Oct. 18, 2004
BELLINGHAM, Wash. -
UPCOMING GAME: Western Washington University Vikings (4-3, 1-2) vs. Western Oregon University Wolves (1-6, 1-2) in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest Saturday (1 p.m.) at Civic Stadium (FieldTurf - 4,400 capacity) in Bellingham, Wash. It is the last home game of the season for Western and concludes a three-game home stand.
The defending GNAC champion Vikings are tied for second in the league standings with Western Oregon. Central Washington and Humboldt State are tied for the GNAC lead at 2-1.
The Vikings lost two consecutive league contests for the first time since 1998 and had a six-game home winning streak snapped last Saturday, losing 34-27 to Humboldt State. It was the Lumberjacks' first series win in 42 years, Western taking the last seven meetings. Western opened their home stand on Oct. 9 with a 42-13 non-league win over Saint Joseph's IN.
Prior to that, Western split a pair of conference road games, losing 52-49 in four overtimes at Western Oregon, the longest game in Northwest small college history, on Oct. 2, after rallying from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat archrival Central Washington, 28-21, on Sept. 25 before 11,458 fans in the second annual Battle in Seattle at Qwest Field.
Western played a near flawless first half in upsetting No.23 Nebraska-Omaha, 31-21, at Bellingham on Sept. 18. The Vikings opened their season with a 27-25 win over Fort Lewis CO at Civic Stadium, then fell, 44-29, at No.25 St. Cloud State MN.
The triumph over Fort Lewis was the 100th collegiate victory for Western head coach Rob Smith, the winningest coach in school history with a career mark of 103-55-1 in 16 seasons. Smith became just the third coach to reach the century mark in wins while coaching collegiately in the state of Washington. The other two are Frosty Westering (261, Pacific Lutheran) and Don James (153, Washington), both retired.
Western Oregon lost 25-13 last Saturday at Central Washington. Previously the Wolves had split their only home games to date, upsetting the Vikings 52-49 in overtime on Oct. 2, then losing 54-2 to NCAA I-AA UC Davis on Oct. 9.
Western Oregon lost its first four games - all on the road - by an average of 30.0 points, the school's worst start since 1992. The Wolves opened their season with a 38-21 loss at Willamette OR on Sept. 3, then fell 58-17 at Linfield OR on Sept. 11, 38-3 at South Dakota State on Sept. 18, and 34-7 at Humboldt State on Sept. 25.
Western finished 4-6 last year, winning their last three games, all league counters, to take the GNAC championship with a perfect 3-0 record. It was the Vikings' fourth league title in five years and sixth crown in nine seasons.
Western Oregon posted a 4-6 record in 2003, placing third in the GNAC standings at 1-2. The Wolves split their last four games after a 2-4 start.
SENIOR SALUTE: Eight Western seniors are competing in their final home game Saturday. They are wide receiver James Laurence, cornerback Sean O'Hara, quarterback Steve Nichols, placekicker/punter Michael Koenen, strong safety Rob White, offensive tackle Jason Day, offensive guard Todd Gowing, and tight end Rick Carte. Five are four-year letter winners.
SERIES HISTORY: 42nd meeting. Western leads 24-17-0. The Vikings lost 52-49 in four overtimes (longest game in Northwest small college history) at Monmouth, Ore., on Oct. 2. It was their third straight overtime contest at Monmouth, losing 23-20 in 2003 and winning 20-17 in 2002. Western has won the last three meetings at Bellingham, prevailing 17-13 last season. The Vikings have a 13-7-0 series advantage at Bellingham, and a 11-10-0 edge at Monmouth. Only one of the last eight meetings has been decided by more than five points. The series began in 1930.
FAVORED AGAIN: For the seventh time in the last eight years, Western is either the favorite or co-favorite to win a league title in football. This season, the Vikings were tied with archrival Central Washington to win the conference title in the GNAC coaches preseason poll. The only time during that stretch that they were not favored was in 1996.
The Vikings won the GNAC title last season with a perfect 3-0 record. It was their fourth league championship in five years, and sixth crown in nine seasons. They finished second in 1997 and 1998, and again in 2002.
WESTERN REPORT: The Vikings enter the second half of the GNAC schedule still guaranteed of at least a share of the conference championship if they win their final three games.
The Western offense has been productive throughout the year, averaging 33.3 points and not scoring less than 27 in any game. The Vikings rank 15th nationally in passing offense (273.0), 26th in total offense (424.9) and 35th in scoring offense.
