PACIFIC (3-2, 3-0 NWC) AT GEORGE FOX (0-5, 0-3 NWC)
Game No. 6 • Away Game No. 4Sat., Oct. 25, 1 p.m., Stoffer Family Stadium, Newberg, Ore.
Radio: 1360 AM KUIK
Play By Play: Matt Richert  Analyst: Scott Hermo
Live Stats & Video |
Live AudioAFTER A BIG WIN, BOXERS RENEW RIVALRY WITH GEORGE FOXAfter scoring a statement 31-28 victory over then No. 18 ranked Pacific Lutheran at home on Saturday, the Pacific football team now turns its attention to the Northwest Conference's newest football program. The Boxers will head south to Newberg on Saturday to play their first game against George Fox in 46 years.
BOXER BYTES• After leading for most of the contest, Pacific used a 18-yard touchdown pass from
Warner Shaw to
Jakob Lawrence to stay on top for good as the Boxers held on for a 31-28 victory over No. 18 ranked Pacific Lutheran. The victory snapped a 17-game losing streak to the Lutes that dated back in 1972.
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Warner Shaw was almost perfect in the win, completing 21 of 24 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns. The effort elevated the junior quarterback to seventh in the nation among NCAA Division III quarterbacks in completion percentage.
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Jakob Lawrence caught two of Shaw's three touchdown passes and finished the day with 92 yards on seven receptions as the Boxers finished the day with 244 yards passing.
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Jack Perez led the Boxers defensively for the second straight week and for the third time in five games with 10 tackles and a half-tackle for loss.Â
Brandon Harms finished with seven tackles while
Josh Brinkworth had six tackles, a sack and a forced fumble.
• Pacific converted 11 of 15 plays on third down and enters the week ranked eighth among NCAA Division III teams with a .521 third down conversion percentage.
A WIN OVER GEORGE FOX WOULD...• Extend an eight-game win streak over the Bruins dating back to 1906. This will be just the fourth meeting between the two teams since 1965.
• Give Pacific their first 4-0 start in conference play in the history of the football program.
• Give Pacific a four-game win streak, the second longest since the program's 2010 reinstatement.
• Give the Boxers only their fourth four-win season in the last 30 years.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: GEORGE FOXLocation: Newberg, Ore.   Enrollment: 3,712
Nickname: Bruins   Colors: Blue & Gold
Conference: Northwest (NCAA Division III)
Stadium: Stoffer Family Stadium (2,800, covered, FieldTurf)
President: Dr. Robin Baker                Â
Athletic Director: Craig Taylor
Sports Information Director: Danny Cross
SID Phone: 503-554-2926
SID E-Mail: dcross@georgefox.edu
Athletics Website: gfubruins.com
Facebook: on.fb.me/1tj1tj4 Â Â Â Â Twitter: @GFUAthletics
Head Coach: Chris Casey (Linfield 1981)
Casey's Record At George Fox: First Year
Casey's Record Overall: First Year
Assistant Coaches: John Bates (DC), Ken Ingram (OC), Ian Sander (Special Teams), Gabe Haberly (QB), Torey Smith (RB), Patrick Prince (TE)
Returning Letterwinners: First Season
Returning Starters: First Season
2013 Record: No Program      NWC Record: No Program
All-Time Series: Pacific leads 11-1-0
Last Meeting: Pacific won 16-0 at Forest Grove on Nov. 12, 1968
About The Coach: Chris Casey was hired in 2012 to lead the first George Fox football program since 1968. Prior to the move to Newberg, Casey spent eight seasons as the head football coach at Aloha (Ore.) High School. During his tenure, he guided the Warriors to the 2010 Class 6A state championship and coached Thomas Tyner, who now stars for Oregon. A familiar face in the Northwest Conference, Casey spent 10 seasons as an assistant football coach and strength & conditioning coach at Whitworth and 11 seasons as an assistant football and baseball coach at Linfield. A graduate of Newberg High School, Casey played football at Linfield under Ad Rutschman and graduated from Linfield in 1981.
Last Meeting: Pacific scored an upset in an otherwise winless season in their last meeting with George Fox, beating the Bruins 16-0 at McCready Field on Nov. 12, 1968. The Boxers did most of their damage with the ground game, rushing for 161 yards. Mark Kane led the attack by carrying 17 times for 81 yards. The game's scoring, though, came from everything but rushing. After a 21-yard punt return by Glenn Higa, quarterback Junior Johnson found Dave Van Winkle on a 31-yard touchdown pass as the Boxers took a 6-0 lead into halftime. After Jack Lorts hit a chip shot field goal in the third quarter, the Boxers sealed the game when Jim Armbruster intercepted George Fox quarterback Dennis Ankeny and returned it 13 yards for the touchdown. Ankeny would be intercepted two more times in the final 15 minutes. Pacific outgained George Fox offensively 226 to 124.
