By: Janeth Beltrán Apodaca | Staff Writer
Whitworth University’s homecoming weekend had many students and alumni on campus for the Northwest Conference Football game against seventh-ranked Linfield (4-0 overall, 2-0 NWC), the Pirates were defeated 35-17.
Whitworth took the first lead when Alvaro Campos Ontiveros scored 3 points on a 30-yard field goal.
The Wildcats then fumbled their kickoff.
Whitworth yielded a 41-yard field goal attempt that was missed by Campos Ontiveros, his first one of the season.
“When a kicker misses, you do not change things, you just get back to work and trust your training,” said Head Coach Rod Sandberg. “Alvaro is a great kicker and very serious about his craft.”
The Pirates struggled to maintain a strong defense. At the end of the first quarter, Wildcat Colton Smith received a 16-yard pass from teammate Blake Eaton that resulted in a touchdown and field goal conversion by the Wildcats.
The rest of the first half was filled with good team defense on both sides which left the score unchanged.
In the second half, Joel Valadez got a 37-yard touchdown which increased Linfield’s score 14-3. Eaton then scored a QB sneak touchdown to increase the lead.
Whitworth had a great play as Pirate Riley Morrison caught a four-yard touchdown pass from teammate Ryan Blair early in the fourth quarter.
Linfield answered back with another Valadez touchdown.
The Pirates responded with Isaac Fields’ corner catch to make the score 28-17.
Linfield scored an on-side kick return with a minute left on the clock.
Linfield had more yards than Whitworth (442-288).
For the Wildcats, Eaton strung 26 passes totaling 286 yards. Valadez caught 11 passes for 178 yards.
On Whitworth’s side, Blair strung 24 passes for 196 yards. Fields caught 5 passes and a 51-yard total.
Reflecting on the game, Sandberg said the team “played with a lot of heart and toughness.”
He said that the team learned that they need to execute with a lot of focus in big games.
“When you have opportunities, you have to take advantage of them,” said Sandberg.