Nov. 10, 2003

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -

THIS WEEK: Western Washington University Vikings (3-6, 2-0) vs. Western Oregon University Wolves (4-5, 1-1) at Civic Stadium (FieldTurf - 4,500 capacity) at Bellingham, Wash., on Sat., Nov. 15, at 1 p.m., in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest.

The Vikings, who had a bye last week, can win the GNAC championship outright with a win in their season finale over the Wolves. It will be the last game for 15 Western seniors.

Two weeks ago, Western clinched at least a tie for the league title, its fourth in five years and sixth in the last nine campaigns, with a 34-20 win at Humboldt State. That snapped a five-game road losing streak.

The week before, the Vikings pulled off a stunning come-from-behind 17-16 victory over defending champion Central Washington to snap a three-game losing streak. It was the eighth annual Cascade Cup game and Western's annual Homecoming/Hall of Fame contest.

Prior to its victory over the Wildcats, Western had suffered back-to-back lopsided road setbacks to two schools making the transition from NCAA II to NCAA I-AA, losing 48-19 at UC Davis on Oct. 18 and 48-17 at Northern Colorado on Oct. 11.

On Oct. 4, Western lost 29-20 to Central in the first "Battle in Seattle" at Seahawks Stadium before a crowd of 16,392, the largest to see a small college football game in the state of Washington.

The Vikings first win of the season came on Sept. 27, a 42-35 overtime decision at home over NCAA Division I-AA independent Saint Mary's CA after trailing by 21 points in the first half.

That ended a four-game losing streak for Western which began last year and stopped a three-game losing string at Bellingham's Civic Stadium. Both streaks were the longest since the mid-80s.

The Vikings, who will see a school-record string of 12 non-losing seasons end this fall, opened the season with three losses, two of them to teams ranked nationally in the American Football Coaches Association/NCAA II Top 25. They fell in their season and home opener on Sept. 4, 44-27 to No.8 St. Cloud State MN. That was followed by two road setbacks, 23-20 in overtime at Western Oregon on Sept. 13 and 52-28 at No.19 Nebraska-Omaha on Sept. 20 (tied 28-all at halftime).

Western Oregon began the season with two overtime victories, 23-22 at Humboldt State on Sept. 6 and 23-20 at home over Western. But those wins were followed by four straight losses, two at home - 37-10 to South Dakota State on Sept. 20 amd 29-21 to Mesa State CO on Sept. 27, and two on the road - 17-10 at Southern Utah on Oct. 4 and 27-7 at UC Davis on Oct. 11.

The Wolves bounced back with a 37-17 victory at Western New Mexico on Oct. 18, but lost their conference opener at home to Central, 55-44, on Nov. 1. They came back last week with a 24-20 Homecoming victory over Humboldt State, and can tie for the GNAC title with a victory over Western.

SERIES HISTORY: 40th meeting. Western leads in the series, 23-16-0. Western has won four of the last six meetings, losing 23-20 in overtime on Sept. 13 and taking a 20-17 victory in overtime last year, both at Monmouth, Ore. Western holds a 12-7-0 series edge at Bellingham. The series began in 1930.

RADIO: KBAI (930 AM-Bellingham) is broadcasting all Western football games live this season with sports director Doug Lange handling the play-by-play duties for the eighth consecutive season. Providing the color commentary for the sixth straight year is former Viking quarterback Jason Stiles. The pre-game show, hosted by Mark Scholten, begins at 12:35 p.m. The KBAI broadcast can be picked up via the Internet at wwuvikings.com.

The contest also can be heard live on KCCS Radio (1220 AM-Salem, Ore.) with Russ Blunck making the call.

SENIOR SALUTE: Fifteen seniors are competing in their final game Saturday for Western. They are defensive tackle Nick Ball, fullback Nyle Chambers, defensive end JeVarian Gamble, rover linebacker Taylor Hutton, free safety Shane Keck, wide receiver Nate Kuhns, linebacker Jesse Looker, defensive tackle Brad Mann, defensive end Derek Noble, middle linebacker Lann Olson, quarterback Josh Shimek, offensive center Lincoln Stalnaker, middle linebacker Brett Thompson, wide receiver Ryan Van Diest, and offensive guard Jon Pagan. Seven are four-year letter winners.

