The Pioneer football team fell 40-14 (box score) Saturday to
the visiting Pacific Lutheran Lutes. Harrison Keller had both
touchdown catches for the Pioneers. Ryan Kostecka had his third
100+ yard receiving game.
The Lutes had the ball just six seconds before they scored their
first touchdown of the game. Michael Byrne connected with Greg Ford
on the Lutes first play from scrimmage for a 43-yard touchdown
pass, giving the Lutes the early 7-0 lead. After a three-and-out by
the Pioneers, the Lutes scored on another long pass from Michael
Byrne to Greg Ford, this one a 57-yard touchdown completion. The
Pioneers' Chris Kelly (freshman, Atwater, Calif. ) blocked the
point-after attempt to make it a 13-0 Lute lead.
The beginning of the second quarter was highlighted by the
defensive play of the Pioneers' Shawn Kelly (sophomore, Clackamas,
Ore.). He recoved a Lute fumble on the first play of the second
half. After the Pioneers were forced to punt after their next
possession, Kelly got the ball back for L&C on an interception
at the PLU 37, retuning it to the PLU 26, putting the
Pioneers in good scoring position. After a seven-yard
tackle-for-a-loss by the Lutes Giustin Jenkins and a sack of QB AJ
Brown, the Pioneers had to punt again. After they fumbled the long
snap, the Lutes recovered at the L&C 43, setting up the third
long-pass play for a touchdown from Michael Byrne to Greg Ford to
put the Lutes up 20-0. With 1:33 left in the first half, Byrne and
Ford connected for their fourth TD of the game, a 33-yard pass fo a
27-0 halftime lead.
The Lutes had the ball to start the second half, and went back
to the formula that had worked all game, a 60-yard bomb from
Michael Byrne to Greg Ford to put the Lutes up 33-0 ten seconds
into the second half. Danny Lockard (junior, Creswell, Ore.)
blocked the extra point for the Pioneers.
The rest of the third quarter belonged to the Pioneers. With
10:15 left in the third, the Pioneers got the ball just shy of
midfield. Harrison Keller (sophomore, San Luis Obispo, Calif.) had
a 9 and an 11 yard rush to help put the Pioneers in the red zone.
He caught a four-yard pass from AJ Brown (senior, Vancouver, Wash.)
to make it 33-7.
With two minutes left in the quarter, AJ Brown connected with
Ryan Kostecka (sophomore, Napa, Calif.) on a 76-yard completion
with Kostecka nearly making it to the endzone before an ankle
tackle took him out on the six yard line. On the next play, Brown
through another TD pass to Harrison Keller to make it a 33-14
contest.
The Lutes final score of the game came with nine minutes left in
the fourth quarter on a two-yard run by Bryce Davis.
For the Lutes, quarterback Michael Byrne was 13-20 for 325 yards
and five touchdowns. He had two interceptions. Greg Ford had seven
catches for a 272 yards, including five touchdown grabs, setting
Pacific Lutheran single-game records for both TD catches and total
receiving yards.
For the Pioneers, Ryan Kostecka had five receptions for 125
yards, his third 100+ yard receiving game of the season. AJ Brown
was 11-26 for 201 yards with two touchdown passes and one
interception.
Defensively, Shawn Kelly led the Pioneers with nine tackles. He
also had an interception and a fumble recovery. Angus Blair
(sophomore, St. Helens, Ore.) had eight tackles, including two for
a loss. For the Lutes, Jordan Davison led them with seven tackles.
Giustin Jenkins had four tackles-for-a-loss.
It's the first victory of the season for the Lutes, who improve
to 2-1 (1-0 NWC). The Pioneers fall to 1-3 (0-1 NWC).
The Pioneers will in Salem next weekend, taking on the
Willamette Bearcats. The game will be carried live on
sportjuice.com.
LISTEN to
Saturday's pre-recorded halftime inteview with Wide Receiver James
Connelly.
Photo below: The Pioneers being led out onto the field by
Buddy the Newfoundland dog.
