It didn’t take long for most of the doubt to be removed in this contest played through an enduring wind and rain. A week after Pacific University easily won 34-7, the Pacific Boxers were crushed by the No. 3 ranked Linfield Wildcats, 77-10. Last season, these two teams were co-conference champions. This season, the Wildcats have taken an early 2-0 lead over the Boxers 1-1.

The first score would happen a minute and a half into the game when Linfield’s Dylan Lewis returned a punt 51 yards. Two more touchdowns would follow for the Wildcats in the first quarter when Spencer Payne scored on a four-yard run and Erick Douglas caught a 41-yard pass from Sam Riddle. To rub salt in the Boxer wounds, Linfield would score on a safety with 42 seconds left in the first quarter for a score of 23-0 going into the second.

Linfield continued mercilessly toward the half scoring on every possession as they did in the previous quarter. Spencer Payne scored his second touchdown of the game on a 19-yard pass from Sam Riddle. Sutter Chroisser punched it through from the one-yardline for another touchdown before the Boxers would get on the board. Bronson Barretto, who would lead the Boxers in rushing with 47-yards, dashed from the 13-yardline to bring Pacific within 37-7 before the Wildcats would score twice more before halftime.

Corey Stowell caught a 66-yard pass from Kevin McLean and Levi Altringer caught a 15-yard pass from Sam Riddle in a sharing of wealth, taking the Wildcats into the locker room at halftime with a 51-7 lead.

Any thoughts of the second half starting differently were washed away by the miserable weather of the afternoon. Linfield’s Tom Knecht scored on a five-yard run two minutes into the third quarter. Bryan Cassill scored on a two-yard run four and a half minutes later. The Boxers held a minor victory when they forced the Wildcats into their first punt of the night on their 11th possession, but, with nine seconds before the fourth quarter, the Wildcats scored a third touchdown when Cassill scored a second rushing touchdown from the seven-yardline. The Boxers entered the final quarter down 71-7 and held little hope on the road.

Halfway through the final quarter, the Boxers scored on an Alex Beekman field goal from the 24-yardline. It was their last score of the night. With one minute and eleven seconds left in the game, the Wildcats extended the misery when Gabe Caskey ran it in from the 18-yardline for a final score of 77-10.

No Boxer quarterback threw for a touchdown in Saturday’s game. Warner Shaw started and threw for 68-yards completing 11 of 21 passes. Campbell Summerfield relieved Shaw and threw for 58-yards, going 9 of 13, Both quarterbacks were sacked once. Ten different rushers, including Shaw and Summerfield, gained 74-yards led by Bronson Barretto’s 47-yards on seven carries. Kimana Pimental was close behind with 44-yards on eleven carries. Barretto also added 14-yards on four receptions. Nathan Suyematsu led all Boxers with 38-yards on four receptions.

The Wildcats wentfor  455-yards passing with three different quarterbacks. Sam Riddle led them all with 266-yards, going 14 for 23. Sutter Chroisser led all rushers with 53-yards on eight carries. Spencer Payne led all receivers with 71-yards on three receptions.

The Pacific University Boxers fell to 2-2 (1-1 NWC). The Linfield Wildcats are still unbeaten early in this season 4-0 (2-0 NWC).

By Greg Stoker
@GDStoker