The Pioneer football team lost 77-17 (box score) to the Willamette Bearcats Saturday afternoon at Fred Wilson Field. James Connelly had a 79-yard touchdown reception for the Pioneers.

The Bearcats opened the game with a 70-yard return of the opening kick by Jo Green, giving them the ball on the L&C 14. Two plays later, Willamette led 7-0 on a two-yard rush by Sklyar Swinford. The Pioneers answered on their first play from scrimmage with quarterback AJ Brown (junior, Vancouver, Wash.) connecting with a wide-open James Connelly (junior, El Cajon, Calif.) for a 79-yard touchdown pass, making it a 7-7 game less than a minute into the game.

Willamette struck again on their next possession, going 63-yards on six plays with a 6-yard rush by CJ Washington to make it a 14-7 game. After an L&C punt, the Bearcats got the ball back at their own 20. On the second play of the drive, Skylar Swinford rushed 54 yards to the L&C 27, setting up a four-yard TD run by Marcus Woo to give the Bearcats a 21-7 lead.

The Pioneers took advantage of a Willamette fumble, forced by Ryan Chapman (senior, Fairbanks, Alaska), to add three points on a 40-yard field goal by Andrew Foote (sophomore, Denver, Colo.) for a 21-10 score at the close of the first half. 

Twenty-eight seconds in to the second half, Willamette made it a 28-10 game on a seven-yard touchdown run by CJ Washington. The Bearcats added two more touchdowns in the first half, a 34-yard rush by Dan King and a one-yard punch in after a 39-yard interception return by James Perez for a 42-10 halftime mark.

In the second half, Brent Turner made it a 49-10 game on a nine yard rush with 11:24 remaining in the quarter. After a blocked punt, the Bearcats got the ball back with a very short field, 34 yards, and put together a six-play drive capped by a four-yard touchdown run by Sean Donahue for a 56-10 Willamette lead.

The Pioneers added seven points of their own with 2:21 left in the third quarter. After another long pass to James Connelly, 41-yards, this time coming from quarterback Tucker Lawrence (freshman, San Martin, Calif.), the Pioneers capped the drive with a six-yard rush from Joevonte Mayes (freshman, Milwaukie, Ore.) to make it 56-17.

Willamette added their ninth touchdown of the game 36 seconds into the fourth quarter on a five-yard rush from Jose Green. Their tenth TD was a 25-yard rush from Brent Turner. With just over five minutes left in the game, the Bearcats scored their final TD, a three-yard rush by Brad Wagner.

For the Bearcats, Skylar Swinford was their leading rusher with 108 yards on four carries. The Bearcat team totaled 599 yards rushing.

For the Pioneers, James Connelly had 140 yards receiving on three catches with a touchdown.  AJ Brown was 15-22 passing with a touchdown and two interceptions for 230 yards. Michael Anchustegui (senior, King Hill, Idaho) had 110 all-purpose yards. Defensively Ryan Chapman had 14 tackles, including 3.5 tackles-for-a-loss.

With the win, the Bearcats improve to 4-5 (3-2 NWC).

The Pioneers season finale is next weekend when they head to McMinnville for a 1pm game against the Linfield Wildcats.

Click on the photo below to see an online gallery from senior day.