Aug. 30, 2004

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -

UPCOMING GAME: Western Washington University Vikings (0-0) vs. Fort Lewis College Skyhawks (0-0) at Civic Stadium (FieldTurf - 4,400 capacity) in Bellingham, Wash., on Saturday, Sept. 4, at 1 p.m. It is the third meeting between the two schools, Western winning 48-10 at Durango, Colo., in 2001 and notching another lopsided victory, 52-14, at Bellingham in 2002. The contest is the season and home opener for the Vikings. Western is 10-5 in season debuts under head coach Rob Smith, but has lost four of its last five openers. The Vikings had a string of six home opening wins snapped last season when they lost their Civic Stadium and season opener to Saint Cloud State MN, 44-27. Western finished 4-6 last year, winning their last three games, all league counters, to take the Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship with a perfect 3-0 record. It was the Vikings' fourth league title in five years and sixth crown in nine seasons. Fort Lewis was 3-8 in 2003, and has not had a winning season since 1985. The Skyhawks have a new head coach, Ed Rifilato, who was the offensive coordinator last year. ROAD TO 100: Rob Smith needs one more victory to become the first coach in Western history to reach 100. Only two four-year collegiate coaches have reached that figure while coaching at schools in the state of Washington, those being Frosty Westering at Pacific Lutheran (261) and Don James at Washington (153), who are both retired. Smith is currently tied for third at 99 wins with Washington's Jim Owens. SEASON OPENERS: Western is 10-5 in season debuts under head coach Rob Smith, but has lost four of its last five debuts, the lone win during that stretch being 24-16 over Central Oklahoma to begin the 2002 campaign. The Vikings have won 12 of their last 18 openers, including one string of eight consecutive victories, after losing 14 straight from 1972-85. HOME OPENERS: The Vikings are 11-4 in home openers since Smith became head coach in 1989. SERIES HISTORY: Third meeting. Western won the first meeting with Fort Lewis, 48-10, in 2001 at Durango, Colo. In 2002, the Vikings were victorious, 52-14, at Bellingham. 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. The game also will be broadcast on KIUP (930 AM-Durango) and via the Internet at www.radiodurango.com. 2003 RESULTS: Western finished 4-6, but won the GNAC championship with a perfect 3-0 record. Fort Lewis had a 3-8 record, 2-6 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action. The Skyhawks won two of their last three games, and three of their last six after a 0-5 start. WESTERN REPORT: 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, who ranks 10th among school passing leaders with 2,836 career yards, including 25 touchdown passes. 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). Olson ranks sixth in school history in career touchdown receptions with 12, 15th in receptions with 82 and 16th in receiving yardage at 1,405. Senior James Laurence, the other wide receiver, has had an excellent fall camp, catching two touchdown passes in Western's first preseason scrimmage. Junior running back Duncan Sherrard has led the Vikings in rushing the last two seasons, running for 760 yards and three scores last year. He ranks seventh among school leaders in career rushing with 1,447 yards. Junior Jake Carlyle added 418 yards and five touchdowns rushing a year ago. They run behind an offensive line that returns four starters, led by junior center Loren Winter. Defensively, Western could start as many as four transfers. Two starters return from last year - senior 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 has a career punting average of 43.0 yards, and he ranks sixth in Western career scoring with 196 points, having connected on 31-of-57 field goals and 103-of-109 extra points. He holds school records for longest punt (73 yards) and longest field goal (54 yards), and has sent 56 kickoffs for touchbacks. FORT LEWIS REPORT: Ed Rifilato is in his first season as the Skyhawks' head coach after Todd Throckmorton left in mid-June to become the running back coach at Missouri Western State. Rifilato, who is in his second season overall at FLC, was the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1999 when he directed New Mexico Highlands to the league title in his only other season as a head coach. Thirty-one letter winners and 13 starters return from last year's 3-8 team. Leading