Pacific University Boxers Dominate Homecoming for Lewis & Clark Pioneer, 49-28
The Pacific University Boxers quickly got back to their dominating ways downing the Lewis & Clark Pioneers 49-28. The Pioneers scored the game’s first touchdown and the last two but the Boxers controlled the game 49-7 in between the bookend scoring of the home team.
It took Lewis & Clark four and a half minutes to go 77-yards on ten plays on the game’s first possession when Dejou Williams caught a five-yard pass from quarterback Niko Fortino for the game’s first score. After that, both teams went back and forth until the Boxers were able to tie the game as time ran out in the first quarter.
Pacific started at their own thirty when the Pioneer’s punt went out of bounds with 46 seconds left in the first. Greg Alip took the hand off three yards to the 33. With the clock ticking down, Nathan Suyematsu took a Warner Shaw pass 67-yards for the touchdown as the first quarter ran out. Alex Beekman tied the score with his PAT.
From that point on, Pacific had control. The second quarter would give the Boxers three scores. Three and a half minutes into the second, Nathan Suyematsu caught his second touchdown pass from Warner Shaw for 29-yards. With under seven minutes to the half, Kimana Pimental punched in from the left side for a four yard touchdown. And, with a minute left, Chad Aragon caught Warner Shaw’s third touchdown pass for 15-yards. Instead of a tie game, the Boxers went into the locker room up 28-7.
The second-half started the way the first ended with Pacific scoring two more touchdowns while keeping the Pioneers scoreless for the quarter. Halfway through the third, Jason Smith caught Warner Shaw’s fourth touchdown pass of the game for a 33-yard score. On their next possession, the Boxers’ Bronson Barretto punched it in from the one yard line for a 42-7 lead.
The fourth quarter’s suspense was for what the final score would be. Within three minutes, Lewis & Clark notched its first score since the beginning of the game when Mike Machado kept the ball on a quarterback draw from the four yard line.
It took Pacific two minutes to answer back. Bronson Barretto rushed for his second touchdown to the right from the three yard line. It was the Boxers’ final score of the night.
The Pioneers scored two last touchdowns before the game ended. The first was halfway through the quarter when Dejou Williams caught his second touchdown pass, this time from Mike Machado. The game’s final score came when Josh Bocker carried it in from the one yard line. Final score: 49-28.
Boxer defense was just as strong as the offense, holding the Pioneers scoreless for the middle 43 minutes of the game while their offense score 42 unanswered points. The Boxers sacked the Pioneers seven times led by Jeff Bajema’s three. The Pioneers were stopped by 43 tackles, not counting 30 assists, led by Trey Kodama with nine total. The Pioneer’s total rushing offense of minus 28-yards is thanks in part to 61 total yards tackled for a loss.
The offense shined behind Warner Shaw’s control of the passing game, throwing for four touchdowns completing 14 of 18 for 239-yards. Bronson Barretto led the Boxers in rushing with 74-yards on 13 attempts with two touchdowns. Nathan Suyematso continued his weekly showing with 122 more yards receiving on just five receptions and scoring two touchdowns.
Maybe it was the home team’s homecoming weekend. Two weeks ago, Pacific controlled Pacific Lutheran 34-7 on their own homecoming weekend. This weekend was Lewis & Clark’s.
Next weekend, the Boxers will have home field advantage for the first time in three weeks when they host the Willamette Bearcats at 1 pm in Hanson Stadium. Pacific (4-2 overall) will go into the game tied with Pudget Sound (3-2 overall) at 2-1, one game behind Linfield (3-0, 5-0) and Whitworth (3-0, 6-0). Lewis & Clark fell to 0-3 and 0-5.
by Greg Stoker
@GDStoker