Oct. 27, 2007

Lutes Sweep Home Schedule, Shut Out Lewis & Clark

Ryan Alwert - First career touchdown in final home game

Box Score

PUYALLUP, Wash. – For the last home game of the season, it seemed as if Pacific Lutheran head coach Scott Westering wanted to give every Lute player his chance on the field.

Facing off against a Lewis & Clark team that had lost 24 straight games stretching back to 2004, Westering called conservative plays and gave 20 different players chances to touch the ball en route to a 39-0 home victory.

Typically known over the past few decades for a big-play offense that thrives on deep passes and quick scores, the Lutes instead played small ball, distributing the ball so well that six different players scored touchdowns for the home team. Playing without injured seniors Craig Chiado and Anthony Canger, the Lutes turned to some of their lesser-known players for most of the game.

A total of eight Lutes caught 16 passes from three different quarterbacks. Senior Ryan Alwert led the team with six receptions, gaining 44 yards and scoring the first touchdown of his PLU career in his final home game. Junior tight end Monroe Samifua caught two passes for 24 yards, joining freshmen Greg Ford and Kyle Whitford as Lutes with multiple receptions. Seniors Jens Gilbertson and Jason Simonetti, junior Luke Absher and freshmen Isaac Moog each caught a pass against the Pioneers.

Although the Lutes have put up more than 300 yards in the first half alone in previous games this season, Westering chose to play this game at a slower pace and it took the entire game for PLU to reach the 300-yard threshold. Against a Lewis & Clark defense that has given up an average of 52 points and more than 500 yards to each opponent coming into this game, it kept the game from developing into an even greater blowout than 39-0.
Matt Wolford - returned a punt for a touchdown

Matt Wolford - returns a punt for a touchdown

The Lutes led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter in spite of possessing the ball for just over three minutes in the period. After forcing the Pioneers to punt on their first possession, the Lutes took over at their own 48-yard line and drove 52 yards on seven plays for their first score, taking 3:16 off the clock. PLU’s second score came when senior linebacker Chad Blau busted through the Lewis & Clark line and sacked Pioneers quarterback AJ Brown. Brown fumbled the ball on the play, and senior defensive back Jeff Ebel picked it up and took it 64 yards the other way for the PLU touchdown.

Blau’s sack marked the only time the Lutes tackled the Pioneers’ quarterback behind the line, but the defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, taking down Lewis & Clark players behind the line 13 times for a loss of 32 yards. The PLU defense held running Joevonte Mayes, Lewis & Clark’s best offensive weapon and the Northwest Conference’s all-purpose yardage leader, to only 51 yards on 15 carries for a 3.4 yard average. The Lutes also limited Mayes in the passing game to only one seven-yard reception and kicked away from him several times to hold his return yardage to 47 yards on four returns.

PLU recognized all 28 seniors on this year’s team before the game, but once the first quarter started some of the more familiar seniors took a back-row, giving some of the back-ups their time to shine. Fullback Jacob Schonau-Taylor ran on the first two plays, gaining 27 yards, but carried the ball only once more in the game before taking a seat for the game. Star wide receiver Chase Reed took one handoff 13 yards before finding himself on the sidelines. In all, 12 Lutes had an opportunity to run the ball a combined 35 times for a total 190 yards and three touchdowns.

PLU’s modest 300 total offensive yards on 57 plays reflected the attitude of a team that gave virtually all of its players a chance to play in a game that was essentially decided shortly after it began. All six touchdowns were scored by different players: junior running back Aaron Murphy, senior quarterback Brett Gordon and junior quarterback Michael Byrne all rushed for touchdowns while Alwert caught the only touchdown pass of the game (from Gordon), and Ebel’s fumble return and junior defensive back Matt Wolford’s punt return touchdowns reflected a game in which it seemed like every Lute on the roster contributed.

The Lutes have a bye next weekend and will travel to Salem, Ore. on Saturday, Nov. 10, to face Willamette in their season finale.

- PLU -