Oct. 2, 2004
Final Stats
MONMOUTH, Ore. - 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 University to a 52-49 victory over Western Washington University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference football game Saturday.
The Vikings, No.8 in this week's NCAA Division II Northwest Region rankings, squandered a 17-0 first-half lead and a 31-20 edge with eight minutes left in regulation in falling to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the GNAC. Wide receiver Andy Olson (Jr., Chehalis/W.F. West) had nine receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns for Western Washington, 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, which improved to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in conference play. 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.
"I don't know what it is about this place," said Western Washington coach Rob Smith, whose team has lost three of its last four visits to Monmouth. "What happens to the team in white jerseys is hard to figure. This is as tough as it gets. Some of the things that happened here, you have to wonder where they came from. We played as poorly as we can."
Western Washington 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 (So., Bellingham/Sehome) hit tight end Rick Carte (Sr., Juneau, AK/Juneau-Douglas) 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 (Sr., Kent/Kent-Meridian), was set up by a 39-yard kickoff return by Jason Morris (R-Fr., Mill Creek/Jackson).
Western extended the lead to 31-20 with 9:59 left, as starting quarterback Steve Nichols (Sr., Stevenson), 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 (Sr., Ferndale) 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 (Sr., Woodinville/Inglemoor). 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.
"When you give a team that has struggled like Western Oregon extra chances, they build on that," Smith said. "We gave them opportunity after opportunity. We deserve this loss the way we played."
Third-string running back Jon Williams (R-Fr., Redmond) ran for 142 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries, helping Western Washington to have a 551-522 edge in total offense. Leading rusher Duncan Sherrard (Jr., Seattle/Roosevelt) did not travel because of a mild concussion, and starter Jake Carlyle (Jr., Olympia/Capital) left the game with a knee injury in the first quarter.
The Vikings return home for a three-game home stand at Bellingham's Civic Stadium, beginning with a non-league game against Saint Joseph's IN on Sat., Oct. 9.
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.
