Sept. 13, 2006

Lutes Look for First Win Versus UW-River Falls

2006 PLU Season Statistics

THIS WEEK: Pacific Lutheran hosts the Wisconsin-River Falls Falcons in a non-conference game at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16.

RECORDS: Both the Lutes and the Falcons enter Saturday’s game with 0-1 records. Last year, the Lutes finished 3-6 overall and 0-4 (fifth place) in the Northwest Conference. Wisconsin-River Falls finished 3-7 overall and 2-5 (seventh place) in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

THE SERIES: Saturday’s game will be the third meeting between the two schools. PLU won, 28-24, in the first game played at Sparks Stadium in 2004. Last year, River Falls handled the Lutes, 45-14, in River Falls.

THE COACHES: Scott Westering is in his third season as PLU’s head coach and has a 9-10 overall record. He previously was an assistant coach for 23 years—21 as the offensive coordinator—under his father, Frosty Westering. Scott Westering was a three-year letterman and an All-America tight end at PLU after transferring from UCLA. He was a member of the 1980 NAIA Division II national championship team. John O'Grady is ini his 18th year as head coach at UW-RF and stands second at the school in all-time football wins. Under O'Grady the Falcons have compiled a 92-76-3 overall record. Among WIAC active coaches he is third in wins and is eighth in all-time wins among all WIAC coaches.

2005 GAME: Wisconsin-River Falls gained 506 net yards rushing to run past Pacific Lutheran, 45-14, in the non-conference game at UW-RF’s Ramer Field. Falcon running back Nathan Anderson rushed for 205 yards on 24 carries and quarterback Jeremy Wolff gained 168 yards on 17 attempts. The Falcons scored the first 17 points of the game on Zeke Secrist's 5-yard run, a 22-yard field goal by Dan Keller and Wolff's 80-yard sprint on an option play. The Lutes got on the scoreboard with 2:09 remaining in the first half on Matt Steiner's 3-yard carry, but the Falcons answered on an 8-yard pass from back-up quarterback Andy Kolstad to Ryan Hansen just before halftime. Nathan Anderson scored on a 9-yard run for the only points in the third quarter. Hansen caught a 2-yard TD pass from Wolff and B.J. LeRoy had a 2-yard touchdown carry in the fourth quarter for a 45-7 Falcon lead. Chris Maine threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Washburn with 5:36 left in the game for the final PLU points. Maine completed 30-of-44 passes for 434 yards. Craig Chiado had 11 catches for 218 yards, Washburn had eight receptions for 130 yards and Chase Reed caught eight passes for 54 yards. Steiner had 59 yards on 12 carries to pace the ground game. UW-River Falls, which had 330 yards in the first half alone, finished with 560 yards in total offense. The Lutes had little trouble moving the ball, finishing with 514 total yards, but they turned the ball over three times.

LUTES LAST WEEK: Connor Pearce kicked a 38-yard field goal with 2:15 left in the game to cap a California Lutheran rally as the Kingsmen defeated Pacific Lutheran, 17-14, in the 2006 football season opener for both teams at Sparks Stadium. Pacific Lutheran held a 14-7 lead entering the fourth period when an interception by Tim Stevens, one of three Cal Lutheran picks during the game, set up the Kingsmen on their own 41-yard line. On the ensuing play, Danny Jones lofted a screen pass to Louis Montano in the left flat, and he used excellent blocking to race down the left sideline for a 59-yard score. The extra point by Pearce brought the score even at 14-14. Cal Lutheran forced a PLU punt on the following possession, and the Kingsmen started what proved to be the game-winning drive from their 40-yard line. They converted a fourth-and-one from their 49-yard line when Jones faKed a handoff and found Sean Coen for a 7-yard gain. After another first down and facing fourth down at the PLU 22-yard line, the Kingsmen went with Pearce, and his kick put the visitors from Thousand Oaks, Calif., ahead for the first time. On PLU’s next play, senior quarterback Chris Maine (Lynnwood, Wash. / Edmonds-Woodway HS) threw his third interception, this one grabbed by Chase King, and the Kingsmen ran out the clock. The Lutes took an early 7-0 lead, turning a Cal Lutheran fumble into a 34-yard scoring drive. Maine completed an 8-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Craig Chiado (Albuquerque, NM / St. Piux X HS) to complete a seven-play drive. Cal Lutheran tied the score later in the first period after Jason Spratt’s interception set his team up at the PLU 27-yard line. Montano had rushes of nine and four yards, leading to a 14-yard scoring aerial from Jones to Danny Hernandez. The Lutes regained the lead in the second period when Maine capped a 15-play, 76-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. At the halftime break, the Lutes had out-gained the Kingsmen, 151 yards to 120. The Cal Lutheran defense proved stingy in the second half, limiting the Lutes to 74 yards of offense in the final 30 minutes. Cal Lutheran, meanwhile, finished with 299 total yards. Jones completed 14-of-25 passes for 234 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Montano led all rushers with 74 yards on 20 carries. Coen had three catches for 82 yards for Cal Lutheran. For the Lutes, Maine was 18-of-29 for 157 yards with one touchdown and the three interceptions. Chiado had eight catches for 67 yards, and junior halfback Anthony Canger (Post Falls, Idaho / Post Falls HS) was the leading ground gainer with 49 yards on 14 carries. Defensively, junior linebacker Chad Blau (Puyallup, Wash. / Puyallup HS, Western Oregon Univ.) had seven tackles, including 3.5 for 11 yards in losses, and an interception.

