PACIFIC (6-2, 6-0 NWC) AT NO. 10/12 LNFIELD (7-1, 5-1 NWC)
Game No. 9 • Away Game No. 5Sat., Nov. 15, 1 p.m., Maxwell Field, McMinnville, Ore.
Radio: 1360 AM KUIK (Live)
Play By Play: Matt Richert  Analyst: Scott Hermo
Home Radio: 1260 AM KLYC (McMinnville), 800 AM KPDQ (Portland)
Play By Play: Bill Johnson Analyst: Dave Hansen
Live Audio |
Live Video |
Live StatsPACIFIC, LINFIELD PLAY FOR NCAA PLAYOFFS BERTH ON SATURDAYWith their 41-24 win over Willamette on Saturday, Pacific clinched no less than a share of their first Northwest Conference championship since 1952. While that milestone is certainly significant, there is unfinished business coming up in the Boxers' regular season finale as the Boxers travel to McMinnville to face No. 10/12 ranked Linfield. At stake for the winner is the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III playoffs. For Linfield, a share of their sixth consecutive title is in the balance.
BOXER BYTES• Pacific recovered from a 7-0 first quarter deficit to score 24 unanswered points in the second quarter and then held off a fourth quarter rally by Willamette for a 41-24 win over the No. 25 ranked Bearcats. The win secured the Boxers' first Northwest Conference championship in 62 years in just the fifth year since the program's 2010 reinstatement.
• While the majority of the Boxers' 349 yards of total offense came in the air, almost all of their scoring came on the ground as three of the team's four touchdowns were of the rushing variety.Â
Bobby Ladiges rushed for a pair of scores and
Kamana Pimental rushed for a third.
•
Warner Shaw completed 19 of 28 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown. In the process, the junior improved his completion percentage to .702, which leads the NWC and ranks third among NCAA Division III quarterbacks. The Boxers enter the week with a .700 completion percentage, second in the nation behind Washington & Jefferson (.703).
• Linebacker
Jack Perez turned in another stellar defensive effort, leading the Boxers with 13 tackles, a tackle for loss and a sack. Safety
Chase Rogers added seven tackles, a tackle for loss and his second interception in as many games.
A WIN OVER LINFIELD WOULD...• Clinch Pacific's first outright Northwest Conference championship since 1939.
• Give Pacific the Northwest Conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III playoffs, which would be Pacific's first postseason action since the 1951 Pear Bowl.
• Snap a six-game losing streak to Linfield dating back to 1989, the Boxers' longest active losing streak against a conference opponent.
• Give Pacific back-to-back seven-win seasons and just their sixth season all-time of seven or more wins.
• Give Pacific their first undefeated conference record since 1952 (4-0-1) and just their third in program history.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: LINFIELDLocation: McMinnville, Ore.   Enrollment: 2,142
Nickname: Wildcats   Colors: Purple & Cardinal Red
Conference: Northwest (NCAA Division III)
Stadium: Memorial Stadium (3,000, covered, FieldTurf)
President: Dr. Thomas Hellie               Â
Athletic Director: Scott Carnahan
Sports Information Director: Kelly Bird
Athletics Website: linfield.edu/sports
Facebook: facebook.com/linfieldsports     Twitter: @linfieldsports
Head Coach: Joseph Smith (Linfield 1993)
Smith's Record At Linfield: 71-15 (8 Years)
Johnson's Record Overall: 17-15 (8 Years)
Assistant Coaches: Doug Hire (Asst. HC/OL), Jackson Vaughan (DC/DL), Brian Dundas (Asst. LB), Phil Rombach (LB), Brandon Hazenberg (Sec./Special Teams), Ad Rutschman (KO), Gary Rombach (Asst. DL), Aaron Boheme (QB), Kyle Otineru (OL Asst.), Greg McAnally (TE), Tyler Robitaille, David Sigler, Mack Farag
Returning Letterwinners: 53 (24 offense, 27 defense, 1 special teams)
Returning Starters: 11 (6 offense, 5 defense)
2013 Record: 11-1Â Â Â Â Â Â NWC Record: 6-0 (1st)
All-Time Series: Linfield leads 84-38-4
Last Meeting: Linfield won 28-22 at Forest Grove on Nov. 16, 2013
About The Coach: Joseph Smith is in his ninth year as Linfield head coach and has 25 years of service to the Wildcats as head coach, assistant coach and player. Smith has led Linfield to five consecutive NWC championships and entered the season with an impressive 71-15 record. In his nine seasons, Smith has led Linfield to five NWC championships and five NCAA Division III playoff berths, including one run to the NCAA senifinals. Prior to becoming head coach, Smith spent 13 years an assistant coach under Jay Locey, including seven seasons as defensive coordinator. Smith played at Linfield and was a Second Team NAIA All-American in 1992 and was a First Team All-Columbia Football Association selection as a cornerback. He was part of Linfield's 1992 team that advanced to the NAIA national championship game.
