Sept. 28, 2004

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -

UPCOMING GAME: Western Washington University Vikings (3-1, 1-0) vs. Western Oregon University Wolves (0-4, 0-1) in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest on Saturday (1 p.m.) at McArthur Field (Grass - 2,500 capacity) in Monmouth, Ore. It is Western Oregon's Hall of Fame and Community Appreciation game.

Western, the defending GNAC champion, rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat archrival Central Washington, 28-21, last Saturday in the second annual Battle in Seattle at Qwest Field and its GNAC opener.

The previous week, the Vikings played a near flawless first half in upsetting No.23 Nebraska-Omaha, 31-21, at Bellingham. Western opened its season with a 27-25 home win over Fort Lewis CO, then fell, 44-29, at No.25 St. Cloud State MN.

The triumph over Fort Lewis was the 100th collegiate victory for head coach Rob Smith, the winningest coach in school history with a career mark of 102-53-1 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 has 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 went down 34-7 in their league opener at Humboldt State last week. They opened their season with a 38-21 loss at Willamette OR, then fell 58-17 at Linfield OR and 38-3 at South Dakota State.

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.

REGIONAL POLL: Western is ranked No.8 in the first Northwest Region poll released Tuesday. The top six teams in the final rating qualify for the NCAA Division II playoffs.

1.  Northwood  (5-0)2.  North Dakota  (4-0)3.  Grand Valley State  (4-0)4.  St. Cloud State  (5-0)5.  Michigan Tech  (4-0)6.  Saginaw Valley State  (3-1)7.  Winona State  (4-1)8.  Western Washington  (3-1)9.  Ferris State  (4-1)10. Findlay  (3-2)11. Nebraska-Omaha  (3-2)12. Augustana (South Dakota)  (3-2)

SERIES HISTORY: 41st meeting. Western leads 24-16-0. The Vikings have won five of the last seven meetings, splitting a pair of games last season - losing 23-20 in overtime at Monmouth and winning 17-13 at Bellingham. The Vikings won 20-17 in overtime at Monmouth in 2002. Western Oregon's last win was 20-16 at Monmouth in 2000. Western holds an 11-9-0 series advantage in games played at Monmouth. 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 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.

WESTERN REPORT: Coming off of their second consecutive victory, the Vikings are also riding a string of six straight GNAC victories that dates back to the 2002 season.

The Western offense is averaging 29.3 points and 410.0 total yards a game (ranks No.13 nationally in passing offense, 280.0), notching 406 last week in the Battle in Seattle triumph over Central Washington despite going a 22-minute span without a first down.

Directing the offense is senior quarterback Steve Nichols, who has completed 97-of-153 passes for 1,105 yards, with nine touchdowns and eight interceptions. Nichols leads the GNAC and is No.12 nationally in NCAA II in total offense at 292.5 yards a game. He ranks eighth in school history in career passing yardage (3,941), needing just 196 yards to move into seventh.

The top target for Nichols is junior wide receiver Andy Olson, a Don Hansen's Football Gazette Preseason All-American, who has 27 receptions for 367 yards and five touchdowns and already ranks among the top 10 school career leaders in touchdown catches, receptions and yards receiving. Olson ranks No.14 nationally in receptions per game (6.8) and No.31 in receiving yards per game (91.8). Redshirt freshman Chris Robinson has also become a major threat. Robinson has 17 receptions for 200 yards, making 16 of those grabs in the last two games.

The tight ends have also played a big role, with junior Nick Yoney having 15 grabs for 146 yards and three touchdowns, and senior Rick Carte 10 catches for 116 yards and a score.

The Vikings have a two-headed monster at running back in juniors Duncan Sherrard and Jake Carlyle. Sherrard has a team-best 266 yards and a touchdown on 56 carries. Carlyle, the starter in all four games, has 194 yards and three scores on 56 attempts, and also has 11 receptions for 115 yards.

An important element of Western's offensive success has been the line, which is anchored by junior center Loren Winter.

The Viking defense has shown marked improvement over the course of the season, holding opponents to 300 yards or less each of the last two weeks. Junior linebacker Craig Keenan, one of three transfers starting in the front seven, has a team-high 34 tackles. Another linebacker, sophomore Jeff Parks, has 24 stops, including a team-best 4.5 for loss, as well as an interception and two fumbles forced.

Junior end Joey Joshua, one of just two returning starters, has 12 tackles, and on the other end, junior Nicholas Buck has 13. Junior tackle Noel Tafoya has three tackles for loss.

