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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Whitworth ends with fourth straight win

On the second play from scrimmage, Whitworth had its first touchdown. Five plays later, the Pirates were back in the end zone. Six plays after that, Whitworth scored again. Five plays later, the Pirates had their fourth touchdown.

Four possessions, 18 plays, 246 yards and four TDs.

The Pirates took most of the suspense out early, building a 28-point halftime lead and cruising to a 42-7 Northwest Conference football victory over Lewis & Clark in front of 1,350 Saturday at the Pine Bowl.

At intermission, the only remaining questions were: How many records would junior running back Adam Anderson set and how many Pirates would see playing time?

The answers: Whitworth was content to play reserves and keep the clock moving in the second half. Anderson didn’t play a down in the second half and finished 34 yards shy of Damian Putney’s single-season record of 1,293 set in 1999. But Anderson scored three times, giving him 37 career TDs, tied for first with Bill Condon on the school’s all-time list. Anderson also added to his single-season records for all-purpose yards (2,194), points (152) and touchdowns (25).

Essentially every healthy Pirate who suited up played.

“I’ve got next year,” said Anderson, who had 144 yards on 18 carries. “It would be fun to hold (the single-season record), but it’s just a record, just numbers. It was fun. I got my time in and the other guys, all the freshmen, were able to go in and the coaches were able to see them.”

Whitworth (6-3, 4-2 NWC) capped the season with four straight wins and will finish tied for second or solo third, depending on the outcome when Linfield (4-1) visits Pacific Lutheran (3-2) next week. Lewis & Clark (1-7, 0-5) has one game left.

The Pirates honored 13 seniors during pre- and postgame festivities. The fourth-year seniors finished with two NWC titles and 30 wins, second only to the 32 compiled by the 1959-62 crew.

“The thing we talked about is finishing strong and the guys did that,” head coach John Tully said. “We wanted to win our last four and we were able to do that. And what the senior group that’s been here four years accomplished, that’s pretty impressive.”

Anderson took a screen pass from Andrew Durant 49 yards to put Whitworth on top 7-0 with just 54 seconds gone. Milton Nelson and Cub Jansen added TD runs before the Pioneers responded with a 74-yard scoring drive.

Anderson’s 1-yard plunge made it 28-7 early in the second quarter. The Pioneers mounted another long drive, but it ended when linebacker Nate Hadley intercepted a deflected pass near the goal line.

Later, Cailen Thomason’s interception and 34-yard return set up Anderson’s third touchdown.

Nelson finished with a career-high 158 yards rushing and two TDs. Durant and Jansen, the Pirates’ two freshman QBs, played only in the first half. Junior Mike Peck took over in the second half and finished 6 of 6 for 84 yards. Whitworth had 556 total yards, including 356 rushing.

Lewis & Clark senior A.J. Brown passed for 204 yards.

Willamette 49, Puget Sound 27: Grant Leslie passed for 285 yards and five TDs to lead the 10th-ranked Bearcats over the Loggers in NWC play in Salem, Ore.

Pacific Lutheran 35, Menlo 34: Michael Byrne tossed four TD passes and the Lutes escaped with a victory when the Oaks scored with 52 seconds left in the game but came up short on a two-point conversion attempt in Atherton, Calif.

Central Washington 49, Western Washington 21: Jerome Morris carried 16 times for just 33 yards, but he scored four touchdowns – one in each quarter – and the Wildcats (10-1, 8-0) wrapped up Great Northwest Athletic Conference play by whipping the Vikings (5-5, 5-3) in Ellensburg.