OLDEST KNOWN LIVING WWU FOOTBALL PLAYER TO BE HONORED: Howard Wilder, the oldest known living Western football player, will be honored when the Vikings host Western Oregon at Civic Stadium. Wilder, 99, played for what was then Bellingham State Normal School in 1923, a historic year in the athletic history of the school. The Viking nickname was adopted that year, and the newly-named team won its first conference championship.

Wilder attended Western from 1923 to 1925, earning a two-year teaching certificate, then returned in 1930-31 to complete his three-year certificate. A fullback, Wilder was a key member of the 1923 squad that went undefeated at 3-0-2 and won the Tri-Normal League title, as he scored two touchdowns in a victory over Ellensburg Normal and three in a triumph over Cheney Normal. The 1923 team played its games at newly opened Waldo Field, at the present location of Red Square, and was coached by Sam Carver, for whom the current gymnasium is named. Wilder, who will perform the coin toss prior to the game with Western Oregon, went on to teach and later managed a lumberyard in Mount Vernon and owned a neighborhood grocery store, retiring in 1968. He turns 100 on Dec. 6.

2002 RESULTS: Western finished 6-4 and placed second in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference standings (2-1).

Western Oregon was 5-5 and tied for third in the GNAC at 1-2.

WESTERN REPORT: Entering Western's eighth game of the season, coach Rob Smith talked of a "new season" as the Vikings began conference play. The team has responded with two victories prior to having a bye last Saturday.

Two keys to the turnaround have been the limiting of turnovers and the improvement of the defense. Western was minus-17 in turnover ratio at one point, but is plus-7 over the last three games. Defensively, Western was giving up 460 yards a game through the first seven contests, but held Central to 294 yards and Humboldt State to 363 and forcing five Lumberjack turnovers.

Leading the defense is a linebacking corps that starts three seniors. Middle linebacker Lann Olson is second on the team in tackles with 76, including team-bests in tackles for loss (13) and quarterback sacks (4). Jesse Looker has 51 stops, with eight for loss, and Brett Thompson has 46 and two fumble recoveries.

The line is also experienced, although sophomore end Joey Joshua has been the main force, making 40 tackles, including nine for loss, and knocking down four passes. Senior tackle Nick Ball has 28 stops, including 10 for loss, and another senior tackle, Brad Mann, has 21 tackles in just six games.

The young part of the defense is the secondary. The veteran of that group is junior strong safety Rob White, who leads Western and the GNAC in tackles with 85. He also has an interception and four passes broken up. True freshman free safety Justin Coronado has 21 tackles, leading the Vikings in stops in the last two games. Junior cornerback John Shields was GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after getting an interception and fumble recovery in the victory over Humboldt State.

Offensively, the Vikings are averaging 389.1 yards a contest, 272.4 of it through the air. Senior quarterback Josh Shimek, who missed the Humboldt State game with a shoulder injury, returns to make his fourth start of the season today. Shimek has thrown for 903 yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions. Junior Steve Nichols has also seen extensive action, making six starts, and has thrown for 1,374 yards with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Sophomore Andy Olson has had an outstanding season, making 61 receptions for 1,056 yards and nine touchdowns. (For more on Olson, see "Olson Catching On" below.) Senior slotback Nate Kuhns has 24 receptions for 202 yards and a touchdown despite missing three games with injuries, and junior tight end Rick Carte has 16 grabs for 151 yards and five scores, tying a school record with three touchdown receptions in the Humboldt State game. A total of eight players have at least 10 receptions.

Leading the rushing attack is sophomore Duncan Sherrard, who has rushed for 727 yards and three scores on 161 carries. Sophomore Jake Carlyle has added 350 yards and four touchdowns on 79 attempts. Each had over 100 yards against Humboldt State, with Carlyle getting 143 and Sherrard 131. They run behind an offensive line led by senior guard Jon Pagan and sophomore center Loren Winter.

Junior Michael Koenen, a consensus NCAA II All-America punter last year, handles all kicking duties for Western. Koenen is averaging 43.3 yards a punt. He has sent 16 kickoffs for touchbacks. Koenen is 24-of-26 on extra points, and while he is just 8-of-19 on field goals, nine of his attempts have come from 45 yards or more, and he has connected on field goals of 51 and 50 yards.

OLSON CATCHING ON: Sophomore Andy Olson has put together a year that establishes him as the latest in a line of outstanding Western wide receivers. Olson leads the Vikings with 61 receptions for 1,056 yards and nine touchdowns, as well as being the team leader in average yards per catch (17.3). The yardage total is the fifth best in school history, just eight yards short of fourth place, and the reception total is the fourth-best single-season mark. For his career, he already has 79 receptions for 1,398 yards and 12 touchdowns, ranking eighth in career receiving yardage.