The secondary is led by senior strong safety Rob White, who led Western in tackles each of the last two seasons. White has 30 stops, an interception and a fumble forced. Sophomore cornerback Sly Whitfield has 15 tackles and an interception.

On special teams, senior kicker Michael Koenen has been outstanding. He is 5-of-6 on field goals (ranks No.12 nationally in field goals per game, 1.3), with the miss coming from 51 yards, and 5-of-6 on extra points, he is averaging 40.7 yards on punts after averaging 47.2 yards last week against Central, and has sent seven kickoffs for touchbacks.

WESTERN NOTES: Western has outscored the opposition, 36-6, in the fourth quarter ... The Vikings' win over Central Washington snapped a string of four night game losses ... Western ranked No.12 nationally last week in passing offense and No.32 in total offense ... The Vikings have won their last five home games and are 59-18 (.766) at Bellingham's Civic Stadium during Smith's tenure as head coach, but they have won just two of their last eight road contests ... In the first half against Nebraska-Omaha, Western had the ball for 25:55 and ran 58 plays ... Western linebacker Craig Keenan was named GNAC Defensive co-Player of the Week for his performance against Fort Lewis CO, quarterback Steve Nichols received the league's offensive honor for his effort versus Nebraska-Omaha, and linebacker Jeff Parks was the conference defensive award winner for his performance against Central Washington.

WESTERN OREGON REPORT: The Wolves are 0-4 for the first time since 1992.

Western Oregon has been outscored 168-48 in the four games, although it held early leads in three of them.

The Wolves have a pair of experienced quarterbacks. Junior Denny Bies threw for 2,088 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2002, then directed the Wolves to victories in the first two games of 2003 before missing the rest of the season with a leg injury. He has started all four games this year, completing 57-of-123 passes for 656 yards with one touchdown and seven interceptions. Sophomore Ryan Thorson, who threw for 1,560 yards and nine touchdowns last season, is the backup, and has thrown for 190 yards.

But aside from the quarterbacks, nearly the entire offensive unit is new. Sophomore guard Ryan Belcher is the only returning starter on the line, and sophomore tight end Kevin Boss, who has nine receptions for 142 yards, was a second-team all-GNAC pick last season.

The leading rusher is freshman Greg Coleman, who has 110 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries. Another freshman, fullback Kyle Blank, has scored three touchdowns on the ground, half of the Wolves' total for the year. The receiving corps is led by two Tylers, both sophomores. Tyler Knudsen has 16 catches for 161 yards, and Tyler Smith, who had 15 receptions last year, has already matched that total through four games for 145 yards.

Another key receiver is junior Bret Hughes, a two-way starter which is a rarity these days. As a split end, he has 11 catches for 182 yards. As a free safety, he has 16 tackles and two passes defensed after having 56 stops last season.

The defense is allowing 42.0 points and 462.8 yards a contest. The top returnee is defensive back Chad Boyd, who had team-highs of 77 tackles and three interceptions in 2003, earning second-team all-GNAC honors. Two other second-team all-GNAC picks - junior Ron Kelly, who has 2.5 sacks, and senior Lucas Garcia - return at the tackle spots.

The leading tackler is junior linebacker Jon Apgar, who has 29 stops. Senior linebacker Kevin Holcomb has 28 tackles, including a team-high 6.5 for loss, and also has broken up two passes.

On special teams, Knudsen has been a major threat, averaging 19.5 yards on 17 kickoff returns and a GNAC-leading 15.0 yards on eight punt returns. He also leads the conference in all-purpose yardage at 153.2 yards a game. Freshman placekicker Bruce Voges is 6-of-6 on extra points and 2-of-3 on field goals.

INJURY REPORT: Offensive tackle Brandon Torrey (strained knee), who has missed the last three games, may return to action for Western this week.

MILESTONES: Junior wide receiver Andy Olson ranks No.4 among Western career leaders in touchdown catches with 17 (needs 7 to tie for No.3), No.8 in receptions with 109 (needs two to tie for No.8) and No.6 in receiving yards with 1,772 (needs 13 to move into No.5). Junior running back Duncan Sherrard ranks No.6 in career rushing (1,713) and senior quarterback Steve Nichols is No.8 in career passing (3,941, needs 196 to move into No.7). Senior placekicker Michael Koenen ranks No.5 in career scoring (221, needs four to move into No.4) and No.3 in kick scoring. He is No.4 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 his last three games, ranks No.14 nationally in receptions (6.8) and No.31 in receiving yards (91.8). He had 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 four 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 has a 40.7 punting average this season on 14 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 has connected on 36-of-63 field goals and 113-of-120 point after kicks during his four-year career.

