Box Score

ELLENSBURG (Oct. 3) -- Fifth-ranked Central Washington scored 34 unanswered points and held its opponent to negative rushing yards for the second straight week as the Wildcats cruised to a 37-6 victory over visiting Dixie State in Great Northwest Athletic Conference football action in front of an overflow crowd of 4,519 at Tomlinson Stadium.

The victory was the 12th straight regular-season win for CWU (6-0, 1-0 GNAC) and was its 26th consecutive victory over a Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent. Dixie State fell to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in GNAC play.

Central's offense started slow on Saturday, with two of its first three possessions ending in punts and the other, which began at the Red Storm 34-yard line, resulting in just a 35-yard field goal by senior Garrett Rolsma (University Place/Curtis HS). The Wildcats fell behind 6-3 right after Rolsma's field goal, however, after they tried to catch Dixie State off guard with an unsuccessful on-side kick to give the visitors possession at the Central 49. On the second play following the kickoff, Judd Thompson connected with tight end Alex Nelson on a 49-yard touchdown that put the Red Storm in front. The extra-point attempt by Mike Langston was blocked by senior Buddy Wood (Chattaroy/Riverside HS) to preserve the three-point margin.

The Wildcats tied the score on the final play of the first quarter as Rolsma, who scored 13 of Central's 37 points in the game, kicked a season-long 41-yard field goal. An interception by senior Prince Hall (Moreno Valley, Calif.) on Dixie State's second play from scrimmage in the second quarter gave the Wildcats the football back, and senior Cole Morgan (Seattle/Ballard HS), who relieved redshirt freshman Ryan Robertson (Sammamish/Eastlake HS) at quarterback late in the first quarter, engineered a 10-play, 36-yard drive that was capped off by Rolsma's third three-pointer of the contest, this time from 21 yards out, for a 9-6 lead.

The Wildcat defense forced Dixie State into a three-and-out, and the offense then capitalized with the first of three consecutive touchdowns in as many offensive possessions. Morgan had three pass completions to senior Johnny Spevak (Edgewood/Puyallup HS), including a five-yard scoring strike that was Spevak's 50th career receiving touchdown. Then, after getting the ball at his own 25 with 1:27 remaining in the first half, Morgan marched the Central offense down the field by completing four of five pass attempts, including a 50-yard toss to senior Sam Togar (Tacoma/Lakes HS). Morgan and Togar then hooked up on a seven-yard touchdown with 28 seconds left to push the Wildcats' halftime advantage to 23-6.

After Robertson returned under center to start the second half, the Central offense continued to click. Robertson led Central on a 10-play, 57-yard scoring series that was capped by yet another touchdown pass to Spevak. On the drive, Spevak broke the school's career receiving record, passing former Wildcat great Brian Potucek (2001-05; 3,889 yards). He now has 3,907 yards in his four-year career.

The Wildcats' final score of the afternoon was scored by their special teams, as redshirt freshman Tyler Cardin (Milton/Fife HS) blocked Langston's punt and senior Jamal Weems (Seattle/Cleveland HS) recovered at the Red Storm 15 and returned to the end zone to give Central a 37-6 lead with 9:06 remaining in the third quarter.

The defense took care of the rest for Central, holding Dixie State off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game. With the lead well in hand, the Wildcats held the Red Storm to 121 yards of total offense in the second half, but only four rushing attempts (for minus-10 yards), of which two were sacks.

CWU held Dixie State to minus-29 rushing yards, marking the second straight week that the Wildcat defense held its opponent to negative rush yards. Tracking box scores dating back to 1964, it marks the first time in school history that Central Washington has held opponents to negative rushing yards in consecutive weeks. The Wildcats held Division I-Football Championship Subdivision foe Idaho State to minus-33 yards on the ground in their 33-22 win at Pocatello last Saturday.

The Wildcats finished the day with a better than two-to-one advantage in total offense, racking up a season-high 385 yards to Dixie State's 174. Central had a 2-0 edge in takeaways and, between its three quarterbacks, outgained the Red Storm by a 251-203 count through the air. Morgan was 13 of 19 for a career-high 161 yards and two scores, while Robertson was 10 of 21 for 80 yards. Nine different players had at least one catch for the Wildcats, including eight grabs for Spevak and the first Wildcat career receptions for Cardin and Codey Berry (Puyallup/Cascade Christian HS).

The defense was bolstered by junior linebacker Adam Bighill (Montesano), who led the Wildcats in tackles for the second time in as many appearances this season. He had 11 tackles, including 2 1/2 for losses, while also intercepting a pass. No other Central player had more than five tackles in the game for Central, which finished with 10 tackles for losses including four quarterback sacks. Junior Braxton Brennan (Lake Elsinore, Calif./Elsinore HS) had a pair of fourth-quarter sacks and finished with three tackles.

In addition to the Wildcats' efforts on offense and defense, Central racked up 136 return yards including 96 punt return yards. Senior Jerome Williams (Seattle/Ballard HS) netted a career-best 68 punt return yards on four returns, while junior Chris Smith (San Diego, Calif./Helix HS) had 33 kick return yards in his only return attempt of the game. Rolsma finished with a 45.5-yard average on four punts, including a career-long 64-yard punt, in addition to making three of four field goals and his four extra-point conversions.

Dixie State was led by the combination of Thompson to Nelson, as Thompson threw for 198 yards on 24 of 43 passing, while Nelson had 97 receiving yards on eight catches. No Red Storm player finished the game with positive rushing yards.

Central Washington will play its next two games, and four of its final five in the regular season, away from Tomlinson Stadium. The Wildcats visit Humboldt State next Saturday (Oct. 10) before "hosting" Western Oregon at Battle in Seattle VII at Qwest Field in Seattle on Oct. 17. Central's final home game of the regular season is slated for Oct. 24 against Humboldt State.

QUICK NOTES: Spevak now single-handedly owns, or is tied for, every major pass receiving record in school history. In addition to setting a new yardage record and extending his own receiving touchdown mark, Spevak also tied Potucek's career receptions of 283 in Saturday's win ... Like Spevak, Potucek also wore number 84 during his CWU career. In the nine seasons played between the two (Potucek had a medical hardship season in 2003), the duo has combined for 566 receptions, 7,794 yards and 84 touchdowns ... Spevak is now one total touchdown and four points shy of Dan Murphy's career record for total touchdowns and points. Murphy, a former Wildcat running back, had 52 total touchdowns and 312 points between 1996-99 ... Three Wildcats -- offensive linemen Justin Eden (Lacey/Timberline HS) and Luke Conklin (Walla Walla) and defensive tackle Mike Reno (Ellensburg/Kittitas HS) -- all made their first Wildcat starts against Dixie State ... Two Wildcats made their collegiate debuts on Saturday, including redshirt freshman quarterback David Weisner (Walla Walla), who completed both of his fourth-quarter pass attempts.