FALCONS LAST WEEK: The Falcons fell to traditional Division III national powerhouse St. John's, 41-9, in Collegeville, Minn. Leading 20-9 at the half, the host Johnnies shut down the Falcons over the remaining two quarters. Jamie Bisch scored the lone River Falls touchdown on a 39-yard interception return. Spasimir Bodurski added a 25-yard field goal for the Falcon’s final points. Tailback Nathan Anderson led the Falcons’ running game with 111 yards on the ground. Quarterback Jeremy Wolff passed for 59 yards on 5-of-13 throwing with one interception. Tight end Andy Marx had two catches for 23 yards. UW-RF’s usually potent running game was stifled by the Johnnies to the tune of 131 net yards on 45 carries. The Falcons managed only 190 total yards and converted just 1-of-12 third down attempts. Meanwhile, St. John’s accumulated 383 total yards against the Falcons despite 15 tackles from defensive back Andy Kolstad.

INJURY REPORT: Pacific Lutheran will be without the services of its top two halfbacks for the majority of the season. Junior starter Anthony Canger (Post Falls, Idaho / Post Falls HS), who led the Lutes with 49 yards on 14 carries against Cal Lutheran, suffered a posterior cruciate ligament tear in his knee. He is expected to miss at least six weeks while doing rehabilitation. Sophomore Brian Dahl (Puyallup, Wash. / Cascade Christian HS) is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with Graves’ Disease. This is a type of autoimmune disease that causes over-activity of the thyroid gland, causing hyperthyroidism. Medications can treat this disease, but only if and until Dahl’s condition is brought under control will he be cleared to return to the football field. The Lutes will be without team co-captain and senior tight end Adam Nichols (Bellingham, Wash. / Squalicum HS) for several more weeks because of a groin injury. Finally, reserve offensive lineman Sam Hill (Vashon, Wash. / Vashon HS, Univ. of Puget Sound) is out with a stinger.

ELIMINATE THE TURNOVERS: One of the themes entering the 2006 season was elimination of turnovers because the Lutes gave the ball away 30 times in nine games last season. The 2006 season opener didn’t start well in that regard, however, as PLU had three turnovers.

END OF A STREAK: It’s said that all good things must come to an end, and that was the case last year when Pacific Lutheran’s 36-year streak of winning seasons ended. The Lutes had ranked among the top three on the list of college football programs with consecutive winning seasons. Ironically, No. 2 Baldwin-Wallace also dropped off the list after finishing with a 4-6 record. Linfield (Ore.) remains atop the list with an incredible streak of 50 consecutive winning seasons.

“FAIR” AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC (AND PARKING IS TOUGH, TOO): The Puyallup Fair is in full swing and that means traffic congestion and fewer parking opportunities around Sparks Stadium. Fans are encouraged to leave early for the game in order to get through the gate on time. Be forewarned.

RADIO/INTERNET COVERAGE: All PLU football games will be broadcast in the Tacoma area on KLAY 1180 AM. The broadcasts will also be on the worldwide web at http://www.plu.edu/~lutecast. Steve Thomas handles the play-by-play and Karl Hoseth provides commentary.

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