Oct. 18, 2006

FOOTBALL: Lutes Host Linfield in Northwest Conference Clash

THIS WEEK: Pacific Lutheran hosts the Linfield Wildcats, Saturday, 1:30 p.m., at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup.

RECORDS: Pacific Lutheran is 2-4 overall and 2-1 in the Northwest Conference. The Lutes opened the season with non-conference losses at home to Cal Lutheran (17-14) and Wisconsin-River Falls (24-17) and on the road to Chapman (42-25). In Northwest Conference games they have defeated Puget Sound on the road (32-28), lost to Whitworth at home (19-7), and last week beat Menlo on the road (34-10). Linfield comes into the game with a 3-2 overall record and a 2-0 mark in the Northwest Conference. The Wildcats started the season with non-conference losses at home to Western Oregon (28-14) and on the road to nationally ranked Hardin-Simmons (21-6), and last week survived a scare from visiting Southern Oregon (37-29). In Northwest Conference action the Wildcats beat Willamette at home (42-14), and won at Puget Sound (42-17).

SERIES HISTORY: This Saturday’s game is the 56th meeting between the two teams. The series began in 1933 and Saturday’s game will mark the 41st straight year PLU has played Linfield, which is PLU’s longest current ongoing yearly series. Linfield leads the all-time series 30-21-4 and has won the last four games. The Wildcats won last year’s game, 42-13, in McMinnville, Ore.

THE COACHES: Scott Westering is in his third season as PLU’s head coach and has an 11-13 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, and he was a member of the 1980 NAIA Division II national championship team. Joe Smith is in his first year as Linfield’s head coach after serving for many years as the school’s defensive coordinator.

2005 GAME: Pacific Lutheran out-gained Linfield in total yardage, but the Wildcats took advantage of five turnovers and a pair of sacks to beat the Lutes, 42-13, in the Northwest Conference opener for both schools at Maxwell Field in McMinnville, Ore. PLU led Linfield in total yards, 445 to 425, but the Wildcat defense came up with three interceptions, two fumbles and two quarterback sacks. For his part, PLU quarterback Chris Maine was effective running and throwing the ball, passing for 325 yards and finishing the game as the Lutes' top rusher with 42 net yards. PLU receiver Craig Chiado caught seven passes for 103 yards and Chase Reed caught six balls for 125 yards and one touchdown. The Linfield first-team defense, led by the 15 tackles of linebacker Brandon Olson, allowed just one score - that coming on a 1-yard pass from Maine to Reed to end the first half. Linfield’s All-America quarterback, Brett Elliott, completed 22-of-28 passes for 228 yards and four touchdowns. Elliott spread the wealth, completing five passes to four different receivers.

LUTES LAST WEEK: Pacific Lutheran spotted Menlo College a 10-point second quarter lead, then came to life on both offense and defense in rolling to a 34-10 Northwest Conference victory at Connor Field in Atherton, Calif. After trailing 10-0, Pacific Lutheran responded with a pair of second quarter touchdowns to take a 14-10 lead at halftime, and then iced the game with a dominating offensive and defensive effort in the second half. PLU scored its first touchdown with 7:24 left in the second quarter on a 7-yard run by junior slotback Chase Reed (Orting, Wash. / Orting HS). That play capped a 12-play, 69-yard drive. The second touchdown came on an 11-yard run by junior quarterback Brett Gordon (Yakima, Wash. / Eisenhower HS) with 1:41 left in the half. With junior defensive end Andrew Eisentrout (Olympia, Wash. / Olympia HS) and junior rover Jeff Ebel (Loveland, Colo. / Mountain View HS) wreaking havoc in the Menlo offensive backfield, the Lutes controlled the second half. Eisentrout had 4.5 tackles for loss including 2.5 quarterback sacks among his six total tackles, while Ebel had three tackles for loss with two quarterback sacks among his six tackles. With Menlo unable to sustain any offensive thrust, the Lutes continued to put points on the scoreboard. Gordon hooked up with junior receiver Craig Chiado (Albuquerque, NM / St. Pius X HS) on a 20-yard touchdown pass at the 11:47 mark of the third quarter, putting the Lutes on top 20-10. The play capped a six-play, 70-yard drive. About three minutes later, PLU made it 27-10 when Gordon hooked up with senior tight end Adam Nichols (Bellingham, Wash. / Squalicum HS) on a 2-yard scoring pass. The Lutes closed out the scoring with 9:06 left in the game on a 2-yard run by senior fullback Craig Stahl (Port Townsend, Wash. / Port Townsend HS), a score set up by Stahl’s 53-yard run one play earlier. The Lutes finished the game with 364 yards of offense to just 124 for the Oaks. Gordon completed 16-of-23 passes for 236 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Chiado was the leading receiver with eight catches for 132 yards, while Chase Reed added five catches for 79 yards. Stahl led the PLU rushing attack with 68 yards on eight carries.

WILDCATS LAST WEEK: Quarterback Trevor Scharer passed for a career-high 443 yards and five touchdowns to power No. 18 Linfield to a 37-29 non-conference victory over Southern Oregon on Saturday night at Maxwell Field. Five different receivers caught touchdowns from Scharer, who became one of only five Linfield quarterbacks to throw for more than 400 yards. Linfield led for most of three quarters, but had to fend off a second-half surge by the Raiders to pull out the home-field victory.

EISENTROUT EARNS NWC HONOR: Andrew Eisentrout spent the majority of his Saturday afternoon in the Menlo football team’s offensive backfield, and for that he has earned Northwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors. Eisentrout, a junior defensive end, had 4.5 tackles for loss, including 2.5 quarterback sacks totaling 16 yards, among his six total tackles. Through six games this season, Eisentrout is tied for second among PLU defensive players with 42 total tackles. He is second with 12 tackles for loss and leads the team with 7.5 quarterback sacks totaling 49 yards.

PLU BY THE NUMBERS: PLU comes into the game averaging 21.5 points and 309.5 yards – including 247.7 passing – per game while giving up an average of 23.3 points and 310.0 yards per contest. While the PLU offense has turned the ball over 20 times, the Lutes defense has been opportunistic with 19 takeaways. Individually, quarterback Brett Gordon has completed 91-of-167 passes for 1,255 yards with 10 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Craig Chiado is the leading receiver with 46 catches for 677 yards and five touchdowns. Chase Reed has 27 catches for 376 yards and three scores, and he leads the running attack with 199 yards on 62 carries. Defensively, linebacker Chad Blau leads the Lutes with 51 tackles and 13 tackles for loss. Senior linebacker Jon Hergert (Seattle, Wash. / Evergreen HS) has 42 tackles this season.

LINFIELD BY THE NUMBERS: The Wildcats average 28.2 points and 401.2 yards per game – including 303 through the air. On defense, they allow an average of 21.8 points and 365.2 yards per game. Trevor Scharer is the next in a line of outstanding Linfield quarterbacks. A first-year starter, the junior from Salem, Ore., has completed 78-of-116 passes for 1,117 yard with 11 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Jared Thomas is his favorite receiver with 25 catches for 330 yards and three touchdowns, but Tyler Kaluza (22-263-3) and Josh Vierra (18-361-4) are not far behind. Linfield’s running game has not been particularly good, however, as the leading rusher is Jon Montalvo with 124 yards on 30 carries. Defensively, rover Keona Tawata has 46 total tackles and two interceptions, while safety Brian Mehl has 41 tackles. Defensive tackle Mike Ketler leads the team with 3.5 quarterback sacks.

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 www.klay1180.com. Steve Thomas handles the play-by-play and Karl Hoseth provides commentary.

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