PUYALLUP, Wash. - Firing on all cylinders on offense, defense, and special teams, the Pacific Lutheran University football team left little doubt who the top team in town was on Saturday afternoon, steamrolling Northwest Conference rival University of Puget Sound 33-0 at Sparks Stadium.

The win gave the Lutes (4-4, 3-3 NWC) possession of The Trophy, the newest traveling prize in a bitter crosstown rivalry that dates back to 1932 and has been played 97 times since.

Michael Martinez put the first points on the board, plunging in from three yards out with 10:13 left before halftime, capping off a 12-play, 73-yard drive. The Loggers (0-9, 0-6 NWC) drove down the field on the ensuing possession and had a fourth and one at the one yard line before Kalen Davis-White made a big stop to keep the visitors off the scoreboard.

Pacific Lutheran's lead remained just seven until Peiyton Hilliard booted a 34-yard field goal with 4:31 left in the third quarter, putting an exclamation point on a 63-yard drive that chewed up over eight minutes on the clock.

The Lutes added two more points the following drive with Aiden Yost tackling the Logger punter in the endzone on a botched snap for a safety to take a 12-0 lead. PLU continued to pile on the points, mounting a 60-yard drive to open the fourth quarter with Erik Bainter running in from one yard out. UPS fumbled the kickoff and less than two minutes later it was another PLU touchdown with Malik White scoring from three-yards out.

The agony continued for Puget Sound with a Tristan Thomas strip sack getting recovered by Aston Barton on the following drive. That set up a one-yard plunge from Kellan Kranc on fourth down, pushing the Lute advantage to 33-0.

PLU's defense had a field day, collecting seven sacks and one interception, while registering back-to-back shutouts for the first time since the 1991 NAIA playoffs when the Lutes held Central Washington University and Linfield College scoreless.

Davis-White was a key cog in that defensive effort, registering a team-high eight tackles, including 2.5 sacks and one breakup. Jared Elwin had six solo tackles while Thomas had two sacks and Max Larson had 1.5 sacks. Nico Golla had a sack as the defense racked up eight TFLs for negative 54 yards. Colby Rhinelander had the game's lone interception. As a unit, the defense limited UPS to just 148 total yards, including an eye-popping negative 57 yards on the ground.

White led the ground game with 72 yards on 17 carries, averaging 4.2 yards per touch as the offense finished with 339 yards. Bainter threw for 179 yards with John Walker his top target, finishing with four catches for 78 yards.

Max Boekenoogen had an easy day, needing to punt just once, a 47-yarder that was downed on the two-yard line with 1:36 left in the game.

Saturday was Senior Day as the program recognized the efforts of the class of 2021.

"The influence and impact of this senior class is immeasurable," said Head Coach Brant McAdams.

"They've had many opportunities to quit when things were hard but they keep pushing forward, keep recommitting to the process, and keep bringing others along with them. I'm so proud to get to coach this group for four years."

The Lutes wrap up the 2021 season next Saturday, facing Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon.