Eou’s First Win Leaves Whits In The Dark

John Tully said he wants to look at the films.

Or maybe it’s the idea of sitting in a dark room in solitude that appeals to the Whitworth College football coach.

“Whenever you get beat like this, you have to go back and look at the film,” said Tully, whose Pirates were beaten up by Eastern Oregon University 44-7 Saturday afternoon before 600 spectators at the Pine Bowl.

“You try to address some things you did well and some that you can improve on.”

For starters, capitalizing on an opponent’s first-play turnover might have helped.

The Mountaineers’ first offensive play was a Chuck Nyby pass that was picked off by Whitworth’s Ryan Wilson. It was Wilson’s first of two interceptions.

The Pirates offense followed with a first-down conversion. But four plays later, quarterback Casey Doyle was sacked on fourth-and-eight on EOU’s 34-yard line and that was that.

The Mountaineers, entering with a 0-5 record after losing to five ranked opponents, scored on four of their next five possessions. Two TDs came on 1- and 5-yard runs by Nyby. Another came when Eastern Oregon defensive back Corey Maag intercepted a Tim Mitrovich pass and scored from 42 yards out.

Midway through the second quarter, the Mountaineers’ efficient spread-option offense had built a 24-0 lead.

“You come out and get a pick and you don’t score on them right away,” said Whitworth center Matt Meithe, a 1995 Rogers High School graduate. “And then it hits us in the face. They score. All of the sudden, they’re up 14-0, 17-0 and it’s kinda like - here we go again.”

It was Whitworth’s second straight loss and most one-sided game of the season. The Pirates, who dropped to 2-4, return to Northwest Conference play next Saturday, when they visit Pacific Lutheran, fourth-ranked in the NAIA, at Tacoma.

“It’s an attitude thing,” Meithe said about Saturday’s blowout. “Guys have to come out and show a little bit more character.”

Whitworth’s only score came on a 10-yard pass from Doyle to Dave Glenn with 1:58 left in the first half. The five-play drive was set up when EOU’s snapper sailed the ball over the head of punter Bert Sims. Whitworth recovered on Eastern Oregon’s 26-yard line.

Just 53 seconds after Whitworth’s touchdown, EOU countered with a four-play, 66-yard drive, highlighted by a Nyby-to-Kyle Washburn 36-yard hookup. Jake White’s 5-yard run gave the Mountaineers a 30-7 half-time lead.

Nyby, pulled in the third quarter with his team ahead 37-7, was 9 of 14 passing for 159 yards. Tim Sicocan, also a freshman, led all running backs with 87 yards on 17 carries.

Whitworth’s two quarterbacks, Doyle and Mitrovich, totaled just 87 yards.

Damian Putney carried 18 times for 56 yards as the Pirates finished with 163 total yards. EOU had 458.

CWU 24, S. Oregon 21

Dan Murphy ran for 151 yards and three touchdowns to lead the 20th-ranked Wildcats (3-2) over the No. 24 Raiders (3-2) in Ellensburg.

Lewis & Clark 34, Puget Sound 0

Quarterback Drew Jordan completed 16 of 31 passes for 353 yards and two touchdown passes as Lewis & Clark topped Puget Sound in Portland.

EOSC 44, Whitworth 7

E. Oregon 10 20 7 7 - 44

Whitworth 0 7 0 0 - 7

EOU-Nyby 1 run (Setser kick)

EOU-Setser 47 field goal

EOU-Maag 42 interception return (Setser kick)

EOU-Nyby 5 run (Setser kick)

WC-Glenn 10 pass from Doyle (Stueckle kick)

EOU-White 5 run (run failed)

EOU-Washburn 19 pass from Nyby (Setser kick)

EOU-Olsen 5 run (Setser kick)

A-600.

EOU WC First downs 25 11 Rushes-yards 54-291 43-75 Passing 167 88 Comp-Att-Int 10-17-3 7-18-1 Return Yards 64 9 Punts-Avg. 2-29.0 8-39.6 Fumbles-Lost 1-0 1-1 Penalties-Yards 3-24 3-12 Time of Possession 30:36 29:24

RUSHING-Eastern Oregon, Sicocan 17-87, Nyby 10-51, Blasingame 1-51, Olsen 5-43, Mahon 7-28, Russell 3-21, White 4-18, Riggle 4-13, Marshall 2-7, Sims 1-(minus 28). Whitworth, Putney 18-56, Vaday 9-18, Mitrovich 9-11, Ashley 3-10, Stanley 2-0, Doyle 2-(minus 20).

PASSING-Eastern Oregon, Nyby 9-14-2-159, Olsen 1-2-1-8, Mahon 0-1-0-0. Whitworth, Doyle 4-10-0-35, Mitrovich 3-8-1-53.

RECEIVING-Eastern Oregon, Washburn 3-79, Goss 3-37, Russell 2-45, Sicocan 1-8, Marshall 1-(minus 2). Whitworth, Glenn 2-23, Simmons 2-21, Gustafson 2-12, McGregor 1-32.

, DataTimes MEMO: Changed from Regional edition.