Game notes

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Oct. 30) — Seven Central Washington University seniors, who will play their final collegiate games at Tomlinson Stadium on Saturday, will be recognized before the contest against Lincoln University of Missouri. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
 
CWU's graduating group includes linebackers Cole Graves and J.B. Torsy, center Marshall Green, guard Calvin Hoohuli Jr., wide receiver Greg Logan, running back Ishmael Stinson, and quarterback Colin Walsh. CWU first-year head coach Ian Shoemaker said it's been gratifying to work with them.
 
"They way they jumped in and took to some of the changes that we made when I came in," Shoemaker said it what he will remembers about his first senior class. "They've been great."
 
Shoemaker says he expects all of his underclassmen to rally around the seniors on Saturday.
 
"They need to be able to look those guys [seniors] in the eyes at the end of that game and say, 'I gave you everything I had out there,'" he added. "Those young guys need to understand that they will be looking at someone else to play great during their final home games."
 
The Wildcats (4-4, 3-2 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) are coming off a 38-20 loss at Humboldt State last Saturday.
 
"Our defense played well, at times," Shoemaker said. "But we continually went with short drives—three and out—and had some turnovers. We've got to do a better job of controlling possession of the ball."
 
In all, CWU turned the ball over four times on two fumbles and two interceptions.   
 
"Four turnovers to their one is not us playing to our potential," Shoemaker added. "The early turnovers were [poor] decisions and ball-security issues that we have to continue to improve on for the next three weeks."
 
That begins Saturday, when the Wildcats host Lincoln. The Blue Tigers (2-6, 1-5 Great Lakes Valley Conference) also lost last weekend 52-14 at nationally ranked Indianapolis, the two-time defending GLVC champion.
 
"They have a lot of Division I kickback kids and junior college transfers," Shoemaker said. "They're one of the bigger teams we'll play, probably bigger than [the University of] Montana, as far as the size of their players on the defensive side."  
 
Lincoln's offense is led by the GLVC's top running back, Morris Henderson. He has carried the ball 147 times for a conference-best 947 yards, which is 19th in NCAA Division II.  Henderson is averaging 118.4 yards rushing per game. He has also caught 26 passes out of the backfield for another 251 yards. Along with 242 yards he's racked up on kick returns, he's 11th in the nation, averaging 180.0 all-purpose yards per game. Henderson's 14 rushing touchdowns are tied for No. 7 in the nation in that category.
 
"He'll have as much acceleration as anybody we've seen." Shoemaker points out
 
Henderson will run, literally, into a CWU defensive led by end Tovar Sanchez, who is No. 3 in the nation this week in tackles for loss, with 18, and tied for seventh nationally in sacks, with 9.5.
 
Blue Tigers' quarterback Owen Jordan has completed 111 of 199 passes for 1,273 yards with eight touchdowns, with six interceptions. His two favorite targets are wide receivers Khiry Draine and Bryson Winfrey. They've combined for 69 catches covering 813 yards. 
 
Lincoln will face the GNAC's top intercepting team. CWU's 15 picks is the nation's fifth-best total, with three of those interceptions returned for touchdowns.
 
Offensively, Logan, one of the graduating seniors, leads the Wildcats. Heading into Saturday's game, his 52 receptions is tops in the GNAC as is his average of 6.5 catches per game. Logan's 693 receiving yards is third overall in the conference.
 
With the exception of that game, in Indiana, and Saturday's Ellensburg contest, Lincoln will play its entire 2014 schedule within the borders of the state of Missouri.
 
Next week, the Wildcats will play the first of two road games to conclude the regular season when Central travels to St. George, Utah, to face Dixie State University. It will be the second meeting of the season. The Wildcats defeated the Red Storm 48-14 at Tomlinson Stadium during CWU's home opener on September 13. Kickoff at Hansen Stadium is scheduled for 5 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time).