COACHES: Rob Smith (Washington, 1981) is in his 16th year as head coach at Western and his victory total (102-53-1) and winning percentage of 65.7 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 (33-28-0) as head coach at Western Oregon and the fourth of his second stint there. His overall record for 21 seasons is 125-80-3. 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 posted a 4-6 record in 2003, placing third in the GNAC at 1-2.

LAST YEAR'S MEETINGS WITH WESTERN OREGON:

Sept. 13 at Monmouth, Ore.Western Oregon 23, Western 20 OTSix turnovers cost Vikings

Hampered by six turnovers, Western fell to Western Oregon, 23-20, in overtime at Monmouth, Ore.

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 in overtime in 2002.

The Wolves, who lost starting quarterback Denny Bies to an ankle injury midway through the second quarter, 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 Viking 39 with 4:21 left. Western Oregon 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.

SCORING SUMMARYWestern Washington  7   6   0   7   0 --- 20Western Oregon      7   7   0   6   3 --- 23
WOU - Ramirez 6 run (Keippela kick)WWU - Yoney 15 pass from Nichols (Koenen kick)WOU - Martin 3 run (Keippela kick)WWU - Carlyle 27 run (kick failed)WOU - Satran 14 pass from Thorson (kick failed)WWU - Olson 26 pass from Nichols (Koenen kick)WOU - FG Keippela 37Attendance: 2,500

Nov. 15 at Bellingham, Wash.Western 17, Western Oregon 13Defense makes key stands late

Jake Carlyle scored on a 7-yard run with 10:55 left in the fourth quarter and the Western defense held firm on two stands inside the 10-yard line in the final five minutes as the Vikings defeated Western Oregon, 17-13, in a GNAC contest at Civic Stadium.

The triumph was the third straight for the Vikings and gave the GNAC championship outright at 3-0.

Western Oregon had taken a 13-10 lead on a 42-yard field goal by Andrew Keippela late in the third quarter. Early in the fourth period, Western safety Rob White intercepted a halfback pass by Ivan McCrae and lateraled to cornerback Bryan Jarrett, who returned the ball 20 yards to midfield.

On the following play, Western wide receiver Andy Olson threw a 31-yard completion to Carlyle. Carlyle rushed 12 yards the play after that, then scored on a sweep from 7 yards out to give the Vikings a 17-13 lead.

Western Oregon had two opportunities to go in front after that. First, a 42-yard run by Ivan McCrae and a 27-yard completion from Lucas Taroli to Brad Satran on a fake punt helped put the ball at the Western 5 with three minutes left, but on third down, Mike Hinshaw dropped a pass standing on the goal line, and on fourth down, quarterback Ryan Thorson's pass went off the outstretched hands of lunging tight end Chad Steen in the end zone.

The Wolves then got the ball back at the Western 40 with 1:29 to go, and three completions by Thorson put the ball on the Viking 6 with 29 seconds left. Thorson, who was 17-of-46 for 224 yards, threw three incomplete passes, then on fourth down threw over the middle to Satran, who had the ball squirm out as he made a sliding effort for the catch.

Western Oregon had a 367-336 edge in total offense, with McCrae rushing for 103 yards on 16 carries and Satran making eight catches for 109 yards and becoming the school's all-time leader in career receptions with 161.

Carlyle rushed for 68 yards on 18 carries for the Vikings. Running back Duncan Sherrard added 57 yards on 15 attempts and 94 yards on three receptions, including an 82-yard touchdown catch, before leaving with an ankle injury late in the first half.

Western Oregon took a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter on a 46-yard field goal by Keippela that was set up when the Vikings failed to convert on fourth-and-inches from their own 40.

The Vikings came back midway through the period with their longest scoring play of the season to take a 7-3 lead. Sherrard leaked out of the backfield, took a swing pass from quarterback Steve Nichols and sprinted down the left sideline, getting a crushing block from Nick Yoney at the Western Oregon 45 to rumble for an 82-yard touchdown.

Western Oregon regained the lead on the following series, going 59 yards in four plays, capped by a 7-yard pass from Thorson to fullback Mark Dreiling with 6:12 left in the first half that put the Wolves up, 10-7.

Western evened the score at 10-10 four minutes later on a 26-yard field goal by Koenen.