Quarterback Steve Nichols, who returned to the starting lineup against Humboldt State after sitting out the previous week, has completed 133-of-207 passes for 1,635 yards with 13 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He ranks 13th nationally in total offense (286.5) and his 64.3 percent completion rate is 30th nationally and would be a school record if it holds up. Sophomore James Monrean, who tied a school record with five touchdown passes in the victory over Saint Joseph's, is 19-of-34 for 261 yards and six touchdowns.
Junior wide receiver Andy Olson is the big weapon in the Western offense. Olson has 45 receptions for 760 yards and nine touchdowns, all team-bests which are slightly ahead of his pace in 2003, and has touchdown catches in each of the last six games. He is ninth nationally in receiving yards per game (108.6) and 21st in receptions per game (6.4). Redshirt freshman slotback Chris Robinson has 29 receptions for 295 yards and two touchdowns.
The tight ends have also played a key role. Junior Nick Yoney has 19 catches for 182 yards and four scores, senior Rick Carte 15 receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
At running back, junior Duncan Sherrard has rushed for 564 yards and three touchdowns on 101 attempts. He has run for 298 yards and two scores in the last two weeks alone. The line is led by junior center Loren Winter, who has started all but three games since the start of the 2001 season. Junior guard Will Freitag has also started every game this season.
On defense, junior linebacker Craig Keenan leads in tackles with 67, and ranks 31st nationally in solo tackles per game (5.6). Senior strong safety Rob White, the leading tackler the last two seasons, has 62 stops and two interceptions. Sophomore cornerback Sly Whitfield leads the team in interceptions with three.
Sophomore linebacker Jeff Parks, who has missed the last two weeks with injuries, has 30 tackles. He shares the team lead in tackles for loss with junior tackle Noel Tafoya at 5.5. Junior end Joey Joshua has 17 tackles, including 3.5 for loss; and sophomore end Nick Buck also has 18 stops.
Senior kicker Michael Koenen is 24-of-25 on extra points and 9-of-13 on field goals (ranks 11th nationally in field goals per game, 1.3), with three of the misses coming from 49 yards or more. He is averaging 41.9 yards a punt, and has sent 11 kickoffs for touchbacks. On returns, sophomore Zach Russell is averaging 24.4 yards on kickoff returns, including a touchdown, and Olson has averaged 15.8 yards on six punt returns.
WESTERN NOTES: Western was ranked No.7 in last week's Northwest Region Poll ... The Vikings are 60-19 at Bellingham's Civic Stadium during Smith's tenure as head coach. On the flip side, they have won just two of their last nine road contests ... Western's win over Central Washington on Sept. 25 snapped a string of four night-game losses ... The Vikings are 3-6 in overtime games ... In the first half against Nebraska-Omaha, Western had the ball for 25:55 and ran 58 plays ... Zach Russell's kickoff return for a touchdown against Saint Joseph's was the Vikings' first since Erik Totten performed the feat in 2000 ... Receiving GNAC Player of the Week honors this season have been linebacker Craig Keenan (Fort Lewis CO), quarterback Steve Nichols (Nebraska-Omaha), linebacker Jeff Parks (Central Washington), and quarterback James Monrean (Saint Joseph's IN).
WESTERN OREGON REPORT: The Wolves are 1-6, with their lone victory coming in a 51-48 triumph over Western in four overtimes. Last week's 25-13 loss at Central Washington marked the narrowest defeat of the six losses, and overall they have been outscored 296-115.
Leading the Western Oregon attack is junior quarterback Denny Bies. Bies, who threw for 2,088 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2002 before missing most of last year with a leg injury, has completed 123-of-240 passes for 1,291 yards with seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He ranks second among WOU career leaders in pass completions (422, record is 496) and passing yards (5,058, record is 6,778). Backup Ryan Thorson, a sophomore who started eight games last year, has thrown for 289 yards.
Junior wide receiver Luke Carter has emerged as the top receiving threat. He has 30 receptions for 362 yards and two touchdowns, including 21 catches in the last three games. Sophomore tight end Kevin Boss, a second-team all-GNAC pick, has 24 receptions for 344 yards and two scores, and had 11 receptions for 157 yards and two touchdowns against Western.
Leading the rushing game is junior James Watts, who has run for 217 yards and a touchdown on 70 carries. Sophomore Ryan Belcher is not merely the lone returning starter on the offensive line, he is the only current starter who is not a freshman.
The Wolves defense is coming off its best effort of the season, allowing season-lows of 25 points and 351 yards against Central Washington. It is led by two tackles - senior Lucas Garcia and junior Ron Kelly - who were both second-team all-GNAC picks last year. Garcia leads the team in tackles for loss (10.5) and sacks (4.5), and Kelly has 6.5 tackles for loss, including 4.0 sacks.
