PUYALLUP - Pacific Lutheran scored on its first six possessions
of the game on the way to its first football win of the 2009
season, a 43-14 Northwest Conference victory over the visiting
Lewis & Clark Pioneers on Saturday afternoon at Sparks Stadium.
The Lutes (1-2 overall, 1-0 NWC) scored touchdowns on all five
of their first half possessions, added their first field
goal since the 2007 season finale, and capped their offensive
outburst with a final touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Lewis
& Clark (0-3, 0-1) scored a pair of touchdowns in the third
period, but other than that managed just 257 yards against the
Pacific Lutheran defense.
PLU gained 552 total yards in the game, going over the 500-yard
mark for the first time since compiling 509 yards in a 49-10 win
over Chapman on Oct. 15, 2005. They scored five of their six
touchdowns on drives lasting at least five plays, and they covered
at least 61 yards of real estate on six of their scoring
possessions.
The Lutes opened the game with an eight-play, 63-yard drive
culminated by junior quarterback Jordan Rasmussen's 1-yard keeper.
The next time they had the ball, they went 94 yards on five plays
with Rasmussen hitting a wide-open Kyle Whitford on a 58-yard
scoring pass.
According to plan, PLU head coach Scott Westering brought AJ
Palazzolo off the bench to replace Rasmussen as quarterback, and
the redshirt freshman took his team 72 yards on six play with Alec
Simmons scoring from the 10-yard line. On the team's next
possession, Palazzolo hooked up with Greg Ford on a 61-yard scoring
play, Ford's sixth touchdown reception against the Pioneers in two
seasons.
The Pioneers responded with their best drive of the first half,
but their 14-play, 58-yard march came to naught when a 27-yard
field goal attempt was wide. The Lutes responded
by driving 80 yards down the field in 12 plays with
Palazzolo hitting Monroe Samifua with a 3-yard scoring pass,
putting the Lutes on top, 33-0, at the half.
Lewis & Clark put together a nice pair of third quarter
scoring drives. The first, a nine-play, 75-yard march, resulted in
a halfback option touchdown pass from Harrison Keller to Brandis
Piper. The next touchdown came on a 20-yard pass from Tucker
Laurence to Logan Kotzian, ending a 6-play, 60-yard drive.
In between those two touchdowns, the Lutes did something rarely
seen from a PLU football team - they attempted, and made, a field
goal. Richard Isett split the uprights with a 30-yard effort, the
Lutes' first made field goal since Neal Chalmers kicked a
game-winning 40-yarder against Willamette back on Nov. 10, 2007.
PLU did not attempt a field goal during the entire 2008 season.
After a short Pioneers punt, the Lutes went 39 yards for their
final score, Rasmussen's 2-yard sneak with 3:46 remaining.
The quarterback mix of Rasmussen and Palazzolo proved very
effective against Lewis & Clark. Rasmussen finished 9-for-12
for 185 yards and one touchdown and Palazzolo was 10-for-11 for 181
yards and two scores. Ford caught six balls for 172 yards and
Whitford made five catches for 111 yards. Drew Griffin, who moved
from slotback to halfback during the team's bye week, led PLU's
186-yard rushing effort with 71 yards on 13 carries.
Defensively, Adam Schwander came off the bench to lead the Lutes
with five tackles. Tony Slater and Erik Magnussen both had two of
the Lutes' 11 tackles for loss.
Laurence finished 11-for-21 for 158 yards for the Pioneers, and
he also led his team in rushing with 40 net yards on 12 carries.
Kevin Carpenter led the visitors with four receptiosn for 74 yards.
Pacific Lutheran returns to action next Saturday when it travels
to St. Peter, Minn., to play Gustavus Adolphus in a non-conference
game.
- PLU -