Last Meeting: In a shock to many of the game's Yamhill County visitors, Pacific had Linfield on the ropes for three quarters before the Wildcats scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to secure a 28-22 victory at Hanson Stadium. Pacific succeeded in holding the Wildcats, who came into the game averaging 48.8 points per game, to 313 yards of total offense. Pacific led for the first three quarters, going ahead by as much as 16-7 following
Moses Villareal-Gomez's 31-yard field goal with 10:20 to go in the third quarter. Linfield rallied to score three unanswered touchdowns, beginning with Josh Hill's one-yard run with 6:53 left in the third and a pair of fourth quarter runs by Josh Yoder that put the Wildcats up 28-16. Pacific came back within a touchdown on
P.J. Minaya's five-yard run, but could come no closer. Minaya complted 17 of 31 for 188 yards with
Jakob Lawrence catching six passes for 105 yards and a touchdown. Yoder completed 10 of 16 for Linfield for 89 yards and rushed for 82 yards and three touchdowns. Hill rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
LINFIELD NOTES• Linfield enters the week ranked No. 10 in the D3Football.com Top-25 Poll and No. 12 in the American Football Coaches Association Division III Poll. The Wildcats dropped out of the top-five in both polls following their 31-28 loss to Willamette on Nov. 1. Linfield is the highest ranked one-loss team in both polls.
• The Wildcats' offense ranks first in the NWC and fifth in Division III in scoring, averaging 47.8 points per game. Linfield is ranked third in the NWC in both passing yards per game (263.6) and rushing yards per game (212.9) while leading the league and 22nd in Division III in total offense with 476.5 yards per game. Â
• Defensively, Linfield is ranked third in Division III in total defense, allowing 209.6 yards per game, and fourth in first downs defense, allowing opponents just 102 yards on the season. Linfield ranks ninth in passing yards allowed (130.3 yards per game) and 10th in rushing defense (79.4 yards per game).
• Quarterback Sam Riddle ranks third in the NWC with 216.6 passing yards per game and second with 21 touchdowns. Charlie Poppen is Riddle's preferred target, ranking second in the NWC with 88 receiving yards per game and tied for first with 11 receiving touchdowns.
• The last time Linfield did not win the NWC championship was in 2008, when Willamette last beat the Wildcats to secure the title. The last time Linfield shared the NWC title was in 2001 in a three-way tie with Pacific Lutheran and Willamette.
• Notable Linfield alumni include current baseball coach and 1998 World Series MVP Scott Brosius, Amy Tan, the author of The Joy Luck Club, and Homer Groening, the father of "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening.
PACIFIC NEWS & NOTESA Championship Season: It may not have been in the cards early in the season, but an incredible run through the Northwest Conference schedule has made the 2014 Pacific football season something special. The 41-24 win over Willamette on Saturday earned the Boxers a share of the NWC championship for the first time since 1952 and only the sixth time in school history. With a win on Saturday, Pacific would clinch their first outright title since 1939 and only the third outright title in program history (1938, 1939). A loss to Linfield would give Pacific their fourth shared title in program history, joining the 1949, 1951 and 1952 squads.
The Playoff Picture: The NCAA Division III playoff picture for both Pacific and Linfield is remarkably simple: The team that wins is in. The winner of the game on Saturday will receive the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III playoffs. The loser will have to wait and see if they are fortunate enough to receive an at-large, also known as a "Pool C" berth, from the selection committee. Football playoff selections will be announced on Sun., Nov. 16 at 3 p.m., Pacific time. The selection show can be viewed at http://on.ncaa.com/1xcq2CA. Â
A Complete Quarterback: Quarterback
Warner Shaw (Jr., Waimea, Hawaii) continues to play a big role in the Boxers' championship successes. Shaw performed at a high level once again against Willamette on Saturday, completing 19 of 28 for 219 yards and a touchdown. His lone touchdown pass came in the third quarter as he found
Sean Visperas (So., Stockton, Calif.) for a 30-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. Shaw enters the week as one of the top quarterback in Division III football and poised to break the record set by current coach
P.J. Minaya for season completion percentage. To date, Shaw has completed 70.3 percent of his passes, ranking him first in the NWC and third among all Division III quarterbacks. Minaya set the Pacific record last year with a .647 completion percentage. Shaw also ranks 23rd in Division III in passing efficiency with a rating of 163.5. Among NWC quarterbacks, Shaw ranks second with 1,776 yards, an average of 222 yards per game and third with 146 completions. Â
Add Completion Percentage: Thanks to Shaw's calm under fire, Pacific enters the week ranked second among all NCAA Division III teams in completion percentage. The Boxers own a team .700 completion percentage, just behind that of national leader Washington & Jefferson at .703. Chapman ranks third at .685. Whitworth is the next closest NWC team, ranking 22nd at .645.