Olson tied a school record earlier this season by having touchdown catches in seven consecutive games, a streak that began in last year's season-ending contest against UC Davis, and his 52-yard reception in the last two minutes was the big play in the game-winning drive to defeat Central. He leads the GNAC in reception yardage (117.3 avg.), ranking fifth nationally in that category, and also leads the conference in all-purpose yardage (133.1).

In one three-game span this season, Olson had 27 receptions for 546 yards and four touchdowns, and posted three of the top 15 receiving yardage performances in school history - having seven catches for 182 yards and two touchdowns at Nebraska-Omaha, making 11 grabs for 199 yards and a score against Saint Mary's, and nabbing nine receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown against Central Washington.

Twice this season Olson has earned GNAC Offensive Player of the Week and honorable mention D2football.com Player of the Week accolades.

Olson, whose older brother Lann, is the starting middle linebacker, has also been a threat on punt returns, averaging 10.9 yards on 13 attempts.

WESTERN OREGON: The Wolves opened the season with a pair of overtime victories, but lost starting quarterback Denny Bies in the second triumph, against Western, and won just one of their next six contests before beating Humboldt State last week. A victory today would give them a share of the GNAC championship.

Redshirt freshman Ryan Thorson has taken over for Bies, completing 122-of-251 passes for 1,336 yards with eight touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Thorson has two outstanding targets to throw to in senior wide receivers Mike Hinshaw and Brad Satran, both four-year letter winners.

Satran has 63 receptions for 770 yards and five touchdowns this year. Hinshaw, a three-time All-America sprinter in track and field, has been slowed by injury but has 28 catches for 426 yards and three scores, and had a 70-yard touchdown last week. Satran ranks second in Western Oregon history in career receptions (153), needing just three to tie the school record, and Hinshaw is third (139). Hinshaw is second in career receiving yardage (2,446) and Satran is third (2,154).

Michael Ramirez is the leading rusher for the Wolves with 526 yards and five touchdowns on 139 attempts, but 29-year old Ivan McCrae has added 435 yards and six scores on 102 carries and had a 51-yard touchdown run last week.

Junior Jeff Charleston, who anchors the defensive line, has 54 tackles, including 10 for loss. Senior linebacker Tayt Tolman has 63 stops, with nine for loss.

A strong secondary is led by sophomore safety Chad Boyd, who leads the Wolves in tackles (73), interceptions (3), and passes defensed (8). Senior cornerback Antar Brame also has eight passes defensed, and returned an interception 26 yards for a touchdown last week.

Senior punter Lucas Taroli is averaging 43.3 yards a punt, but senior placekicker Andrew Keippela, twice an all-league pick, has struggled, going 5-of-14 on field goals, although he's 22-of-24 on extra points. Brame has averaged 13.4 yards on nine punt returns.

NOTES: Western had six turnovers in its first meeting against Western Oregon. The last time the Vikings did that was Nov. 8, 1997 in a 36-22 loss at Central ... Michael Koenen ranks No.6 among the Vikings' career scoring leaders with 191 points, converting 101-of-107 PATs and 30-of-56 field goals. He is seventh nationally in punting, averaging 43.3 yards ... Western has played three true freshmen this season, cornerback Bryan Jarrett, free safety Justin Coronado and long snapper Joel Jorgensen. They are the first true freshmen to see action for Western since Nate Kuhns did so in 2000 ... Western has had eight overtime games in its history, including two each in 1997, 2002 and this season.

TURNOVER/TAKEAWAY: Western, which was a plus 107 in turnover/takeaway ratio (207 to 314) over the previous12 seasons, is minus-10 this year (24-to-14). The last time the Vikings finished with a negative total was in 1991.

Western was minus-17 after six games this season. But over the last three contests, the Vikings have been plus-7 (3-to-10)

INJURY REPORT: Quarterback Josh Shimek did not play against Humboldt State, but is expected to start in this week's contest. Long snapper and backup offensive lineman Jeff DeBuigne sustained a knee injury in the second Central Washington contest and was lost for the season.

