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

Pressure on Pirates to stay in league race

Whitworth football coach John Tully wouldn’t flat-out say today’s game against Linfield is a must win, but it wasn’t hard to read between the lines.

“I expect the league champ to have one loss, and obviously we’d like to stay in that category,” Tully said. “This will be a formidable test.”

The two-time defending champion Pirates (2-2 overall) dropped their Northwest Conference opener to Willamette a week ago. Another loss against the Wildcats at Maxwell Field in McMinnville, Ore., would probably end Whitworth’s hopes of being a three-time defending champion.

The Wildcats (2-1, 1-0 NWC), who have won 32 conference titles but haven’t been to the NCAA Division III playoffs since 2005, also possess championship hopes. The preseason NWC favorites opened conference play with a 9-0 win over Menlo last Saturday.

Both teams are piloted by backup quarterbacks. Whitworth’s Mike Peck has filled in capably after Kory Kemp suffered a broken fibula in the second game. Linfield lost starter Aaron Boehme in a season-opening loss to No. 16 Hardin-Simmons. Cole Franklin went down with an ankle injury two weeks ago against Southern Oregon. Cole Bixenman was 7 of 17 for 62 yards with two interceptions in his first start against Menlo.

It wasn’t clear if Bixenman or Franklin, who is also a running threat, would be at the controls today.

Whitworth has won the last two meetings in the series, including a 10-6 victory in 2007.