Another second-team all-league pick, junior safety Chad Boyd, has 41 tackles. Junior linebacker Jon Apgar leads Western Oregon in tackles with 61, including 8.5 for loss, and senior linebacker Kevin Holcomb has 48 stops, with 9.5 behind the line of scrimmage.
Junior Bret Hughes is one of the few two-way players in college football, and is listed as a starter at safety on defense and wide receiver on offense. Hughes has 30 tackles, a team-high three interceptions and five passes broken up as a safety, and 15 receptions for 218 yards and a score as a wide receiver. He had touchdowns on an interception and a reception in the first meeting with Western.
On special teams, sophomore Tyler Knudsen has averaged 12.3 yards on 11 punt returns and 20.5 yards on 28 kickoff returns. Also a threat as a receiver, he averages 132.3 all-purpose yards a game. Freshman placekicker Bruce Voges is 5-of-9 on field goals and 10-of-12 on extra points, having connected on two field goals last week.
TURNOVER/TAKEAWAY: Western is minus-11 in turnover/takeaway ratio (43 to 32) over the last two seasons, minus-3 this year (18 to 15) and minus-8 in 2003 (25 to 17), after being on the positive side in that category for 12 straight campaigns.
INJURY REPORT: Linebacker Jeff Parks (groin) and running back Jake Carlyle (knee) both missed their second straight game last week. Both are expected back Saturday.
MILESTONES: Junior wide receiver Andy Olson ranks No.4 among Western career leaders in touchdown catches with 21 (needs 3 to tie for No.3), No.5 in receptions with 127 (needs 11 to tie for No.4) and No.5 in receiving yards with 2,165. Junior running back Duncan Sherrard ranks No.6 in career rushing (2,011) and senior quarterback Steve Nichols is No.7 in career passing (4,471, needs 225 to tie for No.5). Senior placekicker Michael Koenen ranks No.4 in career scoring (247, needs seven to move into No.3) and No.3 in kick scoring. He is No.3 among northwest small college career kick-scoring leaders.
OLSON GRABS: Junior wide receiver Andy Olson, who has caught at least one touchdown pass in each of the last six games, ranks No.9 nationally in receiving yards (108.6) and No.21 in receptions (6.4). He had four catches for 110 yards and one touchdown versus Humboldt State, nine catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns against Western Oregon, six catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns versus Nebraska-Omaha, and 10 catches for 119 yards and one touchdown against St. Cloud State MN. As a sophomore last season, Olson made 64 catches for 1,063 yards and nine touchdowns, finishing No.9 nationally in receiving yards per game (106.3) and No.17 in catches per games (6.1). He has five of the top 20 receiving games in school history, topped by a 199-yard, 11-catch effort, both career highs, in a win last season over Saint Mary's CA. Olson tied a school record by making a touchdown reception in seven straight games during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
KOENEN KICKS: Koenen ranks No.11 nationally in both field goals made per game (1.3) and No.9 in punting with a 41.9 average on 25 kicks. He entered the season ranked No.2 among Northwest small college leaders in punting with a 43.0 career average. Koenen led the nation in punting as a sophomore (consensus All-American) with a 44.9 average and was No.4 last season at 43.4. Also an all-star placekicker, Koenen is third among Northwest small college kick scorers with 247 points, trailing only Western's Wade Gebers (267, 1993-96) and Western Oregon's Josh Freeman (261, 1997-2000). He has connected on 40-of-70 field goals and 127-of-134 point after kicks during his four-year career. If Koenen maintains his current pace of 7.3 points per game, he will finish his career with 269 points, two more than the current record.
COACHES: Rob Smith (Washington, 1981) is in his 16th year as head coach at Western and his victory total (103-55-1) and winning percentage of 65.1 are the best in school history. He is one of just three coaches to win 100 games at a Washington state college. 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 and 2003, 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 seventh season (34-30-0) as head coach at Western Oregon and the fourth of his second stint there. His overall record for 21 seasons is 126-82-3. 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.
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 ninth consecutive season. Providing the color commentary for the seventh 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.
All Western Oregon football games are carried live on KCCS (1220 AM) with Russ Blunck (8th year) and "The Coach" Bear Blunck calling the action. They can also be heard via the internet at www.wouwolves.com and www.kccs.org.
2003 RESULTS: Western finished 4-6, having a string of 12 straight non-losing seasons snapped, but won the GNAC championship with a perfect 3-0 record. Western Oregon was also 4-6, but placed third in the GNAC standings at 1-2.
