It was an all-around effort in all three phases of the game – offense, defense and special teams – that dominated the game for the Pacific football team, who recorded a 55-0 shutout of Lewis & Clark on Saturday afternoon at Hanson Stadium.
The Boxers (2-3, 1-2 NWC) scored 21 first quarter points en route to its first shutout since a 36-0 blanking of George Fox on Oct. 25, 2014 to make for a special homecoming. Also, with the win, Pacific moves the all-time series to a .500 mark with a 33-33-4 mark.
"I think there was a push to start fast," said Pacific head coach
Keith Buckley. "One of the things that we've done all season long as we've put ourselves into a bit of a hole that we've had to dig out. We came out today with a drive and a desire to come out and jump on them (Lewis & Clark) early. We saw that both offensively and defensively. And, we converted when we needed to. We have an offense that has big play capability and we hit on those."
With the loss, Lewis & Clark falls to 0-5 overall and 0-3 in conference play.
The Boxers' tandem of junior running back
Brandon Boyd (Gilroy, California) and freshman wide receiver
Kobe Williams (Las Vegas, Nevada) became the first duo in school history to score three touchdowns in a game.
Boyd had just nine carries, but for 164 yards to go along with his three touchdowns. His 73-yard touchdown run, late in the first quarter, was the second longest run in program history. The three rushing touchdowns by Boyd are the most since a three-touchdown effort by
Warner Shaw, who ran it on three occasions against Puget Sound on Oct. 11, 2014.
Williams had his third 100-yard receiving game on the season with six catches for 178 yards to go along with three touchdowns. The three receiving touchdowns by Williams are the most since a three-touchdown effort by
James Berry on Oct. 31, 2015 vs. Occidental.
With the offense clicking on all cylinders, the Boxer defense silenced the Pioneers' offensive attack. Pacific limited Lewis & Clark to just 159 yards of total offense and nine first downs, both marks are the fewest by a Pacific opponent since the return of football in the 2010 campaign.
The defense forced four turnovers, including an interception by
Garrett Willmon, a sophomore linebacker, who found the end zone with a 55-yard return. It is the first 'pick six' for the Boxers since a 29-yard return by Jacquari People on Oct. 11, 2014 against Puget Sound.
In terms of special teams, Pacific kicker
Alex Beekman was 6-for-6 on his point-after attempts to go along with two touchbacks and
Jonas Mello made the PAT on the final touchdown for the Boxers.
Next, Pacific will travel to Salem, Oregon to face a Willamette squad, who has an identical record to the Boxers, 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the Northwest Conference on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 1 p.m.
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