Oct. 15, 2005

Final Stats

MONMOUTH, Ore. - Running back Duncan Sherrard (Sr., Seattle/Roosevelt) rushed for 158 yards on 25 carries and wide receiver Matt Wilson (So., Auburn) caught a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes as Western Washington University defeated Western Oregon University, 38-16, in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference football game Saturday at McArthur Field.

The Vikings improved to 3-4 overall and 2-1 in the GNAC with the triumph, just their second in the last five meetings at Monmouth.

Western Oregon fell to 2-5 and 0-3 in conference play despite the efforts of the GNAC's leading rusher, Eliot Vinzant, who had his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game with 144 yards on 21 carries, including a 43-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter.

Western Washington jumped to a 12-0 lead on its first two possessions. The Vikings took the opening kickoff and went 75 yards in six plays, capped by a 19-yard pass from quarterback James Monrean (Jr., Bellingham/Sehome) to Wilson on a fourth-and-six play.

The following series, the Vikings went 99 yards in five plays, starting with a 39-yard pass to Andy Olson (Sr., Chehalis/W.F. West), and capped by Wilson, who had two touchdowns in his entire career before Saturday, getting a key block from Brandon Torrey (Jr., Graham/Bethel) and going 45 yards for a score on a screen pass one play after the drive had been kept alive by a Western Oregon personal foul.

"I'm proud of our players," said Western Washington coach Rob Smith. "Our guys bowed their neck a little bit and got it done. It was a good all-around win for a bunch of guys who deserved it, a much needed win for everyone."

After Vinzant's touchdown run, Western Washington scored again, with Jake Carlyle (Sr., Olympia/Capital) scoring from a yard out on a fourth-and-goal play. The Vikings, who missed extra points on their first two touchdowns, went for two, but Monrean's pass was intercepted by Jamil Wynn, who took it 100 yards for a defensive 2-point conversion, making the score 18-9. It was the first defensive two-pointer allowed by the Vikings since Portland State scored one in the 2000 season opener.

The Vikings put the game away with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns. Carlyle scored on a 3-yard run, then wide receiver Casey Dell (So., Moxee/East Valley) reached the end zone on a 15-yard pass from Monrean. Monrean completed 17-of-27 passes for 271 yards and four touchdowns, passing for more than 250 yards for the sixth time in seven games as Western Washington, which did not commit a turnover for the first time since the opening game of the 2003 season, had a 467-405 edge in total offense.

Western Oregon scored midway through the fourth quarter, as backup quarterback Ryan Thorson threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kevin Boss, capping an 11-play, 92-yard drive; but Western Washington scored the final points of the game, Monrean connecting with tight end Nick Yoney (Sr., Arlington) for a 14-yard score with just 1:25 to play.

Sherrard, who has led the Vikings in rushing each of the last three years but had not seen extensive action since suffering a knee injury in the opening week of this season, ran for 101 yards on 15 carries in the first half alone, helping Western Washington have a 287-156 edge in total offense at halftime.

"I'm really happy for Duncan Sherrard," said Smith. "His season has been interrupted by injury, and it is great to have him back."

Linebacker Brandon Elliott (So., Auburn/Fife), who came in for injured Adam Klingenberg (Sr. Walla Walla), had a team-high 11 tackles for the Vikings, including one of the team's three quarterback sacks.

Western Washington is at Humboldt State University on Sat., Oct. 22 (6 p.m.) for a GNAC contest.

SCORING SUMMARYWestern Washington  12    6    13    7   ---  38Western Oregon       7    2     0    7   ---  16
WWU - Wilson 19 pass from Monrean (kick failed)WWU - Wilson 45 pass from Monrean (kick blocked)WOU - Vanzant 43 run (Voges kick)WWU - Carlyle 1 runWOU - 2pt. PAT return - Wynn 100 interception returnWWU - Carlyle 3 run (kick blocked)WWU - Dell 15 pass from Monrean (Younggren kick)WOU - Boss 16 pass from R. Thorson (Voges kick)WWU - Yoney 14 pass from Monrean (Younggren kick)Attendance: 2,300