DILLON, Mont.—Lewis & Clark College football raced out to a 10-0 start but couldn't keep up with host Montana Western on Saturday in the Pioneers non-conference finale. 
 
THE BASICS
Montana Western 49, Lewis & Clark 13
(Lewis & Clark 1-2) 
(Montana Western 2-1) 

HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Senior quarterback Cruz Montana went over 5,000 career passing yards late in the first half to become the seventh player in program history to reach the milestone. Montana, who came in needing 169 passing yards to reach the mark, threw for 187 yards in the first half alone and finished the day with for 230 passings yard on 20-36 passing. 
 
Senior Ben Burnham led the Pioneers receivers with nine catches for 96 yards. Fellow senior Devon Guest added on four catches for 19 yards and senior Elijah McGee tacked on two catches for 20 yards. 
 
Senior running back Elijah Washington registered 12 rushes for 40 yards, including a 17-yard rushing touchdown. Washington added four catches for 59 yards to finish the day with 99 yards. Sophomore Jordan Lahusky tacked on 70 yards of his own, as he rushed the ball four times for 22 yards and added three catches for 48 yards. 
 
Daryl Scott, Daniel Pham, Joshua Arcayena, Andrew Baum and Mitchell Sarmento were all credited with a team-high three tackles. Arcayena posted a forced fumble and fumble recovery and Scott notched a pass breakup. Senior Justin Hope added two tackles and his first collegiate interception. 
 
Freshmen kicker Thien Hoang went a perfect 2-2 and hit a career-long 44-yard field goal just before halftime. Senior punter Huxley Richardson finished with five punts for 192 yards. He booted a season-long 52-yard punt and put one punt inside the 20-yard line. Richardson also added a touchback on one of his two kickoffs. 
 
Lewis & Clark got off to their best start of the season. The Pioneers received the opening kickoff and went down the field on eight plays to take a 3-0 lead. Montana and Burnham connected three times for 58 yards to account for the majority of the 63 yards gained on the drive. Hoang drilled a 29-yard field goal to give the Pioneers the lead just over three minutes into the game. 
 
After the hosts gained a pair of first downs, Hope raced down field in coverage and picked off Montana Western quarterback Michael Palandr at the 10-yard line. Hope weaved his way out to the Pioneers 29-yard line for a 19-yard return. 
 
Lewis & Clark needed just five plays to extend their lead to 10-0. With the Pioneers facing a first and 20 from their own 38-yard line, Montana connected with Lahusky for a 38-yard reception. Washington took it from there. The senior posted a seven-yard gain to put Lewis & Clark in the red zone and then he cut outside and tiptoed down the sideline for a 17-yard rushing touchdown. 
 
Montana Western's offense would heat up from there. The Bulldogs would score touchdowns on each of their next four possessions to take a 28-10 lead late in the half. 
 
Lewis & Clark managed to cut the deficit just before half. With the ball on their own 26 and 43 seconds left, Montana connected with Washington for a 34-yard gain to put the Pioneers in Montana Western territory. Facing a third and 10, the two seniors connected again, this time for 17 yards. With one second remaining on the clock, Hoang stepped up and connected on a career-long, 44-yard field goal to make it 28-13 at halftime. 
 
Montana Western would control the second half, as they scored 14 points in the third and added seven more in the fourth.  
 
BY THE NUMBERS

• Montana is one of at least 20 active Division III quarterbacks to have reached 5,000 career passing yards. He is the first Pioneers quarterback to post 5,000 or more passing yards since Keith Welch (2009-13). Montana is just 168 passing yards from moving into fourth-place all-time in program history.  
• Freshmen Julius Walker and Wayde Bowman became the first Pioneers tight ends to record a reception this season. Both players recorded a 12-yard reception for their first collegiate catch. 
• Saturday's contest marked the Pioneers first trip to the state of Montana since 1977 when they played Carroll College. 
• Senior Trey Morris finished 3-5 for 29 yards in relief of Montana. Junior JT Willis and McGee each went 1-1. 

WHO'S NEXT 
 
Lewis & Clark will have a week off, before opening Northwest Conference play on Saturday, September 30 at George Fox University. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.