A potent Whitworth offense that recorded 514 yards through the air and 103 more on the ground sparked the Pirates to a 55-31 win over the Pacific University football team on Saturday in Forest Grove.
 
The Boxers (3-5, 2-3 NWC) allowed a pair of touchdowns in each quarter and saw its two-game winning streak snapped in the loss. The loss overshadowed the record-breaking performance of freshman wide receiver Kobe Williams (Las Vegas, Nevada). The rookie wide out caught a Pacific school record 20 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns. Plus, the 20 receptions are the most in NCAA Division III in 2016.
 
The Pirates (6-2, 4-1 NWC) showed why their offensive leads NCAA Division III in passing offense. Whitworth junior quarterback Ian Kolste completed 44 of 57 passes for 490 yards and five touchdowns in the win. Kolste found nine-different receivers including Garrett McKay and Nick Kiourkas, who had 13 and 7 catches, respectively. Both went over the century mark with 171 and 113 yards, respectively. McKay had a touchdown reception, plus Kiourkas added a pair. Also for Whitworth, Kolste also hauled in a 24-yard touchdown pass on a flea flicker pass from Kevin Thomas. Pirates running back Duke DeGaetano ran 20 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Much like Whitworth, Pacific went to the air often in the contest. Boxers' quarterback Campbell Summerfield completed 39 of 63 passes for 421 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. The senior quarterback from Sandy, Oregon found eight-different receivers in the defeat.
 
Whitworth scored on its first two possessions en route to an early 13-0 lead. Late in the first quarter, after the Boxers' defense forced a Koste fumble, Summerfield found junior running back Brandon Boyd (Gilroy, Calif.) on a 3rd down play for a 25-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to 13-7. The Pirates added to its lead with an 11 play, 80-yard drive to begin the second quarter with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Kolste to Chase Naccarato. Pacific answered with an 11 play drive of its own, covering 75 yards with senior running back Kamana Pimental (Kaneohe, Hawaii) scoring on a three-yard run to cut the deficit to 20-14 with 7:23 left in the half.
 
The Pirates answered with their own 11 play, 75-yard drive with DeGaetano scoring from five yards out for a 27-14 advantage in favor of the visitors. Twice, in the drive, Whitworth extended the drive with third-down conversions. Whitworth added to its lead with 14 third-quarter points to take a 41-14 lead on the Boxers.
 
Early in the fourth quarter, Pacific sophomore running back Austin Cardoza (Exeter, Calif.) ripped a run off up the middle for a 35-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 20, 41-21, with 13:52 left in the contest. Three plays later, the Boxers' defense forced its second turnover of the afternoon when senior defensive end Mark Jacobson (Forks, Wash.) hit the Whitman quarterback. Pacific teammate Avery Richardson (Riverside, Calif.) recovered the loose ball. Two plays and 47 seconds later, Williams was open for a 32-yard touchdown pass from Summerfield to make it 41-28 with 12:53 to play.

The Pirates came back and found the end zone with Kolste and Kourkas connecting on a 12-yard touchdown pass for a 48-28 contest. Next, the Boxers found the end zone for the third time in the quarter when they marched down the field on a season-long 14 play, 75-yard drive that ended with Williams and Summerfield connecting for a 3-yard touchdown strike on 4^th and goal to cut the bring the Boxers within 48-35 with 5:51. A seven play, 43-yard drive by the visitors that ended with a one-yard touchdown run by DeGaetano ended the comeback hopes for the final margin.
 
The contest saw the two teams combine for 66 first downs and 1,100 of total offense. Whitworth accounted for 35 first downs and 617 yards of total offense and the Boxers tallied 31 first downs and 493 yards of total offense.
 
Next, Pacific will travel to Newberg to face George Fox University in its final road contest of the season on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 2 p.m.