Whitworth caps 9-1 football season with 47-19 victory over Lewis & Clark

The Whitworth Pirates raced to a 37-point lead Saturday and cruised to a 47-19 Northwest Conference win over Lewis & Clark to secure nine wins for only the fifth time since the football program started in 1904.

The No. 25 Pirates (9-1, 6-1 NWC) will find out today at 3 p.m. whether their season ends or if they receive an at-large berth into the NCAA Division III playoffs.

“I love them,” coach Rod Sandberg said of his players. “They left a special legacy and established a track record of excellence that all who follow will have to uphold.”

On a day honoring 16 upper classmen, senior receiver Christopher Forrest caught his first career touchdown pass. Quarterback Ian Kolste hit Forrest before the game was three minutes old for a 27-yard TD to make it 6-0.

Then in the second quarter, Kolste hit Forrest again from 25 yards out to make it 34-0. Backup quarterback Jonah Koskie found Forrest again early in the fourth quarter, but the touchdown catch was ruled out of bounds.

“It was awesome,” Forrest said of his day. He finished with five catches for 74 yards and the two scores. “It was a lot of hard work finally paying off. It’s a process, but I’m definitely happy with the outcome.”

Sandberg was as well. The seniors previously set a number of goals before the season, including going undefeated at home. If the Pirates are selected for the playoff, all the seniors’ goals would be met.

“It shows the team that when you buy in and put the cause before yourself that great things can happen,” Sandberg said. “It’s a special year.”

Despite 18 total tackles from Lewis & Clark linebacker Stein Retzlaff, the Pirates rolled from the start.

Kolste finished the day 21-of-27 for 341 yards and four touchdowns even with a broken ring finger on his throwing hand that he suffered last week.

Casey Bond got the start at running back for an injured Duke DeGaetano and rushed 13 times for 63 yards and a score. Backup Jonathan Jun saw his first action of the year and ran for 54 yards on five carries.

Along with the two touchdown passes to Forrest, Mason Elms scored from 50 yards out and Nick Kiourkas (Shadle Park) scored on a 26-yard pass from Kolste in the third quarter.

The Pioneers (0-9, 0-7) scored late in the first half, late in the third and fourth quarters, but never threatened.

Senior Danny Welstad, who started most of his four years at defensive end, had one-and-a-half sacks among four tackles on the final home game of his career.

“We knew it was big for the team and big for the seniors,” Welstad said. “Regardless if the playoffs come or not, I’m really happy about where we are at.”

Linfield 38, Pacific Lutheran 10: Kennedy Johnson had two punt-return touchdowns and the Wildcats (9-0, 7-0) routed the Lutes (2-7, 2-5) in a Northwest Conference game in Puyallup, Washington.

Puget Sound 38, Pacific 20: Hans Fortune threw for 410 yards and five touchdowns and the Loggers (6-3, 5-2) beat the Boxers (6-4, 4-3) in an NWC game in Tacoma.

Central Washington 34, Dixie State 28: Christian Cummings’ 4-yard touchdown run with 1:40 left in the fourth gave the Wildcats (5-5, 3-3) a come-from-behind win over the Storm (3-7, 2-4) in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game at Tomlinson Stadium in Ellensburg, Washington.

College of Idaho 35, Carroll 21: Teejay Gordan threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns and the Coyotes (4-7, 4-7) beat the Saints (4-6, 4-6) in a Frontier Conference game in Caldwell, Idaho.