Whitworth football opens with convincing win

Ronnie Thomas ran for 161 yards and three touchdowns as Whitworth jumped ahead early and eased past College of St. Scholastica for a 28-13 season-opening nonconference football win Saturday afternoon in Duluth, Minn. Thomas scored from 4 yards out on the Pirates’ opening drive and had another short touchdown run in the second quarter to give Whitworth a 14-0 halftime lead. Thomas then scored on Whitworth’s first drive to open the second half. Later in the quarter, Jake DeGooyer caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Michael McCune to give the Pirates a commanding 28-0 lead. Whitworth held St. Scholastica to just 249 yards of total offense. The win is Whitworth’s first season-opening victory since 2008 and it snapped the Saints’ 14-game winning streak. The Pirates play at Whittier College on Saturday.