SCORING SUMMARYWestern Washington  0   10  0   7 --- 17Western Oregon      0   10  3   0 --- 13
WOU - FG Keippela 46WWU - Sherrard 82 pass from Nichols (Koenen kick)WOU - Dreiling 7 pass from Thorson (Keippela kick)WWU - FG Koenen 26WOU - FG Keippela 42WWU - Carlyle 7 run (Koenen kick)Attendance:  2,771

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 CENTRAL WASHINGTON: Running back Jake Carlyle scored on a 3-yard run with 1:06 to play, helping Western overcome an 11-point fourth quarter deficit and defeat archrival Central Washington, 28-21, before a crowd of 11,458 in the second annual Battle in Seattle at Qwest Field.

It was the opening Great Northwest Athletic Conference game for both schools.

The Wildcats took a 21-10 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Vikings, who had gone more than 22 minutes without a first down from early in the second quarter until late in the third, rallied with 18 points in the final period.

A 6-yard pass from Steve Nichols to Andy Olson with 10:31 left and a subsequent two-point run by Nichols on the conversion narrowed the margin to 21-18, then a 46-yard field goal by Michael Koenen tied the score at 21-21 with 6:01 left.

On the following series, Central reached the Western 40 with 3:06 to play, but on fourth-and-three, a pass from quarterback Brian Baugh to receiver Brian Potucek, who had 10 catches for 117 yards, went incomplete. The Vikings then moved downfield quickly, as Nichols had completions of 24 yards to slotback Chris Robinson and 29 yards to Olson to help set up Carlyle's go-ahead score.

Central reached its own 48 in the final minute, but on third-and-19 from the Wildcat 39, an interception by Western cornerback Brett Hall sealed the result.

Nichols completed 24-of-34 passes for 270 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Both touchdowns were to Olson, who has 17 for his career, the fourth-best mark in school history. The Vikings had a 406-300 advantage in total offense.

Central was led by running back Emilio Iniguez, who rushed for 150 yards and two scores on 30 carries. Baugh completed 9-of-17 passes for 111 yards after replacing starter Dan Lapinsky at halftime.

Western jumped to a 10-0 lead less than nine minutes into the game, getting a 48-yard field goal from Koenen on the opening series of the contest, then moving 70 yards on seven plays on its following possession, capped by an 18-yard pass from Nichols to Olson.

But Central responded with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns, both set up by turnovers, to take a 14-10 lead at halftime. Defensive tackle Dustin Hawkins recovered a fumble late in the first quarter, and two plays into the second period, fullback Aaron Hineline, who had his only previous career touchdown reception in last year's inaugural Battle in Seattle (a 29-20 Central victory), caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Lapinsky.

Later in the quarter, an interception by Derrick Morris gave the Wildcats the ball at the Western 20, and five plays later, Iniquez scored from a yard out.

The Wildcats extended the lead to 21-10 in the third quarter, as a 15-yard touchdown run by Iniguez capped a 10-play, 70-yard drive.

Linebacker Blake Walker had 13 tackles, including two for losses, to lead the Central defense. Linebacker Jeff Parks had 11 stops, including two sacks, for Western, and also forced a fumble and broke up a pass, to earn GNAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

SCORING SUMMARYCentral Washington     0   14    7    0 --- 21Western Washington    10    0    0   18 --- 28
WWU - FG Koenen 48WWU - Olson 18 pass from Nichols (Koenen kick)CWU - Hineline 6 pass from Lapinsky  (Sadler kick)CWU - Iniguez 1 run (Sadler kick)CWU - Iniguez 15 run (Sadler kick)WWU - Olson 7 pass from Nichols (Nichols run)WWU - FG Koenen 46WWU - Carlyle 3 run (Koenen kick)Attendance: 11,458

NEXT GAME: Western hosts NCAA II independent St. Joseph's College (Ind.) on Oct. 9 (Sat.) in a non-conference game at Bellingham's Civic Stadium. It will be the first meeting between the two schools.

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 ...:

BATTLE IN SEATTLE VICTORY

"Anytime you beat Central, it's a big win. It doesn't matter where the game is played, to win the game against your rival is always huge. This game was a classic Western-Central contest, a game that was decided late with both teams playing good hard, competitive football. But this year, like last season, we'll see them again."

Jeff Parks

"It's nice to see Jeff stepping forward and making plays. We knew all along that he's a good football player, and I know that he's been frustrated that he hasn't played more up to this point. But he's getting that opportunity now, and making the most of it."

PROGRESS OF TEAM

"I said at the beginning of the year, that this would be a team that I felt would get better each week out. And I think for the most part, we've done that. Our defense is playing much better than they did early in the season. We were able to get pressure on the quarterback Saturday, which helped, and our secondary is maturing. Offensively, we've shown at times that we can be a very effective and potent offense, yet in the middle of the game Saturday we stalled out a little bit. But I'm pleased with where we're at and the progress we're making."

