Linfield Dumps Whitworth
The Whitworth Pirates were defeated 23-6 by the Linfield Wildcats Saturday at the soggy Whitworth Pine Bowl. With the loss, the Pirates finished the season with an overall record of 1-8 and 0-5 in the Mt. Hood League.
So while it may look like just another bad football season for the Pirates, a deeper perspective must be taken in analyzing the Pirates’ future - which actually looks good.
“We’re disappointed, but we’re not discouraged,” first-year Pirates coach John Tully said. “This team continued to play hard all year long. In order to turn a program around, that’s what you need.”
The Pirates will lose just 10 seniors to eligibility. Seventyseven return in ‘96 and Tully is hoping for a successful recruiting season.
And unlike previous years, where the coaching staff was made up four or five coaches, Whitworth now has a staff of 10 men who will all hit the recruiting trail.
“We have quality people here who are dedicated to making Whitworth a winner. I beleive this team is dedicated to getting bigger and stronger so we can better compete against teams like Linfield (6-3, 3-2) and the rest of our league.”
Meanwhile, current players will have to hit the weights in the off-season. Linfield’s offensive line outweighed Whitworth’s defensive line 256 to 230.
Also, 48 members of the ‘95 Pirates’ team were made up of freshman. Due to attrition from last year and numerous injuries, many of them were thrown into action right away.
On the offensive line for example, four of five starters were firstyear players. They spent most of the year protecting freshman quarterback Josh Parbon. The inexperience showed as Whitworth averaged just 14 points a game. But given time, there is no reason to believe that the line won’t gain more size and experience as Whitworth moves to to the NCAA Division III next year.
“This was a re-building year,” senior quarterback J.J. Green said. “We (the seniors) just tried to provide a positive and upbeat atmosphere for this team to go on. It’s tough being 1-8, but next year, with the experience these guys got, they should hold their own even better.”
Unfortunately for the Pirates though, Saturday’s game probably marked the end of leading linebacker Jeff Baxter’s playing career. Depending on an NCAA ruling, Baxter may have another year left of eligibility. But at age 24, Baxter sounded ready to hang up his helmet after Saturday’s defeat.
“I’m leaning more and more at not coming back,” Baxter said. “I think seven years of college is enough for me.” Baxter transferred to Whitworth and played three seasons after transferring from Spokane Falls Community College.
In typical Baxter fashion though, he didn’t leave the playing field without a bang. He finished with a game-high 18 tackles on Saturday.
But as has been the case all
year, Whitworth’s defense received little help from the offense against Linfield. The Pirates trailed 3-0 at the half, but Linfield’s rushing attack, third best in the Columbia Football Association, eventually chewed up the smaller Pirates late with three fourth quarter touchdowns.
Linfield gathered 431 total yards of offense (389 on the ground) in 70 offensive plays to the Pirates’ paltry 79 offensive yards in 48 plays.
It wasn’t a game to remember for Green either. He completed just six passes in 20 attempts for 61 yards while throwing three interceptions.
Linfield 0 3 0 20 - 23
Whitworth 0 0 0 6 - 6
LC-Barsotti FG 25
LC-Rector 1 run (Alexander kick)
LC-Au 14 pass from Higgins (kick failed)
LC-Rector 47 run (Alexander kick)
WC-Rust 1 run (pass failed)
A-885.
LC WC First downs 16 7 Rushes-yards 60-389 28-18 Passing 42 61 Return Yards 22 98 Comp-Att-Int 4-10-1 6-20-3 Punts 8-31.5 11-37.0 Fumbles-Lost 6-1 2-0 Penalties-Yards 8-84 1-5 Time of Possession 37:22 22:38
RUSHING - Linfield, J.P. Green 24-192, Rector 23-142, Payne 8-56, Langsdorf 2-5, Higgins 3-(minus 6). Whitworth, Rust 16-38, Bratonia 1-8, Arceneaux 2-6, Olson 2-6, J.J. Green 7-(minus 40).
PASSING - Linfield, Higgins 4-10-1-42. Whitworth, J.J. Green 6-20-3-61.
RECEIVING - Linfield, Greely 2-26, Au 1-14, Guthrie 1-2. Whitworth, Glenn 3-52, Doughty 1-3, Rust 1-1.
, DataTimes