Linfield runs all over banged-up Bucs

SPOKANE, WA. -- Aaron Williams (Soph., Aptos, Calif.) rushed for 102 yards and three touchdowns as seventh-ranked Linfield pushed aside Northwest Conference rival Whitworth 38-20 Saturday afternoon at the Pine Bowl. The Wildcats raised their record to 5-0, extending the program’s string of consecutive winning seasons to 54.

Linfield forced six turnovers, including four interceptions, and knocked out Whitworth’s first- and second-string quarterbacks in the contest. The Pirates dropped their second straight game to fall to 2-4 for the season and 0-2 in the NWC.

Williams carried the ball 22 times and scored a pair of second-half touchdowns to help Linfield keep the Pirates at arm’s length. Wildcats quarterback Aaron Boehme (Jr., Stanwood, Wash.) passed for 274 yards and two TDs. Trevor Patterson (Sr., Pendleton, Ore.) caught six passes for 106 yards and one score, including five in the first half as the Wildcats built a 24-7 halftime lead.

Twice in the first half, the Wildcats thwarted Pirate scoring chances inside the Linfield 20-yard line. After Whitworth drove to the Linfield 1 on its opening possession, Kole Krieger (Soph., Sherwood, Ore.) intercepted Andrew Durant in the end zone. The ‘Cats needed only seven offensive plays to take the lead, scoring on a 38-yard touchdown by Patterson from Boehme.

On its next possession, Linfield marched 59 yards in six plays to paydirt. Williams plunged into the end zone from three yards out. The extra point by Maika Kunioka (Fr., Mililani, Hawaii) made it 14-0.

Early in the second quarter, Durant led the Pirates down to the Linfield 14, but Christian Hanna (Soph., Coeur d'Alene, Idaho), making his first start in place of injured starter Kalae Parish (Soph., Ewa Beach, Hawaii), picked off the sophomore quarterback at the 2.

Linfield threatened to break the game open when Boehme found Gunnar Cederberg (Sr., Tigard, Ore.) for a 12-yard scoring strike with five minutes left in the first half, but Whitworth closed the margin to 21-7 when Cub Jansen cracked the goal line on a quarterback keeper with 1:34 left on the clock. Jansen was hurt on the play and forced to leave the game, turning the game over to untested freshman Taylor Eglet.

Linfield wasn’t through in the half, as Boehme quickly led the team down the field and Kunioka booked a 30-yard field goal.

Williams added to his touchdown total with a five-yard scoring burst on the Wildcats’ opening drive of the third quarter.

Whitworth countered with a two-yard run by London Vessey with 1:59 left in the third period. That trimmed the Linfield led to 31-14. Williams scored on another short dive over the middle of the line with 10 minutes left, putting the game out of reach.

Bryce Comfort (Jr., Tacoma, Wash.) made a team-high seven tackles while Taylor Skore (Soph., Enumclaw, Wash.) and Alex Tkachuk (Sr., Beaverton, Ore.) each added six stops. In addition to his interception, Krieger made three tackles and recovered a fumble.

Linfield outgained Whitworth 439-243. That included a 313-100 advantage in the first half.