GEORGE FOX NOTES• George Fox enters the week ranked eighth in the NWC in total offense (282.8 yards per game), seventh in scoring (16 points per game) and seventh in passing yards per game (176.4). Quarterback Grant Schroeder has completed 69 of 138 for 872 yards, but has been intercepted eight times. Brad Lander has been the top pass target, averaging 90 yards per game.
• The Bruins are ranked fifth in the NWC in rushing, averaging 106.4 yards per game. John Shaffer is averaging 89.2 yards per game.
• The George Fox defense has eight interceptions in five games, which leads the NWC. Justin Leatherman and Tell Cruickshank each have two interceptiions. Charles Riga is the Bruins' top defensive player with 45 tackles, 5.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss.
• The kicking game has been solid as Uriel Gonzalez has made 6 of 9 field foals, with a long field goal of 35 yards. Punter Lenanan Meekisho is averaging 37.1 yards per punt.
• Founded in 1885 by Quaker pioneers, George Fox was originally known as Friends Pacific Academy and then Pacific College (imagine the confusion) from 1981 to 1949. The George Fox name honors the founder of the Quaker movement. The school's mascot was the Quakers from approx. 1950 to 1969 before having the Bruins moniker reinstated.
• Notable alumni of George Fox include the 31st President of the United States, Herbert Hoover (attended Pacific Academy before his admission to Stanford), Oregon State baseball coach Pat Casey (brother of Chris Casey) and Ken Carter, the inspiration for the 2005 film Coach Carter.
PACIFIC NEWS & NOTES
An Almost Perfect Afternoon: Warner Shaw (Jr., Waimea, Hawaii) was almost perfect as he led the Boxers in their 31-28 win over Pacific Lutheran on Saturday.  Shaw finished the game completing 21 of 24 passes (an .875 completion percentage) for 244 yards with three touchdowns as he peppered passes to five different receivers. His longest strike was a 22-yard pass to
Jakob Lawrence (Sr., Sherwood, Ore.) on the first play of the second half, which helped to set up the team's first second half score. After working through some kinks in his first two games as the starter, Shaw has settled in to be one of the top quarterbacks in the NWC. He enters the week ranked seventh among NCAA Division III quaterbacks with a .695 completion percentage and is ranked 36th nationally with a pass efficiency rating of 150.2. Shaw is third in the NWC with his total of 1,135 passing yards and his his average of 227 yards per game. On the season, Shaw has completed 98 of 141 passes and has been intercepted just four times.
A Big Day For the Defense: The great play of the offense was equaled by a solid day by the Pacific defense. The Boxers finished with four tackles, for loss for a total of 17 yards, and two sacks, but made the big coverage plays when the Boxers needed them. Safety
Josh Brinkworth (Sr., Elk Grove, Calif.) made the first big defensive play when his sack of PLU quarterback Dalton Ritchey forced a fumble, which was recovered by
Trey Kodama (So., Pearl City, Hawaii) and ended the Lutes' first drive on the Pacific 11-yard line. The Boxers then came up big at the end of the game, forcing fourth straight pass incompletions on the Lutes' final drive, forcing PLU to turn the ball over on downs. Pacific limited PLU, who entered averaging 402 yards per game, to 316 yards of total offense. Brinkworth finished with six tackles and the big sack while linebacker
Jack Perez (Jr., Petaluma, Calif.) led the Boxers with 10 tackles.
Add Defense: As the season progresses, the Pacific defense continues to get stronger and stronger. The Boxers enter the week ranked 50th among Division III teams in rushing defense, limiting teams to 116.8 yards per game, and ranked 89th in scoring defense, allowing 29.6 points per game. The Boxers are averaging 2.60 sacks per game, ranking the team 63rd in Division III.