LAST MEETING: Redshirt freshman placekicker BruceVoges, who had missed two extra points and two field goals earlier in the game, hit a 23-yard field goal in the fourth overtime, lifting previously winless Western Oregon to a 52-49 victory over Western in a GNAC game on Oct. 2 at Monmouth, Ore.
The Vikings squandered a 17-0 first-half lead and a 31-20 edge with eight minutes left in regulation. Wide receiver Andy Olson had nine receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns for Western, one of the touchdowns coming on a 66-yard reception on the game's first play from scrimmage.
Quarterback Denny Bies completed 35-of-62 passes for 399 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions for Western Oregon. Bret Hughes had two interceptions, including one for a touchdown, for the Wolves, then caught a touchdown reception in the third overtime.
The four overtimes marked the longest game in Northwest small-college history, and it was the third consecutive year the two teams had gone to overtime at McArthur Field. Western claimed a 20-17 victory in three overtimes in 2002, and the Wolves won 23-20 in one extra period last season.
Western jumped to a 17-0 lead in the first 17 minutes, but Western Oregon narrowed the margin to 17-14 by halftime and took a 21-14 lead on a 15-yard run by running back James Watts late in the third quarter.
The Vikings regained the lead just over two minutes later, as backup quarterback James Monrean hit tight end Rick Carte for a 6-yard score early in the fourth quarter. The drive, which included a 31-yard pass from Monrean to wide receiver James Laurence, was set up by a 39-yard kickoff return by Jason Morris.
Western extended the lead to 31-20 with 9:59 left, as starting quarterback Steve Nichols, who had been taken out at the start of the second half after three first-half interceptions, returned and connected with Olson for an 11-yard score.
Nichols ended up 19-of-30 for 322 yards and three touchdowns, but was intercepted five times. Monrean was 7-of-10 for 71 yards and a touchdown. The Vikings had six turnovers overall.
Western Oregon responded with two touchdowns in a 1:40 span, Bies hitting tight end Kevin Boss, who had 11 catches for 157 yards, on a 19-yard score and wide receiver Tyler Smith for a 12-yard play. That put the Wolves up, 34-31, with 5:57 to go, but the Vikings forced overtime through a 42-yard field goal by Michael Koenen with 1:38 remaining in regulation.
Neither team could claim victory through three overtimes, Western Oregon having the best chance in the second overtime go awry when a botched field-goal snap turned into an interception by Rob White. The Vikings got the ball first in the fourth overtime, but two sacks led to a 49-yard field goal attempt by Koenen, which was wide left. Western Oregon then moved to the Viking six, and Voges kicked the winning points.
Third-string running back Jon Williams ran for 142 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries, helping Western to have a 551-522 edge in total offense. Leading rusher Duncan Sherrard did not travel because of a mild concussion, and starter Jake Carlyle left the game with a knee injury in the first quarter.
SCORING SUMMARYWestern Washington 7 10 0 17 7 0 8 0 --- 49Western Oregon 0 14 6 14 7 0 8 3 --- 52
WWU - Olson 66 pass from Nichols (Koenen kick)WWU - Williams 6 run (Koenen kick)WWU - FG Koenen 33WOU - Hughes 23 interception return (Voges kick)WOU - Carter 11 pass from Bies (Voges kick)WOU - Watts 15 run (kick failed)WWU - Carte 4 pass from Monrean (Koenen kick)WWU - Olson 11 pass from Nichols (Koenen kick)WOU - Boss 19 pass from Bies (Boss pass from Bies)WOU - Smith 12 pass from Bies (kick failed)WWU - FG Koenen 42WOU - Boss 20 pass from Bies (Voges kick)WWU - Laurence 21 pass from Nichols (Koenen kick)WOU - Hughes 4 pass from Bies (Carter pass from Bies)WWU - Williams 3 run (Monrean run)WOU - FG Voges 23Attendance: 3,200.
WWU WOUFirst downs 28 30Rushes-yards 47-158 32-107Passing yards 393 415Sacks by-yards lost 1-5 4-28Total Offense 551 522Return yards 12-110 9-191Passes 40-26-5 64-36-3Punts 3-36.3 5-34.0Fumbles-lost 2-1 2-1Penalties-yards 8-90 12-98Time of possession 29:44 30:16
Rushing: WWU-Williams 33-142, Nichols 8-16, Carlyle 1-5, Robinson 1-4, Monrean 4--9; WOU-Watts 17-85, Blank 13-29, Bies 2--7.