WESTERN NATIONAL STATS RANKINGS: Western wide receiver Andy Olson is ranked nationally in two categories, including No.5 in receiving yards, and the Vikings are No.20 in team passing offense in this week's NCAA Division II football statistical report. Olson is averaging 117.3 receiving yards per game and is 14th in receptions at 6.8. Western is averaging 272.4 yards through the air. Strong safety Rob White is 10th in solo tackles (6.2), and Michael Koenen is seventh in punting (43.3).

TOUGH SCHEDULE: Smith calls Western's 2003 schedule "the most challenging" in school history. The Vikings play three NCAA I-AA schools, two of which, UC Davis and Northern Colorado, are beginning their first year of provisional status after being longtime NCAA II powers. There are two games against teams from the rugged North Central Conference, St. Cloud State and Nebraska-Omaha. As well, the Vikings have two regular-season matchups with archrival Central Washington, which was 11-1 last year.

KOENEN NAMED TO FOUR PRESEASON A-A TEAMS: Junior Michael Koenen was named to four preseason All-America teams as a punter, being honored by Street & Smith, Don Hansen's Football Gazette, Lindy's Football Annuals and D2Football.com. He was a first-team Daktronics, D2Football.com and Football Gazette All-American last fall, and second-team Associated Press Little All-America. Koenen led DII in punting with school-record 44.9 average. He also holds school marks for longest punt (73 yards), longest field goal (54 yards), consecutive field goals (8), and consecutive PAT conversions (40).

MILESTONES: Rob Smith needs two wins to become the first coach in Western history to reach 100. Only two four-year collegiate coaches have reached that figure while coaching in the state of Washington, those being Frosty Westering at Pacific Lutheran (254) and Don James at Washington (153). Smith currently ranks fourth, with Washington's Jim Owens third with 99.

COACHES: Rob Smith (Washington, 1981) is in his 15th year as head coach and his victory total (98-52-1) and winning percentage of 65.2 are the best in Western history. Smith has directed the Vikings to their only five national playoff berths in 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1999, and guided them to their best regular-season (No.1, 1995) and final (No.1, 1995) national rankings. He was named GNAC Coach of the Year in 2001, Columbia Football Association Coach of the Year in 1989, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2000, and American Football Coaches Association College Division Region V Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996.

Duke Iverson (Whitman, 1962) is in his sixth season (33-23-0) as head coach at Western Oregon and the third of his second stint there. His overall record for 20 seasons is 125-75-3. He also coached 12 years (1988-2000) at Western State CO, compiling a 79-48-1 record, winning six Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles and earning six league Coach of the Year honors; and two seasons (1983-84) at Black Hills State SD where he was 13-4-2. His 1985 Western Oregon team led the NAIA in scoring offense, and his 1991 Western State squad paced NCAA II in total offense and points scored.

NEXT WEEK: Season over.

WEBSITE: For the latest results, statistics and updates, including reports on all Western athletic events, visit the Vikings website at wwuvikings.com.

TWO WEEKS AGO AGAINST HUMBOLDT STATE: Tight end Rick Carte tied a school record with three touchdown catches and two Viking backs each rushed for more than 100 yards as Western defeated Humboldt State, 34-20, in a GNAC game at Arcata, Calif.

Humboldt State fell to 3-4 overall and 0-2 in the GNAC with its third straight loss.

Carte had just four catches, but they included scoring receptions of four, 10 and 10 yards, with the final one giving Western the lead for good at 27-20 late in the third quarter. Running back Jake Carlyle added an insurance touchdown on a 15-yard run 90 seconds into the fourth period.

Carlyle rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, and starter Duncan Sherrard had 131 yards on 29 attempts. Western had not had a back rush for 100 yards in a game this season, and hadn't had two backs accomplish the feat in the same contest since Scott Lohr (116) and Mike Nelson (101) did so in a 35-18 victory over Lewis & Clark in 1987.

Humboldt State had rallied from a 20-10 halftime deficit with two scores in a 24-second span. The comeback began as a Western punt snap went through the end zone for a safety. After the free kick went out-of-bounds, giving the Lumberjacks the ball at the 50, Adrian Waddy ran for 17 yards, then Chris Dixon hit Chris White for a 33-yard touchdown. Dixon then connected with White on a two-point conversion pass to tie the score at 20-20 with 4:17 left in the third quarter.

Dixon completed 28-of-45 passes for 331 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times. Dustin Creager had 10 receptions for 128 yards and a score, and White added eight catches for 101 yards and a touchdown.

