Old Mo’S On Their Side Pirates Building Momentum As Rugged Stretch Of Games Lies Ahead

Something more than pride is at stake for the Whitworth College football team Saturday.

The Pirates, who last shared the league crown in 1975, have a chance to take sole possession of first place in the Northwest Conference. But standing in the way is Linfield College, which has not lost to Whitworth since the Pirates’ 1975 tri-championship season. The teams tied 7-7 in 1983.

This year, both teams enter with 3-1 overall and 1-0 NWC records. They share first place. In another game of importance, Division III No. 14 Pacific Lutheran (3-0) opens conference play at Willamette (2-2).

Expect a lot of points from the Pirates and Wildcats. Linfield, a perennial power, is averaging 37.8 points per game. The Pirates are putting up 31.8, beefed up after last Saturday’s 45-12 rout of Puget Sound.

The offenses are run by the conference’s top quarterbacks. Whitworth’s Josh Parbon is averaging a league-leading 256.2 yards passing per game. Linfield’s Curt Musser is second at 227.0. Last Saturday, in a 65-10 rout over Lewis & Clark, Musser tied a school record with six touchdown passes and was named conference offensive player of the week.

Parbon, a junior, was not outdone. He completed 21 of 25 passes (.840) for 384 yards and four TDS. All three stats were career highs. The Pirates also have tailback Damian Putney, who has rushed for 663 yards in four games. He leads the NWC, averaging 165.8 yards per game. Linfield’s Carl Haberberger has amassed 223 yards (55.8 per game.) “They have made some great progress. This is a group of kids who has been nurtured and brought along and improved and improved,” Linfield coach Jay Locey said of Whitworth.

Naturally, the compliments go both ways.

“They are living up to the billing of conference favorite,” Whitworth coach John Tully said of Linfield.

Actually, defending champ PLU was the coaches’ choice. Linfield was picked second, Whitworth fourth.

Locey, Linfield’s fourth-year coach, has a special interest in the Pirates’ defense. The unit is coached by Chris Casey, who shared the defensive duties with Locey at Linfield for several years.

He also has a special interest in keeping a prestigious record intact. The Wildcats have had 43 consecutive winning seasons, the longest in college football on any level.

This will be Whitworth’s fourth straight home game. Next week, the Pirates will begin a string of four Saturdays on the road. First stop will be at Pacific Lutheran.

Notes

Byran Bonte, a 6-1, 260-pound sophomore will replace Harry Suzuki on the offensive line. Suzuki suffered a season-ending left ankle injury last week against Puget Sound. The fifth-year senior had started in every game since his freshman year… . Linfield backup quarterback Brian Lamarche, an East Valley High graduate, has played in all four games. Lamarche, a junior with sophomore status, has completed 17 of 36 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns.