archrival Linfield College next weekend on Saturday, Oct. 17. Game time at McCulloch Stadium is set for 1 p.m. (PDT).

NOTE:  Photos by Christopher Oertell.