Passing: WWU-Nichols 30-19-5-322, Monrean 10-7-0-71; WOU-Bies 62-35-2-399, Harrington 1-0-1-0, Blank 1-1-0-16.
Receiving: WWU-Olson 9-184-2, Robinson 5-29, Laurence 4-88-1, Carte 4-45-1, Yoney 2-23, Karuza 1-13, Dell 1-11; WOU-Boss 11-157-2, Carter 10-125-1, Smith 5-51-1, Hughes 3-29-1, Knudsen 3-23, Watts 2-21, Amerson 1-7, Gasilos 1-2.
2004 WESTERN PREVIEW: The Vikings will look to an experienced offense that returns eight starters to lead the way early in the season. Triggering that unit is senior quarterback Steve Nichols.
Junior wide receiver Andy Olson is Nichols' favorite target. Olson, named a preseason All-American by Don Hansen's Football Gazette, had 64 receptions for 1,063 yards and nine touchdowns last year, ranking ninth nationally in NCAA II in receiving yardage (106.3 per game).
Junior running back Duncan Sherrard has led the Vikings in rushing the last two seasons, running for 760 yards and three scores last year. Junior Jake Carlyle added 418 yards and five touchdowns rushing. They run behind an offensive line that returns four starters, led by junior center Loren Winter.
Defensively, Western is led by senior strong safety Rob White and junior defensive end Joey Joshua. White, the 2003-04 GNAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, had 90 tackles last year, leading the Vikings for the second consecutive season. Joshua had 43 tackles, including 9.5 behind the line of scrimmage.
Senior Michael Koenen handles all kicking duties. A consensus first-team All-America punter in 2002, he holds school records for longest punt (73 yards) and longest field goal (54 yards), and has sent 56 kickoffs for touchbacks.
PRESEASON PICKS: Two Western players, senior punter Michael Koenen and junior wide receiver Andy Olson, were named to the Don Hansen's Football Gazette preseason All-America Team. Koenen also was a second-team pick on the D2football.com preseason All-America squad.
LAST WEEK AGAINST HUMBOLDT STATE: Daniel Nembhard scored on a 5-yard run with 3:27 to play, lifting Humboldt State to its first victory over Western in 42 years, a 34-27 triumph in a GNAC game at Civic Stadium.
The Vikings had a six-game home winning streak snapped, and Humboldt State ended an eight-game road losing streak.
Western had rallied from a 17-point deficit, tying the game, 27-27, on a 5-yard run by Duncan Sherrard with 4:44 left. But Humboldt State responded by going 75 yards in just four plays for Nembhard's decisive score, the key play being a 49-yard rush by running back Lionel Arnold that put the ball on the Western 11.
Western failed to get a first down on the following series and were forced to punt, and the Lumberjacks then picked up two first downs to run out the clock.
Humboldt State's last victory over Western was a 32-0 triumph in 1962. The teams had met seven times since, all since 1997, with the Vikings winning each by margins of at least 14 points.
The Vikings started well, scoring on the opening play from scrimmage for the second time in three games as quarterback Steve Nichols threw a quick pass in the flat to wide receiver Andy Olson, who sprinted down the left sideline for a 76-yard touchdown. It was the sixth straight game with a touchdown catch for Olson.
But the Lumberjacks responded with 24 straight points from four drives that each lasted at least eight plays. Two of the scores came on touchdown passes from quarterback Jason Baughman to wide receiver Dustin Creager of six and 12 yards. The others were a 2-yard run by Arnold and a 29-yard field goal by Francisco Castellon.
The teams exchanged field goals late in the first half, giving the Lumberjacks a 27-10 advantage at halftime. Western narrowed the margin to 14 points on a 49-yard field goal by Michael Koenen late in the third quarter, then closed to 27-20 on a 7-yard run by Sherrard on the first play of the fourth quarter, a play set up on a 43-yard punt return by Olson.
Sherrard rushed for a game-high 153 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries for the Vikings. Nichols was 17-of-24 for 208 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Humboldt State had a 416-361 edge in total offense. Baughman completed 23-of-37 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns, with Dustin Creager having 11 receptions for 96 yards and both scores. Arnold led the Lumberjack rushing attack with 110 yards on 14 carries.