Western had a 398-363 edge in total offense and an advantage of more than 13 minutes in time of possession. The Vikings rushed for 256 yards, and quarterback Steve Nichols completed 16-of-27 passes for 142 yards with four touchdowns and an interception.

Western controlled the ball for nearly 11 minutes of the first quarter. The Vikings ran 12 plays on the opening series of the game before punting, then got the ball back and went 91 yards in 15 plays, capped by a 3-yard pass from Nichols to Olson.

Less than two minutes after Olson's touchdown, Humboldt State quarterback Chris Dixon was intercepted by Western defensive tackle Nicholas Buck, who returned the ball to the Lumberjack five. Two plays later, Nichols rolled right and found Carte for a 4-yard score 39 seconds into the second quarter.

Humboldt State responded with a 36-yard field goal by Francisco Castellon, and reached the Western 24 on its following drive, but on third-and-six, Dixon was intercepted by John Shields at the 3-yard line.

That led to another long drive, as the Vikings went 97 yards in nine plays, Nichols this time rolling left to find Carte for a 10-yard score. The key play in the drive was a 54-yard reception by tight end Nick Yoney.

But the Lumberjacks scored 17 straight points to tie the game. Creager caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Dixon with 34 seconds left in the second quarter to narrow the margin to 20-10 at halftime, setting up the third-quarter rally.

Olson had six catches for 58 yards for Western.

It was Western's first road win of the season, ending a five-game road losing streak, as the Vikings defeated the Lumberjacks for the seventh straight time.

Shields, who also recovered a fumble that led to Western's clinching touchdown was named GNAC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance.

LAST MEETING WITH WESTERN OREGON: Hampered by six turnovers, Western fell to Western Oregon, 23-20, in overtime at Monmouth, Ore., on Sept. 13, 2003,

The Wolves' Andrew Keippela kicked the decisive points on a 37-yard field goal after Michael Koenen had missed from 43 yards in the Vikings' overtime possession. It was the second straight year the teams had gone to overtime, with Western grabbing a 20-17 triumph last year.

The Wolves, who lost starting quarterback Denny Bies to an ankle injury midway through the second quarter, improved to 2-0, with both victories coming in overtime.

Western Oregon nearly won the game in regulation. Western's Duncan Sherrard, who rushed for a game-high 122 yards, fumbled, giving the Wolves the ball on the Vikings' 39 with 4:21 left. The Wolves ran 11 plays, setting up a 22-yard field goal attempt by Keippela in the dying seconds. But true freshman Bryan Jarrett broke through to block the kick, forcing overtime, one of three kicks blocked in the game by Western.

The Vikings had tied the game at 20-20 with 7:30 left, as quarterback Steve Nichols found Olson for a 26-yard touchdown on a pass tipped by two Western Oregon defenders.

Nichols completed 12-of-25 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times.

Western Oregon opened the scoring less than two minutes into the game. An interception by Chad Boyd on the game's first play from scrimmage gave the Wolves the ball at the Western Washington 15, and Michael Ramirez capped the four-play drive with a 6-yard run.

The Vikings responded immediately, going 66 yards in only four plays, Nichols hitting tight end Nick Yoney for a 15-yard touchdown.

The Wolves took the lead for good early in the second quarter on a 3-yard run by Tom Martin. The Vikings narrowed the score to 14-13 with 5:18 left in the half on a 27-yard run by Jake Carlyle, but Koenen missed the extra point.

After a scoreless third quarter, Western Oregon extended its lead to 20-13 as wide receiver Brad Satrin caught an 11-yard pass from backup quarterback Ryan Thorson early in the fourth quarter. The conversion failed.

Thorson, a redshirt freshman seeing his first collegiate action, was 11-of-28 for 107 yards. Satrin had 11 receptions for the second straight game, totaling 111 yards.

The Vikings had a 323-286 edge in total offense, but because of the 6-1 difference in turnovers, Western Oregon had advantage of more than seven minutes in time of possession and ran 87 plays to 65 by the Vikings.

HEAD COACH Rob Smith ON ...:

... WHAT A WIN WOULD MEAN

"We feel we've been the dominant program in our conference over the years, and we wanted to re-establish that. Right now we can finish 4-6, with three consecutive wins, the Cascade Cup, and our fourth conference championship in the last five years. What a great way to go into the off season."

... SENIORS

"Senior day is always special. These guys have been here for some very successful years. In terms of an overall record, this season has fallen a little short. But they've got a chance to go out and win another championship, and I don't know if there's been a senior class here that can say they've won four championships in five years."