the offense is senior running back Joe Moore, the school's career leader in rushing yards with 2,708 (531 carries) and touchdowns with 24. He also has 990 receiving yards on 107 catches. Moore was the RMAC Freshman of the Year in 2000, when he ran for 1,058 yards and 10 touchdowns. The next season he suffered a season-ending injury in the second game that required a fusion of bones in his neck. Sophomore Matt Gutierrez replaces the graduated Andrew Webb at quarterback. Webb threw for 2,318 yards last year and finished his career as the NCAA Division II career passing leader with 11,742 yards. Webb, who is currently playing in the Arena II League, will share the Skyhawks' offensive coordinator duties with Kip Thomas. Gutierrez passed for 100 yards in a backup role last season, completing 8 of 16 passes with no touchdowns and one interception. His top two targets are senior wide receiver Cory Williams, who had 669 receiving yards on 57 catches last fall, including four for touchdowns, and Moore, who had 55 catches for 483 yards and one touchdown. Rifilato, who was the offensive coordinator in 2003, will be the defensive coordinator this year. Heading that unit are two juniors, defensive back Richard Johnson and linebacker Nate Swanson. Johnson was credited with 91 tackles last season and Swanson with 90. Last year, FLC averaged 319.5 yards in total offense, 219.8 of them passing. But the Skyhawks allowed 479.6 yards on defense. INJURY REPORT: None LAST MEETING: Wide receiver Greg Dykstra had four touchdowns, three on pass receptions, and strong safety Rob White forced four turnovers as Western won its home opener, defeating Fort Lewis, 52-14, at Civic Stadium on Sept. 14, 2002. Dykstra tied school records for touchdowns and touchdown receptions in a game, hauling in passes of 23, 26 and 31 yards for scores and adding a 58-yard touchdown on a punt return in the final minute of the first half. Dykstra had six receptions for 121 yards and even added a tackle on a fake punt. White forced four fumbles, three of them recovered by the Vikings, and also had an interception to set a school record by forcing four turnovers. The Vikings, who passed for a school-record six touchdowns, scored on their opening drive of the game, marching 93 yards in 10 plays, capped by a pass from quarterback Josh Shimek to Dykstra. Western added 17 points in the second quarter to take a 24-0 lead at halftime and held a 45-0 lead early in the fourth quarter before Fort Lewis quarterback Andrew Webb threw two touchdown passes in a 58-second span to narrow the margin. Webb, who was 19-of-35 for 221 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, hit Mark Tatom for a 57-yard score and following an interception by Richard Johnson, found Chris Brewer on the next play for a 4-yard touchdown. Shimek completed 18-of-32 passes for 239 yards with an interception and four touchdowns, throwing two scoring passes to Dykstra and also finding tight end Adam Snel for a 23-yard score and slotback Mike Westbrook on a 3-yard touchdown. Backup quarterback Steve Nichols was 7-of-12 for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Webb was 19-of-35 for 221 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, ending a streak of six consecutive 300-yard passing games that began last season. Jamal Allen, who led NCAA II nationally with 106 receptions last year, had six catches for 77 yards. Western placekicker Michael Koenen converted all seven extra-point attempts and also hit a 24-yard field goal, giving him a school-record eight consecutive field goals made. He also averaged 48.2 yards on four punts. The Vikings had a 502-356 edge in total offense and nearly a 2-1 advantage in time-of-possession (39:18-20:42). MILESTONES: Junior wide receiver Andy Olson already ranks No.6 among Western career leaders in touchdown catches with 12, No.15 in receptions with 82 and No.16 in receiving yards with 1,405. He tied a school record by making a touchdown reception in seven straight games. 