SCORING SUMMARYHumboldt State 17 10 0 7---34Western Washington 7 3 3 14---27WWU - Olson 76 pass from Nichols (Koenen kick)HSU - Arnold 2 run (Castellon kick)HSU - Creager 6 pass from Baughman (Castellon kick)HSU - FG Castellon 29HSU - Creager 12 pass from Baughman (Castellon kick)WWU - FG Koenen 25HSU - FG Castellon 31WWU - FG Koenen 49WWU - Sherrard 7 run (Koenen kick)WWU - Sherrard 5 run (Koenen kick)HSU - Nembhard 5 run (Castellon kick)Attendance: 2,115
HSU WWUFirst downs 23 20Rushes-yards 39-204 38-153Passing yards 212 208Sacks by-yards lost 4-18 1-4Total Offense 416 361Return yards 9-151 8-139Passes 37-23-0 24-17-1Punts 5-46.8 3-50.7Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1Penalties-yards 2-20 5-40Time of possession 31:30 28:30
Rushing: WWU-Sherrard 27-153-2, Bennum 1-4, Nichols 8-3, Williams 1--1, Koenen 1--6; HSU-Arnold 14-110-1, Nembhard 17-74-1, Baughman 6-15, Pierson 2-5.
Passing: WWU-Nichols 24-17-1-208; HSU-Baughman 37-23-0-212.
Receiving: WWU-Olson 4-110-1, Robinson 4-25, Karuza 2-35, Sherrard 2-17, Laurence 2-11, Yoney 1-9, Carte 1-4, Williams 1--3; HSU-Creager 11-96-2, Lopez 3-42, Heimiller 3-30, Nembhard 3-13, Wetsel 2-28, Arnold 1-3.
NEXT GAME: Western travels to Ellensburg for the ninth annual Cascade Cup game against archrival Central Washington on Sat., Oct. 30 (1 p.m.) at Tomlinson Stadium. Each team has won the cup contest four times. The Vikings have lost 11 of their last 12 games at Ellensburg.
WEBSITE: For the latest results, statistics and updates, including reports on all Western athletic events, visit the Vikings website at wwuvikings.com.
HEAD COACH Rob Smith ON ...:
HUMBOLDT STATE:
"You spend all half fighting back to get even, and then they go six plays right up the middle. They handled us up front, and unfortunately, that's been a problem all year. It's very disappointing to me."
WESTERN OREGON:
"It should be tremendous motivation from our end, having lost to them in a game in which we had our chances, but did not get it done. I've told our players that very seldom in this game do you get a second chance, but the fact that our league has gone to a round-robin now provides us with that type of chance. We need to prepare ourselves to make the most of it."
"We're struggling, losing two of our last three, both close games that could have gone either way. We've got to identify where the problems are and get them corrected. And I guarantee we will."
PROBABLE TWO DEEPS
WESTERN WASHINGTON
OFFENSETE 82 Rick Carte (6-4, 245, ***Sr., Juneau, AK/Juneau-Douglas) 13 Nick Yoney (6-4, 245, *Jr., Arlington, WA/Arlington)LT 70 Brandon Torrey (6-3, 285, *So., Graham, WA/Bethel) 72 Geoff Hise (6-2, 260, **Sr., Snoqualmie, WA (Mount Si)LG 73 Todd Gowing (6-2, 280, ***Sr., Kirkland, WA/Inglemoor) 67 Peter Van Datta (6-2, 265, *So., Bremerton, WA/Central Kitsap)C 53 Loren Winter (6-1, 260, **Jr., Bothell, WA/Juanita) 56 Will Freitag (6-3, 260, T-Jr., Maple Valley,WA/Eastside C./ Minn.-Crookston)RG 56 Will Freitag (6-3, 260, T-Jr., Maple Valley,WA/Eastside C./ Minn.