... TURNOVER/TAKEAWAY RATIO

"Of all the things that have been disappointing this year, I would put that near the top. It's so uncharacteristic of the type of football we've played over the years, the type of football that's made us a successful program. It's nice that we've turned that around a little bit."

... FIRST MEETING WITH WESTERN OREGON

"Of all the games we've played this year, that was the most disappointing performance. That's not to take anything away from Western Oregon because they made the plays to win the game, and maybe in some respects wanted the game more than we did. It's a shame to say that, but we just didn't play well for whatever reason and they made plays at the end and beat us ... It's nice to have a second shot."

PROBABLE TWO DEEPS
WESTERN WASHINGTON
OFFENSE
TE  82  Rick Carte (6-4, 240, **Jr., Juneau, AK/Juneau-Douglas)    13  Nick Yoney (6-4, 225, So., Arlington, WA/Arlington)ST  79  Justin Simpson (6-5, 310, So., Kennewick, WA/Kamiakin)    65  Jason Day (6-5, 250, **Jr., Tonasket, WA)SG  62  Jon Pagan (6-5, 260, *Sr., Los Angeles, CA/El Segundo)    52  Joel Jorgensen (6-4, 285, Fr., Bothell, WA/Bothell)C   53  Loren Winter (6-2, 250, *So., Bothell, WA/Juanita)    57  Lincoln Stalnaker (6-2, 225, *Sr., Flagstaff, AZ/Coconino)QG  73  Todd Gowing (6-3, 265, **Jr., Kirkland, WA/Inglemoor)    67  Peter Van Datta (6-2, 265, R-Fr., Bremerton, WA/Central Kitsap)QT  72  Geoff Hise (6-2, 255, *Jr., Snoqualmie, WA (Mount Si)    70  Brandon Torrey (6-3, 270, R-Fr., Graham, WA/Bethel)SB   8  Nate Kuhns (5-11, 190, ***Sr., Yakima, WA/Eisenhower)     2  Jason Barton (5-9, 175, *So., Gig Harbor, WA/Gig Harbor)WR   5  James Laurence (6-4, 225, T-Jr., Kent, WA/Kent-Meridian)     9  Matt Wilson (5-11, 180, R-Fr., Auburn, WA/Auburn)WR   1  Andy Olson (6-3, 210, *So., Chehalis, WA/W.F.West)    83  Brett Upchurch (6-1, 170, R-Fr., Sammamish, WA/Eastlake)RB  29  Duncan Sherrard (6-0, 195, *So., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt)    27  Jake Carlyle (5-7, 190, So., Olympia, WA/Capital)FB  26  Nyle Chambers (6-1, 220, ***Sr., Sumner, WA/Sumner)    98  Joe Casillas (6-3, 220, So., Phoenix, AZ/Arcadia)QB  11  Josh Shimek (6-4, 205, **Sr., Pasco, WA/Pasco)    14  Steve Nichols (6-1, 205, **Jr., Stevenson, WA/Stevenson)    17 James Monrean (6-1, 225, R-Fr., Bellingham, WA/Sehome)
DEFENSE
E   85  Joey Joshua (6-4, 220, *So., Ferndale, WA/Ferndale)    54  Aaron Dahl (6-1, 235, *So., Gig Harbor, WA/Gig Harbor)N   93  Nick Ball (6-1, 270, **Sr., Olympia, WA/Olympia)    55  Parker Follis (6-3, 265, 18, R-Fr., Bellingham, WA/Squalicum)T   99  Brad Mann (6-3, 285, **Sr., Redmond, WA/Lake Washington)    97  Nicholas Buck (6-3, 245, R-Fr., Kent, WA/Seattle Christian/Kentridge)E   95  JeVarian Gamble (6-2, 270, ***Sr., Lynnwood, WA/Lynnwood)    36  Derek Noble (6-1, 215, **Sr., Bellevue, WA/Newport)ROV 28  Jesse Looker (5-10, 210, **Sr., Puyallup, WA/Puyallup)    38  Taylor Hutton (5-11, 205, ***Sr., Salado, TX (Salado)MLB 33  Lann Olson (6-0, 