Pirates fall on road to Cougars

Rudy Carlton passed for 352 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Azusa Pacific Cougars to a 38-34 non-conference football victory over the Whitworth Pirates on Saturday in Azusa, Calif.

Jon Davis was the main beneficiary of Carlton’s big day – catching seven passes for 149 yards and four touchdowns.

Whitworth (5-2) grabbed an early lead on Chris Ah Sing’s five-yard touchdown run with 4:03 left in the first quarter.

The Cougars (4-5) came right back to knot the score on Carlton’s 15-yard TD pass to Todd Wilson with 1:46 left in the quarter.

Azusa Pacific took the lead at the 11:08 mark of the second quarter when Carlton hit with Davis from 16 yards out.

The Cougars stretched their lead to 21-7 on a Carlton-to-Davis four-yard scoring pass with 5:27 left in the half.

But the Pirates bounced right back.

Adam Anderson, who finished with 149 yards on 32 carries, pulled the Whits within seven points on a four-yard run with 2:03 left in the second quarter.

Phil Entel picked off a Carlton pass at the Cougars’ 49-yard line and returned it inside the 10 to set up a one-yard TD run by Anderson two plays later to knot the score at halftime.

The second half was a different story for Whitworth.

Trent Sakioka’s 56-yard return to open the third quarter set up the third Carlton-to-Davis TD pass to put the Cougars up 28-21.

Whitworth answered with a 65-yard drive that culminated with Anderson scoring on a 15-yard run, but the Pirates missed the extra point.

Azusa Pacific upped its lead to 31-27 on a 45-yard field goal by Ben Hansen.

Whitworth’s next drive stalled when Andy Largent’s 23-yard field-goal attempt was blocked, but Greg Caster forced a Cougar fumble and quarterback Kory Kemp ripped off a 17-yard scoring run to put the Pirates up 34-31.

The Pirates were driving for an insurance TD with 7:30 left to play when Anderson was stripped of the ball at the Cougars’ 22-yard line.

Carlson took over – completing two long third-down passes – and then hitting Davis for a 43-yard touchdown to wrap up the win.

Linfield 24, Pacific Lutheran 0: The Wildcats (4-2, 2-1 NWC) cranked up their defense and handed the Lutes (5-2, 2-2) their first shutout since 1979.

Linfield held PLU to six first downs and 79 yards of total offense in the rain-soaked contest at McMinnville, Ore.

Puget Sound 69, Lewis & Clark 31: The Loggers (4-3, 2-2 NWC) scored touchdowns on their first seven possessions and romped to a victory over the Pioneers (0-6, 0-3) in Portland.

Silas Paul rushed for 171 yards on 13 carries and scored five TDs to lead the Loggers.

Central Washington 24, Western Washington 7: Wide receiver Johnny Spevak passed for Central Washington’s first touchdown and caught a pass for its third as the Wildcats (5-1, 4-1 NCC) beat the Vikings (2-5, 1-5) in Seattle.

It was the fifth “Battle in Seattle” between the North Central Conference rivals. CWU, ranked 17th, has won four of the five annual games played at Qwest Field against Western.