-Crookston) 64 Tyler Sleeman (6-1, 300, *So., Black Diamond, WA/Tahoma/EWU)RT 79 Justin Simpson (6-4, 305, *Jr., Kennewick, WA/Kamiakin) 65 Jason Day (6-5, 235, **Sr., Tonasket, WA/Tonasket)SB 8 Chris Robinson (5-10, 190, R-Fr., Lakewood, WA/Clover Park) 30 Jason Morris (5-10, 170, R-Fr., Mill Creek, WA/Jackson/EWU)WR 5 James Laurence (6-4, 230,*Sr., Kent,WA/Kent-Meridian/ AntelopeValleyCC) 6 Jarrod Karuza (6-0, 195, Jr., Bellingham, WA/Meridian/EOU)WR 1 Andy Olson (6-2, 210, **Jr., Chehalis, WA/W.F.West) 81 Casey Dell (5-11, 185, R-Fr., Moxee, WA/East Valley)RB 29 Duncan Sherrard (5-10, 200, **Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt) 27 Jake Carlyle (5-7, 200, **Jr., Olympia, WA/Capital) 23 Jon Williams (5-10, 165, R-Fr., Redmond, WA/Redmond)QB 14 Steve Nichols (6-2, 210, ***Sr., Stevenson, WA/Stevenson) 17 James Monrean (6-1, 225, So., Bellingham, WA/Sehome)
DEFENSEE 85 Joey Joshua (6-4, 225, **Jr., Ferndale, WA/Ferndale) 99 Ryan Conwell (6-5, 215, R-Fr., Kent, WA/Kentwood)N 91 Ryan Davidson (6-3, 260, T-Jr., Pleasant Hill, CA/San Ramon Valley/Diablo Valley JC) 96 Parker Follis (6-3, 260, *So., Bellingham, WA/Squalicum)T 51 Noel Tafoya (6-2, 245, T-Jr., Pittsburg, CA/Pittsburg/ Diablo Valley CC) 75 Ryan Lucas (6-6, 270, T-So., Vancouver, BC/North Delta/ Simon Fraser)E 93 Conor Ball (6-1, 245, So., Olympia, WA/Olympia/CWU) 97 Nicholas Buck (6-2, 235, *So., Kent, WA/Seattle Christian/ Kentridge)OLB 47 Tieba Bropleh (5-10, 205, R-Fr., Bremeton, WA/Bremerton) 43 Jeff Parks (6-3, 215, *So., Graham, WA/Bethel/Boise State)MLB 32 Craig Keenan (6-1, 220, T-Jr., Salem, MA/Hamilton-Wenham/ Palomar JC) 49 Brandon Elliott (6-2, 230, R-Fr., Auburn, WA/Fife)OLB 46 Adam Klingenberg (5-11, 215, **Jr., Walla Walla, WA/Walla Walla) 49 Brandon Elliott (6-2, 230, R-Fr., Auburn, WA/Fife)LC 9 Sean O'Hara (5-8, 170, T-Sr., Pleasant Hill, CA/De La Salle/ St. Mary's CA) 4 Sly Whitfield, Jr. (5-8, 160, *So., Seattle, WA/Garfield)RC 42 Brett Hall (5-7, 175, **Jr., Kennewick, WA/Kennewick/ Columbia Basin CC) 3 Ocie Moore (5-9, 170, R-Fr., Seattle, WA (Kent-Meridian)SS 40 Rob White (6-1, 215, ***Sr., Woodinville, WA/Inglemoor) 31 Brett Snyder-Ferguson (6-1, 190, *Jr., Colville, WA/Colville)FS 22 Todd McClellan (5-10, 200, *So., Lacey, WA/Timberline) 2 Jason Barton (5-9, 180, **Jr., Gig Harbor, WA/Gig Harbor)
SPECIALK 19 Michael Koenen (5-11, 195, ***Sr., Ferndale, WA/Ferndale)P 19 Michael Koenen (5-11, 195, ***Sr., Ferndale, WA/Ferndale) 46 Adam Klingenberg (5-11, 215, **Jr., Walla Walla, WA/Walla Walla)H 14 Steve Nichols (6-2, 210, ***Sr., Stevenson, WA/Stevenson) 16 Jeff Bennum (5-10, 175, Fr., Bellingham, WA/Meridian/ Yakima Valley CC)LS 15 A.J. Porter (6-1, 205, R-Fr., SeaTac, WA/Kennedy) 99 Ryan Conwell (6-5, 215, R-Fr., Kent, WA/Kentwood)PAT &FGs 73 Todd Gowing (6-2, 280, ***Sr., Kirkland, WA/Inglemoor) 99 Ryan Conwell (6-5, 215, R-Fr., Kent, WA/Kentwood)PR 1 Andy Olson (6-2, 210, **Jr., Chehalis, WA/W.F.West) 30 Jason Morris (5-10, 170, R-Fr., Mill Creek, WA/Jackson/EWU) 25 Mike Schmit (5-10, 165, R-Fr., Vancouver, WA/Columbia River)KR 87 Zach Russell (6-2, 185, So., Bothell, WA/Lake Washington) 23 Jon Williams (5-10, 165, R-Fr., Redmond, WA/Redmond) 29 Duncan Sherrard (5-10, 200, **Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt) 30 Jason Morris (5-10, 170, R-Fr., Mill Creek, WA/Jackson/EWU)*denotes letters won
