Sept. 6, 2008

Final Stats

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Running back Ben Kuenzi scored a pair of second-half touchdowns, leading Western Oregon University to a 36-27 victory over Western Washington University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference football game Saturday at Civic Stadium.

The game was the season opener for WWU, which dropped its last five games in 2007. Quarterback Adam Perry (Sr., Longview/R.A. Long) completed 23-of-38 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns for the Vikings.

Western Oregon, which was 9-2 last season and won the Rotary Bowl, improved to 1-1, 1-0 in league play.

The Vikings took a 27-23 lead with 4:38 left in the third quarter on a 10-yard pass from Perry to tight end Zach Hekker (Jr., Bothell), a play set up by a 4th-and-1 completion for 24 yards to Logan Cullen (Sr., Anacortes).

But an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for excessive celebration forced WWU to kick off from its own 15, and following the kickoff, WOU took the ball at the Viking 40. Five plays later, Kuenzi scored on a 6-yard run, giving the Wolves a 30-27 lead.

The Vikings had a chance to take the lead early in the fourth quarter. A Perry scramble on third-and-goal from the eight put the ball inside the one, but on fourth down, running back Randall Eldridge (Jr., Lynnwood) was stopped inches short of the goal line by WOU linebacker J.T. Gilmore.

The Wolves then went on an 11-play, 99-yard drive that chewed up six minutes of the clock. Kuenzi capped the march with a 16-yard touchdown run, putting WOU up 36-27 with just 3:49 to go and essentially putting the game out of reach.

Western Oregon had a 462-386 edge in total offense, rushing for 252 yards on 38 attempts. D.J. Jackson had 132 yards on 13 carries, and Kuenzi added 81 yards on 13 attempts. Quarterback Josh Riddell, a transfer from Mississippi State, completed 15-of-24 passes for 210 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Eldridge rushed for 80 yards on 24 carries for WWU, and also had six receptions for 68 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter. Travis McKee (Sr., Bothell) had five receptions for 96 yards, and Cullen had four grabs for 68 yards, including an 18-yard grab for the first Viking score.

WOU opened the scoring just four minutes into a game, as a bad snap on a WWU punt attempt gave the Wolves the ball on the Viking 16, setting up a 33-yard field goal by Juan Rodriguez.

That was just the start of a wild first half that saw the teams exchange the lead five times. The Vikings eventually grabbed a 20-17 halftime advantage as Kevin Sampson (R-Fr., Seattle/Rainier Beach) blocked a punt and returned it 13 yards for a touchdown with 2:40 left in the second quarter. The extra point failed because of a bad snap.

WOU regained the lead midway through the third quarter, as a 45-yard run by Jackson set up a 2-yard pass from Riddell to wide receiver Demario Ballard.

Linebacker Caleb Jessup (Jr., Kenmore/Inglemoor) had a game-high 11 tackles for the Vikings, and safety Zach Schrader (So., Issaquah/Skyline) had eight stops and an interception.

The Vikings visit Humboldt State and former WWU head coach Rob Smith on Saturday, Sept. 13 (6 p.m.).

SCORING SUMMARYWestern Oregon      10    7    13    6  ---  36Western Washington   7   13     7    0  ---  27
WOU - FG Rodriguez 33WWU - Cullen 18 pass from Perry (Lider kick)WOU - Malcolm 58 pass from Riddell (Rodriguez kick)WWU - Eldridge 18 pass from Perry (Lider kick)WOU - Ore 18 run (Rodriguez kick)WWU - Sampson 13 blocked punt return (run failed)WOU - Ballard 2 pass from Riddell (kick failed)WWU - Hekker 10 pass from Perry (Lider kick)WOU - Kuenzi 7 run (Rodriguez kick)WOU - Kuenzi 16 run (run failed)
Attendance: 1,938