Four turnovers in third quarter lead to Whitworth loss

In a football game turned track meet, Whitworth turnovers gave Chapman too many chances and the Panthers used them all to secure a 49-34 non-conference road win at the Pine Bowl.

The teams combined for a total of 1,124 yards in a contest where the defenses actually did take the field. But neither punter got any action for the entire first half and most of the third quarter.

Trailing 28-20 at halftime, Whitworth opened the second half with two Bryan Peterson interceptions and a fumbled snap that allowed the Panthers to put the game out of reach.

“Two things need to happen when you play a really good football team,” Whitworth coach Rod Sandberg told his players. “You need to win turnovers and special (teams). We didn’t do that.”

Chapman coach Bob Owens said his Panthers (1-1) won a “nail biter” after losing a close 21-14 game Sept. 13 to powerhouse Linfield.

“That first half was whoever had the ball last would be the one who put it in the end zone,” Owens said. “I told our guys, ‘Don’t make mistakes because mistakes might determine the outcome.’”

Whitworth (3-1, 1-0 Northwest Conference) showed it could move the ball on the Panthers. But it also made the mistakes that its defense seemed powerless to overcome.

Peterson, who broke NCAA Division III single-game passing records for completions and consecutive passes without an interception in a 50-48 win last week against La Verne, threw to the wrong team on Whitworth’s first drive of the second half.

Chapman running back Jeremiah McKibbins scored four plays later to put Chapman up 35-20.

On the next drive, Whitworth drove into Panthers’ territory before the Panthers’ Conner Larkin intercepted Peterson inside Chapman’s 10-yard-line.

A few plays later, Chapman quarterback Michael Lahey, who completed 25-of-32 passes for 302 yards and three touchdowns, then hit an uncovered Austin Schaefer for a 48-yard touchdown pass to put the game out of reach at 42-20.

Whitworth’s Bret Moser then ripped off a 50-yard kickoff return that got blunted when Peterson, who completed 37-59 for 280 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, fumbled the first snap from scrimmage.

Chapman scored four plays later to make it 49-20. Whitworth’s next drive stalled when running back Avega Siolo fumbled inside Chapman’s 5-yard-line.

Backup quarterback Michael McCune came in for an injured Peterson and threw two late touchdowns, a 40-yarder to Connor Williams and a 16-yarder to Alvin Welch, but it was too little too late.

Central Washington 63, Simon Fraser 7: Jake Nelson threw for 288 yards and three scores and Ishmael Stinson ran for 119 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats (2-2) routed the Clan (0-4) in a nonconference game in Bothel, Washington.

Pacific Lutheran 38, Trinity 14: Dalton Ritchey ran for four scores as the Lutes (2-0) jumped ahead early in a nonconference win over Trinity (1-3) in San Antonio.