WESTERN OREGON AND TRIP TO MONMOUTH

"We've had a heckuva time with Western Oregon, and certainly when we've played them at their place, the last two games there going into overtime. We know that they're struggling, but we also know that they will be very excited to finally be at home, and play Western Washington, and they'll give it everything they have."

PROBABLE TWO DEEPS
WESTERN WASHINGTON
OFFENSE
TE  82  Rick Carte (6-4, 245, ***Sr., Juneau, AK/Juneau-Douglas)    13  Nick Yoney (6-4, 245, *Jr., Arlington, WA/Arlington)LT  72  Geoff Hise (6-2, 260, **Sr., Snoqualmie, WA (Mount Si)    70  Brandon Torrey (6-3, 285, *So., Graham, WA/Bethel)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  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)
DEFENSE
E   93  Conor Ball (6-1, 245, So., Olympia, WA/Olympia/CWU)    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)    55  Cole Linich (6-2, 240, Jr., Elma, WA/Elma/Centralia CC)E   97  Nicholas Buck (6-2, 235, *So., Kent, WA/Seattle Christian/        Kentridge)    98  Tony Duncan (6-2, 230, R-Fr., Snohomish, WA/Archbishop Murphy)OLB 43  Jeff Parks (6-3, 215, *So., Graham, WA/Bethel/Boise State)    47  Tieba Bropleh (5-10, 205, R-Fr., Bremeton, WA/Bremerton)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   4  Sly Whitfield, Jr. (5-8, 160, *So., Seattle, WA/Garfield)     3  Ocie Moore (5-9, 170, R-Fr., Seattle, WA (Kent-Meridian)RC  42  Brett Hall (5-7, 175, **Jr., Kennewick, WA/Kennewick/        Columbia Basin CC)     9  Sean O'Hara (5-8, 170, T-Sr., Pleasant Hill, CA/De La Salle/        St. Mary's CA)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)
SPECIAL
K   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  30  Jason Morris (5-10, 170, R-Fr., Mill Creek, WA/Jackson/EWU)    27  Jake Carlyle (5-7, 200, **Jr., Olympia, WA/Capital)     1  Andy Olson (6-2, 210, **Jr., Chehalis, WA/W.F.West)    25  Mike Schmit (5-10, 165, R-Fr., Vancouver, WA/Columbia River)KR  23  Jon Williams (5-10, 165, R-Fr., Redmond, WA/Redmond)    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)*denotes letters won
WESTERN OREGON
OFFENSE
SB   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 Blank (6-0, 215, *So., Scio, OR)    97  Kacy Fairfax (5-11, 210, Fr., Portland, OR)TB  30  Greg Coleman (5-10, 195, R-Fr., Beaverton, OR)    23  James Watts (5-8, 180, **Jr., Wasilla, AK)
DEFENSE
LE  26  Dane Wagner (6-4, 240, **Jr., Salem, OR)    13  Matt Jirges (6-4, 235, *So., Gervais, OR)LT   7  Lucas Garcia (6-2, 245, ***Sr., Bend, OR)    63  Brandon O'Neil (6-3, 290, R-Fr., North Bend, OR)RT  95  Ron Kelly (6-3, 265, **Jr., Astoria, OR)    19  Brian Sprague (6-1, 260, *So., Portland, 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)    43  Chad Blau (6-0, 225, R-Fr., Puyallup, WA)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)    13  Matt Jirges (6-4, 235, *So., Gervais, OR)CB  20  Javon Allen (5-9, 175, ***Sr., North Pole, AK)     6  Greg Lewis (5-11, 185, **Jr., Salem, OR)CB   2  Jay Darden (5-10, 180, *So., Portland, 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)
SPECIAL
K   14  Bruce Voges (6-2, 200, R-Fr., Grants Pass, OR)    25  Kyle Nilson (5-9, 165, Fr.-RS, Shoreline, WA)P   87  Cory Dickson (6-4, 230, Fr., Corvallis, OR)    38  Jeff Kent (5-11, 195, T-So., Bandon, OR)LS  96  Matt Olafason (6-6, 255, ***Sr., Junction City, OR)     9  Luke Carter (6-3, 200, T-Jr., Hermiston, 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)    18  Colby Eslinger (6-1, 205, R-Fr., Brookings, OR)PR  10  Tyler Knudsen (5-9, 170, T-So., Portland, OR)    33  Nick Smith (6-0, 175, R-Fr., Warrenton, OR)