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 had four of the top 20 games by a receiver in school history, topped by a 199-yard, 11-catch effort, both career highs, in a win over Saint Mary's CA. Koenen enters the season ranked No.2 among northwest small college leaders in punting with a 43.1 career average. He led the nation in punting as a sophomore with a 44.9 average and was No.4 last season at 43.4. Also an all-star placekicker, Koenen ranks No.6 among northwest and Western career leaders in scoring with 196 points. He has connected on 31-of-57 field goals and 103-of-109 point after kicks in his first three seasons. WESTERN NOTES: The Vikings are 57-18 (.760) at home since Smith became head coach in 1989 ... Current Colorado coach Gary Barnett, who also led Northwestern to the Rose Bowl, was head coach at Fort Lewis in 1982-83 ... Western is 3-0 against RMAC teams, posting a 26-14 win over Chadron State in 1999 in addition to its two victories over Fort Lewis. COACHES: Rob Smith (Washington, 1981) is in his 16th year as head coach and his victory total (99-52-1) and winning percentage of 65.5 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 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. Ed Rifilato (California Coast, 1998) is in his first season as head coach and second year overall at Fort Lewis. In his only other season as a collegiate head coach, Rifilato earned RMAC Coach of the Year honors, directing New Mexico Highlands University to the league championship in 1999. Prior to coming to Fort Lewis, Rifilato was the Director of Football Operations at Louisville for one year and defensive coordinator at Idaho for two seasons. PRESEASON PICKS: Two Western players, punter Michael Koenen and 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. 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 arch-rival 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. LAST WEEK: No game NEXT GAME: Western travels to Minnesota for a contest with St. Cloud State University at 6 p.m. CST at SCSU Stadium. The Huskies defeated Western, 44-27, at Bellingham last year. 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 ...: SEASON OPENER "This team has done everything that we have asked of them from when we first came together in January. The games are why we play. It's not for the 6:30 a.m. workouts we have back in February, it's not for spring practice, it's for the ten Saturdays in the fall. I and I think everyone else is excited to get started. " OFFENSE "It's a group that returns almost intact, so in that sense you have to feel pretty good about it. I'm anxious to see how (quarterback) Steve Nichols operates now that it's clearly his unit. We certainly have some weapons we feel with Andy Olson at wide receiver, Rick Carte at tight end and Duncan Sherrard and Jake Carlyle in the backfield. Plus, with four starters returning in the offensive line, there are certainly high expectations for this group." DEFENSE It's almost the complete opposite of the offense. There it's a matter of looking at in many cases new players. We will start five players who weren't with us in the spring. Their time with us is all of about two weeks. They've looked good in practice, but really you don't know until you put them under fire in game situations." FORT LEWIS "A big question mark. They underwent a coaching change after spring practice. We do know that they have a tremendously talented running back in Joe Moore, and obviously they will benefit from a new attitude and enthusiasm that often goes with a coaching change. ROAD TO 100 "The road to one is more important than the road to 100. It's more important for this team to get number one, then it is for me to get No. 100"

PROBABLE TWO DEEPSWESTERN WASHINGTONOFFENSETE  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)        72  Geoff Hise (6-2, 260, **Sr., Snoqualmie, WA (Mount Si)SB       6  Jarrod Karuza (6-0, 195, Jr., Bellingham, WA/Meridian/EOU)    16  Jeff Bennum (5-10, 175, Fr., Bellingham, WA/Meridian/Yakima Valley CC)WR       5  James Laurence (6-4, 230,*Sr., Kent,WA/Kent-Meridian/AntelopeValleyCC)         8  Chris Robinson (5-10, 190, R-Fr., Lakewood, WA/Clover Park)WR   1  Andy Olson (6-2, 210, **Jr., Chehalis, WA/W.F.West)    87 Zach Russell (6-2, 185, So., Bothell, WA/Lake Washington)RB  27  Jake Carlyle (5-7, 200, **Jr., Olympia, WA/Capital)            29  Duncan Sherrard (5-10, 200, **Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt)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)    77  Jon McCrae-Lauba (5-11, 270, So., Bellevue, WA/Sammamish)T       75  Ryan Lucas (6-6, 270, T-So., Vancouver, BC/North Delta/Simon Fraser)        51  Noel Tafoya (6-2, 245, T-Jr., Pittsburg, CA/Pittsburg/Diablo Valley CC)E   97 Nicholas Buck (6-2, 235,*So.,Kent,WA/Seattle Christian/Kentridge)    93 Conor Ball (6-1, 245, So., Olympia, WA/Olympia/CWU)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)    48 Joe Allen (6-1, 