Smart & Talented: Brandon Harms (Sr., Canby, Ore.) has shown against his ability to perform not only on the field of play, but also in the classroom. Harms was selected for the second straight season to the Capital One/CoSIDA Division III Academic All-District VIII Football Team. Harms is carrying a 3.76 cumulative grade point average as a double major in physics and mathematics. On the field, Harms is proving to be one of the top defensive players and return specialists in the nation. As the Boxers' starting cornerback, Harms enters the week ranked first in the NWC with pass breakups and is ranked sixth in Division III with his 1.9 passes defended per game. In the punt return department, Harms leads the NWC and is 10th in Division III with his average of 16 yards per punt return. Harms finished with five tackles against Willamette on Saturday and also 48 yards on three punt returns, an average of 16 yards per return.
Block & Tackle: Linebacker
Jack Perez (Jr., Petaluma, Calif.) turned in yet another stellar game for the Boxers to help lead the team to their title clinching win over Willamette. Perez led the Boxers with 13 tackles, which included a sack and a tackle for loss. It marked the four time this season that Perez has finished with 10 or more tackles on the season. The anchor of the Pacific defense, Perez enters the week leading the Boxers and ranking fourth in the NWC with a total of 73 tackles and 9.1 tackles per game. His 36 solo tackles ranks 10th in the NWC and his 37 assisted tackles is second in the league.
Chasing Opposing Quarterbacks: It has been a breakout season for safety
Chase Rogers (Sr., Lahaina, Hawaii) and could very well have been topped by his performance against Willamette on Saturday. Rogers finished with seven tackles, three pass break-ups and one tackle for loss. Of most significance, though, was his fourth quarter interception of Bearcats' quarterback Trent Spallas that led to the Boxers' final score of the game and put the game out of reach for Willamette. The interception was Rogers' third of the season and moved him into a tie for second in the NWC. Rogers also enters the week with nine pass breakups and his average of 1.5 passes defended per game ranks 32nd among NCAA Division III players.
Making The Stops On The Line: Defensive lineman
Jeff Bajema (So., Burlington, Wash.) has stepped up to be a big presence for the Boxers in the last two games. In Saturday's win over Willamette, Bajema's presence earned Pacific points. He was in the right place at the right time to pick up a fumble by Willamette quarterback Trent Spallas on their second play of the second half, running the ball in five yards for the touchdown. Bajema finished the game with four tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss and the fumber recovery for the touchdown. Bajema enters the week ranked fifth in the NWC with 5.5 sacks and fourth with a total of 43 yards off of sacks.
Putting It Through The Uprights: After struggling through the first three games of the season,
Moses Villareal-Gomez (Sr., Stockton, Calif.) has put it together to make a difference for the Boxers in the kicking game. Villareal-Gomez went 2 for 3 on field goals in the win over Willamette, which included a season-long 41-yarder. After going 1 for 5 on field goals in the first three games of the season, Villareal-Gomez has settled in to hit on 4 of 8 opportunties in his last five games. With his five made field goals in 2014, Villareal-Gomez has extended his Pacific career record to 32 field goals. He has also made 28 point-after attempts this season, extending his career record to 112.
Little Love In The Polls: Two wins over top-25 teams and a conference championship has done little to impress the votes in either of the major Division III polls. Pacific received 11 votes in this week's American Football Coaches Association Top-25 Poll, up from three votes received the week before. Voters on the D3Football.com Top-25 Poll were less impressed as the Boxers received only three votes.
Scoring Average Record In Reach: Pacific is well within striking distance of the team season record for scoring average. The Boxers enter the week averaging 34.1 points per game. The team record is 29.7 points per game, which was set during the 1949 season.
