MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – It was a battle of Northwest Conference leaders on Saturday afternoon at Maxwell Field between the Pacific Lutheran University football team and sixth-ranked Linfield University. A pick-six on the opening possession set the tone as the homestanding Wildcats emerged with the 45-0 victory to take sole possession of first place and claim the inside track for the league's automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs.  

"Hats off to Linfield for playing championship football today," said Head Coach Brant McAdams.

"Good teams capitalize on mistakes and we made too many mistakes today that they made us pay for."
 
The Lutes (4-3, 3-1 NWC) entered the game off to its best start to conference play since the 2010 season. Pacific Lutheran started the game with an eight-yard competition to Manuel Felan before the Wildcat defense pounced, scoring on a 44-yard interception return on the third play from scrimmage. 
 
Linfield (6-0, 4-0 NWC) jumped out to a 14-0 lead after one quarter of play and never looked back, enjoying a 38-point cushion at the half.
 
The Lutes threatened in the third quarter, capitalizing on a Kaysen Higa fumble recovery and marching down the field before the drive stalled on the Linfield 17-yard line, coming up one-yard short on a fourth and four. 
 
Colby Rhinelander and Kalen Davis-White led the defense with nine tackles apiece for a unit that allowed just seven points the entire second half and kept Linfield off the scoreboard in the final quarter of play. Eight of Rhinelander's nine takedowns were solo tackles while Davis-White also finished with a sack and a forced fumble. 
 
Kord Tuttle had seven tackles and a sack with Cheyn Tam-Switzer nabbing his second interception in as many games. 
 
Kaden Reimer finished with eight carries for 46 yards on the ground, averaging 5.8-yard per touch while fellow running back Michael Martinez averaged four yards per touch. 
 
Max Boekenoogen had nine punts for 299 yards, booming a 47-yarder while John Walker had four kick returns for 68-yards. 

"Our guys know that one game doesn't define a season so we'll learn from this and move onto our next opponent focusing on getting better each week."
 
The Lutes are back on the gridiron next Saturday, hosting Willamette University at 1 p.m. at Sparks Stadium.