215, *Jr., Graham, WA/Bethel)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  42 Brett Hall (5-7,175,**Jr.,Kennewick,WA/Kennewick/Columbia Basin CC)     4 Sly Whitfield Jr. (5-8, 160, *So., Seattle, WA/Garfield)RC   9 Sean O'Hara (5-8,170,T-Sr.,Pleasant Hill,CA/De La Salle/St. Mary's CA)    26 Justin Balunsat (5-7, 175, R-Fr., Lake Stevens,WA/Lake Stevens)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)    37 Pat Mutzel (6-1, 215, *So., Bellevue, WA/Bellevue)P       19 Michael Koenen (5-11, 195, ***Sr., Ferndale, WA/Ferndale)H   14 Steve Nichols (6-2, 210, ***Sr., Stevenson, WA/Stevenson)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 &FG S    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)         2 Jason Barton (5-9, 180, **Jr., Gig Harbor, WA/Gig Harbor)        25 Mike Schmidt (5-10, 165, R-Fr., Vancouver, WA/Columbia River)        30 Jason Morris (5-10, 170, R-Fr., Mill Creek, WA/Jackson/EWU)KR  27 Jake Carlyle (5-7, 200, **Jr., Olympia, WA/Capital)        29 Duncan Sherrard (5-10, 200, **Jr., Seattle, WA/Roosevelt)        22 Todd McClellan (5-10, 200, *So., Lacey, WA/Timberline)        33 Steve Davis (5-10, 200, Fr., Kennewick, WA/Kamiakin)*denotes letters wonPROBABLE TWO-DEEPSFORT LEWIS COLLEGEOFFENSEWR      83 Kris Ducy (5-10, 181, So., Pueblo, CO/Pueblo South)        89 Collin Knight (5-10, 188, So., Loveland, CO/Northern Colorado)WR  10 David Bellinger (6-0, 190, Jr.,San Diego, CA/Southwestern JC)         5 Sam Forsythe (6-1, 180, Jr., San Diego, CA/Southwestern JC)WR  19 Matt Weaver (6-0, 185, Sr., Aurora, CO/Hinkley)         7 Tim Miller (5-9, 168, Jr., Palisade, CO/Palisade)WR   3 Cory Williams (5-11, 185, Sr, Tracy, CA./Oregon)    81 Anthony Gillespie (6-1, 180,Fr., Denver, CO/George Washington)RT  77 Glen Ludgwig (6-1, 300, Jr., San Diego, CA/Grossmont JC)    69 Jordan Ashby (6-3, 260, So., Hartsel, CO/South Park)RG  56 Jason Johnson (5-11, 250, Jr., Fort Collins,CO/Rocky Mountain)    64 Jory Hemming (6-2, 246, Fr., Westminster, CO/Huron Univ.)C   61 Eric Romo (5-11, 290, Jr., Moreno Valley, CA/Grossmont JC)    76 Aaron Cooper (6-1, 295, Fr., Westminster, CO/Ranum)LG  72 Jonathan Call (6-3, 273, So., Colorado Springs/Mesa Ridge)    75 David Fredericks (6-2, 315, So., Farmington, NM/Piedra Vista)LT  62 Emil West (6-2, 290, Jr., Juneau, AK/Orange County CC)        71 Michael Albright (6-1, 325, Jr., San Diego, CA/Southwestern JC)QB   4 Matt Gutierrez (6-0, 197, So., Thornton, CO/Thornton)    17 Dustin Moore (6-3, 210, So., Durango, CO/Durango)RB  25 Joe Moore (6-1, 200, Sr., Denver, CO/Denver)     6 Chris Maul (5-11, 190, So., Colorado Springs, CO/Si Tanka U.)DEFENSEE    8 Joey Morris (6-1, 220, Jr., Lafayette, CO/Centauraus)    44 Pete Shockley (6-2, 210, So., Loveland, CO/Loveland)T   94 Thomas Stevenson (6-4, 245, Jr., Nucla, CO/Nucla)        99 Roberto Porras (6-3, 245, Jr., Denver, CO/Montbello)NG  53 Rich Blea (5-11, 250, Jr., Denver, CO/George Washington)    97 Laramy Miller (6-4, 250, Fr., Ignacio, CO/Ignacio)E   13 Eli Kelley (6-2, 210, Jr., La Junta, CO/La Junta)        91 Travis Ohlinger (6-2, 205, So., Durango, CO/Durango)SAM 21 Reed Duvall (5-1, 290, Jr., Durango, CO/Durango)        27 Corey Calcara (6-0, 190, So., Westminster, CO/Northglenn)MIKE     9 Nate Swanson (6-1, 220, Jr., Loveland, CO/Eastern Arizona CC)        15 Justin Weller (5-11, 190, Fr., Broomfield, CO/Legacy)WILL     2 Drew Ray (5-10, 195, Sr., Lawnside, NJ/LA Valley CC)    26 Chris Carhart (6-0, 185, So., Arvada, CO/Northern Colorado)SS  20 Richard Johnson (5-9, 180, Jr., Bamako, Mali/Rocky Mountain)    12 Matt Lutz (6-0, 195, Sr.,Agoura Hills,CA/Los Angeles Valley CC)FS  32 Justin Lupe (5-11, 185, So., Whiteriver, AZ/Alchesay)    28 Reid Ferrari (5-10, 185, Fr., Lafayette, CO/Front Range CC)LCB 22 Louis Faison (5-8, 173, Sr., Phoenix, AZ/Phoenix CC)            14 Milton Corbin (5-9, 175, Jr., Phoenix, AZ/Phoenix CC)RCB 35 Phillip Strickland (6-0, 195, Jr., Scottsdale,AZ/Scottsdale CC)    23 James Armstrong (5-11, 175, Jr.,Jersey City,NJ/Southwestern JC)SPECIALK   31 Mikael Bjork (6-1, 215, Jr., Albuquerque, NM/Manzano)    29 Daniel del al Corte (5-11, 165, Jr., Georgetown,CO/Cleer Creek)P   29 Daniel del al Corte (5-11, 165, Jr., Georgetown,CO/Cleer Creek)    31 Mikael Bjork (6-1, 215, Jr., Albuquerque, NM/Manzano)LS  97 Laramy Miller (6-4, 250, Fr., Ignacio, CO/Ignacio)PR  21 Reed Duvall (5-1, 290, Jr., Durango/Durango)KR  3 Cory Williams (5-11, 185, Sr., Tracy, CA/Oregon)H   4 Matt Gutierrez (6-0, 197, So., Thornton/Thornton)