WESTERN OREGON
OFFENSESB 1 Bret Hughes (6-1, 220, **Jr., Salem, OR) 3 Kenneth Gasilos (6-0, 200, **Sr., Honolulu, HI)FL 9 Luke Carter (6-3, 200, T-Jr., Hermiston, OR) 84 Scooter McCord (6-2, 195, So., Clackamas, OR)HB 4 Tyler Smith (5-10, 175, **Jr., Albany, OR) 10 Tyler Knudsen (5-9, 170, So.-TR, Portland, OR)TE 11 Kevin Boss (6-7, 250, *So., Philomath, OR) 81 Casey O'Donnell (6-5, 220, R-Fr., Troutdale, OR)LT 60 Ryan Belcher (6-4, 320, *So., Keizer, OR) 73 Joe Zagunis (6-3, 240, Fr., Portland, OR)LG 56 Ko'o Kamalamalama (6-1, 300, Fr., Kailua, HI) 70 Steve Norton (6-3, 320, T-Jr., Watsonville, CA)C 52 Brett Rhodes (6-2, 255, R-Fr., Canby, OR) 53 Mario Martinez (6-3, 280, T-Jr., Hermiston, OR)RG 74 Allan Mikolas (6-4, 300, R-Fr., Salem, OR) 70 Steve Norton (6-3, 320, T-Jr., Watsonville, CA)RT 78 Paul Wright (6-4, 285, R-Fr., Portland, OR) 72 Luke Williams (6-2, 270, Fr., Redmond, OR)QB 12 Denny Bies (6-2, 205, Jr.-2L, Tualatin, OR) 15 Ryan Thorson (6-5, 230, *So., Sandy, OR)FB 34 Kyle Braa (6-0, 215, *So., Scio, OR) 43 Chad Blau (6-0, 225, R-Fr., Puyallup, WA)TB 23 James Watts (5-8, 180, **Jr., Wasilla, AK) 30 Greg Coleman (6-0, 200, R-Fr., Beaverton, OR)
DEFENSELE 26 Dane Wagner (6-4, 240, **Jr., Salem, OR) 36 Tyler Mack (6-1, 215, R-Fr., Baker City, OR)LT 7 Lucas Garcia (6-2, 245, ***Sr., Bend, OR) 19 Brian Sprague (6-1, 260, *So., Portland, OR)RT 95 Ron Kelly (6-3, 265, **Jr., Astoria, OR) 45 Robert Werder (6-3, 245, R-Fr., Toledo, OR)RE 96 Matt Olafson (6-6, 255, ***Sr., Junction City, OR) 90 Larry Farley (6-1, 235, Fr., Beaverton, OR)LB 59 Kevin Holcomb (6-2, 235, ***Sr., Hood River, OR) 35 Matt Buche (6-1, 215, Fr., Myrtle Point, OR)MLB 51 John Apgar (6-2, 240, **Jr., Toledo, OR) 50 Jeff Cloud (6-0, 215, *So., Culver, OR)LB 42 Tyler York (6-2, 215, R-Fr., Redmond, OR) 8 Chad Harrington (6-2, 210, *So., Reedsport, OR)CB 20 Javon Allen (5-9, 175, ***Sr., North Pole, AK) 2 Jay Darden (5-10, 180, *So., Portland, OR)CB 33 Nick Smith (6-0, 175, R-Fr., Warrenton, OR) 37 Matt Kehl (6-1, 185, R-Fr., Tillamook, OR)SS 5 Chad Boyd (6-0, 210, **Jr., Salem, OR) 22 Jason Buckmeir (6-2, 210, Fr., Beaverton, OR)FS 1 Bret Hughes (6-1, 220, **Jr., Salem, OR) 17 Zach Christopherson (6-2, 210, R-Fr., Portland, OR)
SPECIALK 14 Bruce Voges (6-2, 200, R-Fr., Grants Pass, OR) 22 Jason Buckmeir (6-2, 210, Fr., Beaverton, OR)P 38 Jeff Kent (5-11, 195, T-So., Bandon, OR) 87 Cory Dickson (6-4, 230, Fr., Corvallis, OR)LS 96 Matt Olafason (6-6, 255, ***Sr., Junction City, OR) 21 Kyle Blank (6-0, 205, R-Fr., Klamath Falls, OR)H 8 Chad Harrington (6-2, 210, *So., Reedsport, OR) 16 Mark Thorson (6-6, 230, R-Fr., Sandy, OR)KR 10 Tyler Knudsen (5-9, 170, T-So., Portland, OR) 4 Tyler Smith (5-10, 175, **Jr., Albany, OR)PR 10 Tyler Knudsen (5-9, 170, T-So., Portland, OR) 33 Nick Smith (6-0, 175, R-Fr., Warrenton, OR)