Air Time: After relying primarily on their rushing game for scoring in their last two contests, Pacific returned to focusing on the passing game for the majority of their scoring against PLU. Three of the team's four touchdowns came in the air, two to
Jakob Lawrence and one to
Jordan Fukumoto (Sr., Mililani, Hawaii). Lawrence led the Boxers as he caught seven passes for 92 yards and the two touchdowns.Â
Caleb Roher (Sr., Gresham, Ore.) caught six passes for 52 yards and a touchdown. As a team, Pacific enters the week fourth in the NWC in pass yardage with an average of 227 yards per game. Lawrence enters the week ranked 74th among NCAA Division III receivers with five touchdowns and is 86th with his average of 76.6 receiving yards per game.
Big On Third Down: There are not many teams that are better than the Boxers on third down. Against Pacific Lutheran on Saturday, Pacific converted 11 of 15 times on third down in the 31-28 victory. For the season, Pacific has converted 37 of 71 times on third down. Their .521 third down conversion percentage is not only first in the NWC, but is eighth among NCAA Division III teams. Linfield is second in the NWC, having converted 33 of 68 (49 percent). Only Whitworth has converted more third downs in the NWC, having converted 57 of 141.
Putting The Flag Away: After being flagged 14 times for 135 yards of penalties in their win over Whitworth, Pacific has come back to keepng the flags to a minimum. The Boxers were flagged just once on a holding call on the third play of Pacific's first drive of the game. The Boxers enter the week ranked third in the NWC in penalties, having committed just 30 for a total of 275 yards. Pacific is ranked 41st in Division III for fewest penalty yards and 84th in ewest panelty yards per game, averaging 55 yards per contest.
Holding On To Time: Pacific continues to make time of possession a big part of their offensive strategy. The Boxers held onto the ball for 35 minutes, 23 seconds, in the win over Pacific Lutheran. They enter the week ranked first in the NWC and 15th in Division III with an average time of possession of 33 minutes, 29 seconds per game. Pacific had a season high time of possession of 39 minutes, 6 seconds, against Whitworth on Oct. 6.
Bear-ly Making It To The End Zone: In the all-time series of 12 games between Pacific and George Fox, there has not been much in the way of scoring on the Bruins' side of the ball. Pacific has outscored George Fox 377-41 in the series and Pacific has shut out the Bruins nine times. The ledger includes the most lopsided victory in school history, a 118-0 defeat of the Bruins in 1923. George Fox's last win over Pacific was 5-0 victory during the 1905 season.
In The NCAA Division III Stats: Pacific this week in ranked in the NCAA Division III top-100 in 24 different statistical categories. Topping the team list, Pacific fifth in completion percentage (.695), eighth in third down conversion percentage (.521) and 15th in time of possession (33:29 per game). The Boxers are also 28th iin turnovers lost (7), 39th in fewest penalties (30) and 41st in fumbles lsot (3) and fewest penalty yards (275). Individually,
Bronson Barretto (Jr., Mililani, Hawaii) is tied for third with his one kickoff return for a touchdown.Â
Brandon Harms (Sr., Canby, Ore.) is ranked fourth with his 2.4 passes defended per game and
Warner Shaw is ranked seventh with his .695 completion percentage. The complete list can be found online at
http://stats.ncaa.org/team/index/11980?org_id=2751.
Boxers Picked Close Fourth In NWC Preseason Poll: In terms of how they will perform in conference games, Northwest Conference coaches do not expect a fifth year slump from the Boxers. Pacific was picked in close fourth place in the annual preseason poll conducted in August. Pacific received 34 votes, just two less than Willamette, who was picked third with 36 points. The Boxers finished fourth in the NWC in 2013, amassing a 3-3 conference record. Pacific Lutheran was picked second in the poll with 42 points. Linfield was the runaway pick to win the conference. The five-time defending champions received all but one first place vote and a total of 56 points.
Yes...He's Back: All-NWC wide receiver
Jordan Fukumoto made his return to the Pacific lineup against Whitworth on Oct. 6. Fukumoto, who was a Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in 2013, is in his first year as a student in Pacific's graduate School of Physical Therapy and had initially elected to not use his final year of eligibility to concentrate on his studies. To date, Fukumoto caught seven passes for 86 yards and caught his first touchdown in the Boxers' win on Saturday over Pacific Lutheran.
The (Not) Goin' To Chicago Blues: The Pacific 2014 schedule was shortened to nine games with the cancellation of the Sept. 27 game at the Univ. of Chicago. The game at Chicago's Stagg Field was canceled after a fire was intentionally set on Sept. 26 at the Federal Aviation Administration's radar control center in Aurora, Ill., which caused a ground stop at both of Chicago's major airports. The ground stop forced the cancellation of over 2,000 flights, including Pacific's scheduled flight to Chicago Midway International Airport.