215, ***Sr., Chehalis, WA/W.F.West)    46  Adam Klingenberg (5-11, 215, *So., Walla Walla, WA/Walla Walla)OLB 51  Brett Thompson (6-0, 230, ***Sr., Auburn, WA/Auburn-Riverside)    43  Jeff Parks (6-3, 205, T-Fr., Graham, WA/Bethel)LC  15  John Shields (5-11, 190, T-Jr., Spanaway, WA/Bethel)    35  Jacque Henry (5-9, 165, R-Fr., Kelso, WA/Kelso)RC   4  Sly Whitfield Jr. (5-8, 160, R-Fr., Seattle, WA/Garfield)    42  Brett Hall (5-8, 175, *So., Kennewick, WA/Kennewick)SS  40  Rob White (6-1, 215, **Jr., Woodinville, WA/Inglemoor)    10  Darrius Tuggle (5-10, 185, R-Fr., Spanaway, WA/Spanaway Lake)FS  98  Justin Coronado (5-10, 180, Fr., Walla Walla, WA/Walla Walla)    34  Shane Keck (5-9, 190, Sr., Everett, WA/Mariner)
SPECIAL
K   19  Michael Koenen (5-11, 185, **Jr., Ferndale, WA/Ferndale)    37  Pat Mutzel (6-1, 205, R-Fr., Bellevue, WA/Bellevue)P   19  Michael Koenen (5-11, 185, **Jr., Ferndale, WA/Ferndale)    37  Pat Mutzel (6-1, 205, R-Fr., Bellevue, WA/Bellevue)H   14  Steve Nichols (6-1, 205, **Jr., Stevenson, WA/Stevenson)    11  Josh Shimek (6-4, 205, **Sr., Pasco, WA/Pasco)LS  52  Joel Jorgensen (6-4, 285, Fr., Bothell, WA/Bothell)    13  Nick Yoney (6-4, 225, So., Arlington, WA/Arlington)PR   1  Andy Olson (6-3, 210, *So., Chehalis, WA/W.F.West)     2  Jason Barton (5-9, 175, *So., Gig Harbor, WA/Gig Harbor)KR  27  Jake Carlyle (5-7, 190, So., Olympia, WA/Capital)     9  Matt Wilson (5-11, 180, R-Fr., Auburn, WA/Auburn)*denotes letters won
WESTERN OREGON
OFFENSE
SE   6 Mike Hinshaw (6-1, 185, ***Sr., Scappoose, OR)    10 Kenneth Gasilos (6-0, 205, *Jr., Honolulu, HI)LT  77 Peter Buekea (6-4, 285, **Jr., Tualatin, OR)    71 Josh Dubowski (6-5, 290, **Jr., Salcha, AK)LG  60 Ryan Belcher (6-4, 290, Fr., Keizer, OR)    73 Pat Pileggi (6-2, 280, *So., Salem, OR)C   52 Jake Ositis (6-2, 270, **Sr., Salem, OR)    73 Pat Pileggi (6-2, 280, *So., Salem, OR)RG  63 Matt Mathews (6-7, 350, *Sr., Silverton, OR)    73 Pat Pileggi (6-2, 280, *So., Salem, OR)RT  67 Andy Esquivel (6-1, 290, R-Fr., Salem, OR)    65 Brandon Jasmin (6-7, 315 (Fr.-RS, Prineville, OR)FL   3 Brad Satran (6-2, 185, ***Sr., Tigard, OR)    19 Tyler Smith (5-10, 180, *So., Albany, OR)TE  80 Clint Steen (6-5, 255, *So., Enterprise, OR)    86 Todd Grassman (6-4, 235, R-Fr., Yoncalla, OR)QB  15 Ryan Thorson (6-6, 215, R-Fr., Sandy, OR)    13 Chad Harrington (6-2, 205, R-Fr., Reedsport, OR)HB   8 Dustin Lulay (6-0, 200, ***Sr., Lyons, OR)    19 Tyler Smith (5-10, 180, *So., Albany, OR)FB  34 Mark Dreiling (6-1, 225, ***Sr., Cottage Grove, OR)    40 Kyle Braa (6-0, 235, R-Fr., Scio, OR)TB  25 Ivan McCrae (5-10, 215, *Sr., Salem, OR)    33 Michael Ramirez (5-7, 205, *Jr., Hermiston, OR)
DEFENSE
