TACOMA, Wash. — It took a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns but Pacific Lutheran University left little doubt who the top team in Tacoma is on the gridiron, downing crosstown nemesis University of Puget Sound 34-21 on Saturday at Sparks Stadium in the 100th edition of the storied rivalry.

The victory allowed the Lutes (7-3, 5-2 Northwest Conference) to hoist "The Trophy" for the fourth consecutive season, ensuring another agonizing offseason for the Loggers (2-8, 1-6 NWC) who have been outscored 144-38 in those games and have never won the steel and wood replica of Mount Rainier since it was created prior to the 2021 fall season.
 
Raysen Motoyama scored the go ahead touchdown with 12:59 left in the game while backup quarterback Anthony Mahaffey hit Jacob Schuh on a short pass and allowed the senior to rumble 53-yards for another score just under four minutes later to put the homestanding Lutes up two scores and cement the win, giving the program its best season since 2014.

The Lutes struck first in a wild and crazy first quarter that saw the teams post a combined 35 points. Pacific Lutheran did it all on the ground in the opening drive, covering 63 yards on just seven rushes. That included the opening score from quarterback Darius Chaffin who ran it in from 17-yards out.

Puget Sound tied the game before Chaffin found Jase Ellamar for a 28-yard touchdown on the very next drive, capping off a 10-play, 60-yard drive. 

PLU recovered a fumble inside the Logger red zone but a fumble at the two-yard line gave the ball back to Puget Sound. The Loggers capitalized on the opportunity, using just one play to go 98-yards and knot up the score once again. 
 
Pacific Lutheran used three big plays to pull ahead, getting a 19-yard reception from Ellamar, a 12-yard rush from Jacob Schuh, and a 35-yard touchdown catch from Noah Palitz. 
 
The Loggers capitalized on another turnover in the second quarter, going 26-yards in six plays to once again tie the game.

PLU's go ahead drive spanned both quarters in the second half with Motoyama's one-yard endzone plunge capping off a 15-play, 76-yard drive that chewed up almost eight minutes of clock. 
 
A Logger fumble the next drive was recovered by the Lutes who needed just four plays to cash in, thanks to Schuh's highlight reel 53-yard touchdown catch. 
 
PLU finished the game with 484 yards of total offense, getting 245 on the ground and 239 in the air. Motoyama led the ground attack with 89 yards while Chaffin added 79 and Schuh had 60. 
 
Chaffin threw for 126 yards and two touchdowns while Mahaffey was eight-for-12 in the second half, throwing for 113 yards and a score. Ellamar was the most popular target with six catches for 76 yards.
 
Kalen Davis-White was everywhere on defense, netting 13 tackles, including 11 solo takedowns along with an interception and a pass breakup. Micah Ragaza-Bourassa had nine tackles while Davyn Waters and Aiden Yost both had five tackles.

"We love rivalry games. We know it's always going to be a great game and today didn't disappoint," said Head Coach Brant McAdams.

"Hats off to these seniors for leading the way to find a way to win. We're so grateful for the seniors we have. They've built a culture that all Lutes can be proud of."
 
PLU honored its 26 seniors in a pregame ceremony. Over the last four seasons, the class of 2024 won 22 football games, the most games won by any class since the seniors of 2016. This year's seniors additionally became the first senior class since the 2014 group to net four wins over the Loggers.