Conference Win Records Fall: Pacific broke a pair of team conference win records with the victory over Willamette on Saturday. The Boxers are currently riding a six-game win streak, breaking the school record for conference win streak of five set in 1972. The win also gave the Boxers their first six-win conference season. The last time Pacific won five conference games was in 1972, when the Boxers finished 5-1. A win on Saturday over Linfield would give Pacific just their seventh season all-time with seven or more wins (1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1972, 2013). A win over Linfield would also give Pacific just their third undefeated conference season, joining squads from 1939 (3-0-2) and 1952 (4-0-1).
Zero To Champion In Five Years: The progression from first year program to conference champion for Pacific has been impressive. According to the experts at D3Football.com, Pacific is one of eight NCAA Division III programs since 1997 to have won a conference championship in five years or less of their start. Castleton State of Vermont was the last to do it, needing four years from inception to win the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference title. The fastest Division III program to go from inception to title is Christopher Newport of Virginia. The program won the USA South Athletic Conference in 2001, the first year it sponsored football.
Back To Back Winning Seasons Secured: The win over Lewis & Clark on Nov. 1 provided Pacific their second consecutive winning season after the team finished with a 7-3 record in 2013. It is the first time that Pacific has had back-to-back winning seasons since the 1964 and 1965 seasons, where Pacific finished 5-3 both years.
Pacific's Last Overtime Game: The Nov. 1 overtime against Lewis & Clark was the first time Pacific had played overtime since the 2010 reinstatement of the program and was the first time since Oct. 27, 1990, that the Boxers had played an overtime game. Ironically, that last overtime contest was played at Griswold Stadium against Lewis & Clark. Pacific came back form a 14-0 first quarter deficit to tie the game in the third quarter before the teams traded touchdowns and two-point conversions to tie the game at 22-22. Neither team scored in overtime and the game ended in a 22-22 tie. Of course, that could not happen in today's college football under current "Kansas Plan" rules.
A Landmark Shutout: The 36-0 shutout of George Fox on Oct. 25 was the first for the Boxers in a long time. The shutout was the first for Pacific since the 2010 reinstatement of the program and was also the first since the Boxers laid a 35-0 shutout on Southern Oregon to end the 1972 season. That season also marked the last time Pacific shut out a conference opponent in a 21-0 blanking of Willamette. Ironically, Pacific has shut out George Fox more than any other team in program history. In the 13 all-time meetings with the Bruins, the Boxers have shut them out 10 times.
Big On Third Down: Pacific continues to make the most of their chances on third down. The Boxers enter the week having converted 57 of 112 on the season on third down opportunities. The team's third down conversion percentage of 50.9 percent leads the NWC and ranks eighth among NCAA Division III programs.
Putting The Flag Away: Pacific continued to keep the penalties to a minimum. The Boxers were flagged four times for 55 yards against Willamette while the Bearcats were flagged eight times for 69 yards. In their eight games, Pacific has been flagged 46 times for 415 yards, ranking second in the NWC. Pacific's 415 penalty yards ranks as the 46th fewest in Division III. Pacific had a season low of one penalty for 10 yards in the Oct. 18 game against Pacific Lutheran.
In The NCAA Division III Stats: Pacific this week in ranked in the NCAA Division III top-100 in 26 different statistical categories. Topping the team list, Pacific is second in completion percentage (.700), eighth in third down conversion percentage (.509), 13th in tunrovers lost (10), 14th in passes had intercepted (4), 16th in kickoff returns (23.68 yards per return) and 16th in punt returns (16 yards per return). The complete list can be found on page 7 of this release or online at http://stats.ncaa.org/team/index/11980?org_id=2751.
Climbing The Win Ladder: If there is any illustration of how well head coach
Keith Buckley has built his team over the last five years, one can simply look at his spot on the Boxers' all-time win list. With his 17 wins, Buckley has moved into sixth on Pacific's all-time list, surpassing the 14 wins amassed by Bill Griffin between 1985 and 1989. Buckley will next look to overtake Eldon Jenne, who won 18 games between 1930 and 1933.
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.
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.
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.
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; D3Football.com Team of the Week for week of Oct. 13-19 for his 10 tackles and two pass break-ups against Pacific Lutheran on Oct. 18.
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...NWC Special Teams Student-Athlete of the Week for Oct. 27-Nov. 2. Finished with three kick returns for 105 yards, including a 42-yard return, and had 162 all-purpose yards, including 57 rushing yards.
Brandon Harms: NWC Special Teams Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of Sept. Oct. 20-26. Harms finished with 105 all-purpose yards, all on punt returns, in Pacific's 36-0 shutout of George Fox. He had one return of 70 yards in the first quarter, which ranks as the second longest return in school 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.