They're Smart Too: A total of 13 Pacific football players were named over the summer as Northwest Conference Scholar-Athletes. To be selected, student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 by the end of the academic year and must have been an active member of the varsity roster the full season. The awards are in addition to the selection of
Jordan Fukumoto and
Brandon Harms to the 2013 Capital One/CoSIDA Division III Academic All-District VIII Football Team.
It's Hanson Stadium Now: It not only looks different, but Pacific's home stadium answers to a different name as well. A roof was added to the main stadium grandstand over the summer, providing coverage for over 1,100 fans who sit on the field's south sideline. Along with the roof came a name change to Hanson Stadium, which was approved by Pacific University's Board of Trustees in May. The moniker honors Trustee Rich Hanson and his wife, Joy, who provided the leadership gift to start fundraising for the stadium roof project. Mr. and Mrs. Hanson were honored by conducting the coin toss prior to the College of Idaho game on Sept. 6. Formerly known as Lincoln Park Stadium, Hanson Stadium was opened for the 2007 season and is home to Pacific's football, soccer, women's lacrosse and track and field programs.
From Scrimmage Line To Sideline: Some of Pacific's top players from the 2013 season have moved from the field to the sidelines to begin their coaching careers. Eight graduates from last year's team will help to lead the Boxers as part of the coaching staff. The list includes
Sean Bangs (defensive assistant),
Gabe Flory (assistant linebackers),
Eric Gietzen (assistant offensive line),
Aaron Koford (kickers),
Bryan Mills (safeties),
P.J. Minaya (quarterbacks),
Michael Smith (assistant defensive line) and
Brian Taylor (tight ends). Pacific is developing into a great starting spot for coaches. Over four years, seven coaches have moved on from Pacific to NCAA Division I coaching positions.
Yoro Promoted: In addition to the addition of eight coaches from Pacific's Class of 2014, Head Coach
Keith Buckley has promoted
Jacob Yoro to assistant head coach. One of two assistants who have been with the program since the 2010 reinstatement, Yoro serves as the Boxers' defensive coordinator and as the program's recruiting coordinator.
Season Honors: The following Pacific players have been recognized with NWC or national weekly honors this season...
Avery Richardson: D3Football.com Team of the Week for the week of Sept. 29-Oct. 5. The linebacker finished with eight tackles, including six solo tackles, and three sacks for losses of 22 yards in the Boxers' victory over Whitworth.
Nathan Suyematsu: NWC Special Teams Student-Athlete of the Week and D3Football.com Team of the Week for the week of Sept. 29-Oct. 5. The wide receiver and punter finished an average of 43.5 yards per punt on four punts. Three of the four punts landed inside the 20-yard line and the fourth was a touchback. His wrok included a season-long 61 punts, the third longest in school history.
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Jack Perez: NWC Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of Sept. 1-7. The linebacker finished with 16 tackles against the College of Idaho on Sept. 6. The total was a single game high since the program's 2010 reinstatement.
Bronson Barretto: NWC Special Teams Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of Sept. 1-7. The running back and kick return specialist finished with 179 all-purpose yards and had four kick returns for 155 yards against the College of Idaho. He capped his day with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the third longest in program history.
Pacific One-Liners (And Sometimes Two)• Two Pacific players spent the spring as key members of the Boxers' baseball program. Wide reciever/kicker
Nathan Suyematsu was a First Team All-NWC selection as a second baseman after hitting .342 with 53 hits, 29 runs and 13 doubles.Â
Kyle Treadway was one of the Boxers' starting pitcher, finishing with a team-leading 2.68 earned run average. Both Suyematsu and Treadway played summer baseball, with Treadway finishing as a Golden State Collegiate Baseball League all-star after a standout season with the Atwater Aviators.
• Offensive lineman
Riley Rankin is a cousin of late all-pro football player and Monday Night Football personality Don Meredith. In fact, Meredith predates Rankin's arrival on the Pacific campus by 52 years as he was part of the 1960 Dallas Cowboys' team that opened training camp in Forest Grove. Following in Meredith's footsteps, Rankin holds a Work Study job as a public address announcer for Pacific sporting events.
• Twenty-nine Pacific players hail from Hawaii, continuing a long-standing Pacific tradition. Nearly one-third of Pacific's undergraduate student body comes from the 50th state.
• The only state with more representation on the roster is California, with 42 athletes coming from the Golden State.
• Defensive lineman
Eddie Carrillo is in his second year as president of Pacific's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He is the first multi-year president of the body.
