2008 Woodie Awards
Football wins in season finale
Pirates crush Loggers, miss D-III NCAA tournament bid
Garett Myers, Staff WriterA week after claiming their second consecutive Northwest Conference championship, the Whitworth Pirates pounded the University of Puget Sound 34-13 Saturday, Nov. 10. The win gave Whitworth their 12th straight win over the Loggers.
However, Whitworth found out on Sunday, Nov. 11 they will not be participating in any more games this year.
Even though the Pirates claimed the NWC crown and finished the season with an 8-2 record, the NCAA selection committee did not grant the team a playoff bid.
Against UPS, junior quarterback Kory Kemp led the attack for Whitworth, throwing for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore running back Adam Anderson ran for 92 yards and two touchdowns and also caught two passes for 29 yards and a touchdown. Senior running back Chris Ahsing ran for 93 yards and a score and senior wide receiver Steve Silva caught eight passes for 77 yards.
"The offense played great, Kory played well and the line did a great job of making holes," Anderson said.
Head Coach John Tully was also pleased with the offense.
"Offensively we executed really well," Tully said. "The line opened up holes, Anderson and Ashing ran hard, the receivers got open and Kemp played well."
Defensively, sophomore defensive back Cameron Stroyan and senior defensive back Ryan Marshall both had interceptions. Senior linebacker Marc Grow led the Pirates with six tackles.
"The coaches put us in great positions," Marshall said. "[Puget Sound] had a tricky offense and runs the ball really well. We worked on tackling a lot this week and it paid off."
Whitworth stormed out the gate, scoring 13 points in the first half on two touchdowns. Kemp connected with junior tight end Joey VanHoomissen for the first score after a six-minute drive, and Anderson broke free from 44 yards out to put the Pirates up by two scores.
The Pirates scored on their third consecutive possession at the start of the second quarter, as Ahsing rumbled in from two yards out to make it 20-0 after the extra point.
Later in the quarter, Kemp threw his second touchdown pass of the afternoon, this time to Anderson from 29 yards out, and the Pirates went up 27-0 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Bucs started the half with more of the same. Anderson ran in another touchdown, from five yards out this time, to put the Pirates up 34-0.
The score was set up by an Ahsing 59-yard run.
In the fourth quarter, Whitworth seemed to take their foot a little bit off the accelerator with a 34-point lead.
The Logger offense managed to score twice in the quarter, once on a 16-yard touchdown run by junior running back Silas Paul and another on a touchdown scamper from 15 yards out by senior running back Mike Griffith.
"It was a great atmosphere," Anderson said. "They had a big crowd for senior day but we have a lot of fans from the area so it was nice to have them there as well."
The game was a good ending for Whitworth's senior class.
"We've all played significant time since our freshman year and have grown up together," Marshall said. "We're all great friends, we hang out with each other outside of practice and we care a lot about each other."
Tully said the team has been part of an important part of Whitworth football history.
"This group has created their own legacy," John Tully said. "They brought us two straight NWC championships, and they are one of the most successful senior classes ever. It has been a special group; they have played with effort every game."
Their win against Puget Sound was the last for the group of 17 players with senior eligibility.
Contact Garett Myers at garett.myers@whitworthian.com.
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