Ethan Peloquin catches two touchdowns as Whitworth downs Pacific Lutheran
From staff reports
PUYALLUP, Wash. – Junior Ethan Peloquin caught two touchdowns for the second game in a row, and the Whitworth Pirates football team defeated the Pacific Lutheran Lutes 28-10 on Saturday, improving to 2-0 this season.
Pirates junior quarterback Jaedyn Prewitt completed 18 of 28 attempts for 207 yards, and four Whitworth rushers – including Prewitt – combined for 160 yards on 40 carries. Senior Brayden Corona led the quartet with 21 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown.
The victory put Whitworth atop the Northwest Conference standings. Just three of the NWC’s eight teams – those in Washington state – are playing a four-game, home-and-home season this winter.
Pacific Lutheran dropped to 0-2 with the loss. Puget Sound (1-1) had a bye this week.
After a scoreless first quarter, Pirates safety Parker Shaw intercepted a pass on the first play of the second quarter. From there, Whitworth drove 59 yards on 10 plays for a touchdown – a 13-yard score for Peloquin – that gave the Pirates a 7-0 lead.
The Lutes went three-and-out on their next drive, and the Pirates answered with another scoring drive, this one capped by Corona’s 1-yard touchdown run.
Right before halftime, Pacific Lutheran kicked a 37-yard field goal to cut Whitworth’s lead to 14-3.
In the third quarter, Lutes quarterback Erik Bainter got loose for a 46-yard touchdown to cut the Pirates’ lead to 14-10.
The Pirates answered with a long fourth-quarter drive, going 70 yards on 11 plays. Peloquin capped the drive with a 30-yard TD reception.
The Lutes had just 18 yards on their next two drives. Prewitt ran for a 29-yard touchdown with 51 seconds left in the game to ice the Pirates’ victory.
PLU starting quarterback Kellan Kranc completed just 16 of 38 attempts for 173 yards. Sophomore quarterback Bainter completed 1 of 5 attempts for 8 yards but gained 62 yards on the ground.
Whitworth has a bye next week and is scheduled to visit Puget Sound on March 6.
The Pirates are scheduled to wrap up the season with a rematch against Pacific Lutheran on March 13 at the Pine Bowl.