LE  96 Matt Olafason (6-6, 255, **Jr., Junction City, OR)    54 Isaiah Haines (6-2, 250, **Jr., Albany, OR)LT  95 Ron Kelly (6-3, 265, *So., Astoria, OR)    47 Lucas Garcia (6-2, 245, **Jr.-2L, Sunriver, OR)RT  56 Eric Ollikainen (6-4, 260, ***Sr., Vancouver, WA)    99 Kyle Kinion (6-4, 275, ***Sr., Junction City, OR)RE  90 Jeff Charleston (6-4, 245, **Jr., Monmouth, OR)    97 Dane Wagner (6-5, 240, *So., Salem, OR)OLB 44 Tayt Tolman (6-1, 215, ***Sr., Albany, OR)    21 Troy Haselip (6-1, 205, T-So., La Pine, OR)MLB 59 Kevin Holcomb (6-2, 235, *Jr., Hood River, OR)    51 John Apgar (6-2, 225, *So., Toledo, OR)OLB 30 Curt Wilson (6-2, 205, *So., Dayton, OR)    39 Daniel Sims (6-2, 220, *So., Salem, OR_CB  20 Javon Allen (5-9, 175, **Jr., North Pole, AK)    31 Jay Darden (5-10, 175, R-Fr., Portland, OR)CB   2 Antar Brame (6-0, 190, *Sr., Portland, OR)    11 Jason Haslebacher (6-1, 190, *Sr., Dallas, OR)SS   1 Bret Hughes (6-1, 215, *So., Salem, OR)     9 Joe Panuke (6-1, 200, ***Sr., Lakeview, OR)FS   5 Chad Boyd (6-0, 205, *So., Salem, OR)    11 Jason Haslebacher (6-1, 190, *Sr., Dallas, OR)
SPECIAL
K    4 Andrew Keippela (6-1, 190, **Jr., McMinnville, OR)    47 Bruce Voges (6-2, 180, Fr., Grants Pass, OR)P   46 Lucas Taroli (6-4, 215, **Sr., Bend, OR)     4 Andrew Keippela (6-1, 190, **Jr., McMinnville, OR)LS  96 Matt Olafason (6-6, 255, **Jr., Junction City, OR)    54 Isaiah Haines (6-2, 250, **Jr., Albany, OR)H    3 Brad Satran (6-2, 185, ***Sr., Tigard, OR)     8 Dustin Lulay (6-0, 200, ***Sr., Lyons, OR)KR   6 Mike Hinshaw (6-0, 185, ***Sr., Scappoose, OR)     2 Antar Brame (6-0, 190, *Sr., Portland, OR)PR   2 Antar Brame (6-0, 190, *Sr., Portland, OR)    25 Ivan McCrae (5-10, 215, *Sr., Salem, OR)
GAME #9 STATS:Western Washington vs. Humboldt StateNov. 1, 2003 - 1 p.m. - Arcata, Calif.
SCORING SUMMARYWestern Washington    13      10       7       7  --- 34Humboldt State         0      10      10       0  --- 20
WWU - Andy Olson 3 pass from Steve Nichols (Michael Koenen kick)WWU - Rick Carte 4 pass from Nichols (kick failed)HSU - FG Francisco Castellon 36WWU - Carte 10 pass from Nichols (Nichols kick)HSU - Dustin Creager 17 pass from Chris Dixon (Francisco Castellon kick)HSU - Safety, ball snapped through end zoneHSU - Chris White 33 pass from Dixon (White pass from Dixon)WWU - Carte 10 pass from Nichols (Koenen kick)WWU - Jake Carlyle 15 run (Koenen kick)Attendance: 2,813
                             WWU            HSUFirst downs                   24             22Rushes-yards              58-256          22-32Passing yards                142            331Sacks by-yards lost     3-19            1-9Total offense             85-398         67-363Return yards                  43             72Passes                   27-16-1        45-28-3Punts-average             5-41.0         5-46.0Fumbles-lost                 0-0            3-2Penalties-yards             6-60           4-40Time of possession         36:48          23:12
Rushing: WWU-Carlyle 23-143, Sherrard 29-131, Nichols 4--1, Team 2--17;HSU-Pierson 9-41, Waddy 2-17, Dixon 11--26.
Passing: WWU-Nichols 27-16-1-142; HSU-Dixon 45-28-3-331.
Receiving: WWU-Olson 8-58-1, Carte 4-27-3, Yoney 1-54, Wilson 1-8, Carlyle 1-0,Sherrard 1--5; HSU-Creager 10-128-1, White 8-101-1, Adkins 7-76, Wetsel 1-26,Bloomquist 1-2, Pierson 1--2 .