ARCATA, Calif. – The Central Washington University football team defeated Humboldt State 42-28 to capture the 2017 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championship, the school's first since 2012.
The Wildcats improve to 11-0 on the season and await its NCAA Playoff seeding. The NCAA will post its selection show tomorrow at 2:00 p.m., and the football team will be hosting a viewing party tomorrow, Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. at the Wellington Event Center located near Barto Hall on the campus of CWU. To watch the selection show please go to
NCAA.com.
The Wildcats jumped all over Humboldt State in the first quarter taking a 21-0 lead with 5:03 left in the frame on a pair of passing touchdowns from
Reilly Hennessey and a 22-yard touchdown run by
Austin Pernell.
Up 21-7 to start the second quarter, Pernell took a handoff 80 yards for his second score of the season, and captured the Wildcats longest play from scrimmage this season. The senior running back followed with a 4-yard touchdown late in the quarter on a scoring drive that went 80 yards on nine plays taking 4:38 off the clock.
Humboldt State scored on its first two possessions of the third quarter to cut the Wildcats 35-7 halftime lead in half.
Hennessey capped the CWU scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run late in the third to give the Wildcats a 42-21 cushion en route to the 42-28 victory.
The Central Washington defense etched its name into the record books, sacking Humboldt State 11 times, setting a new school, and finished the season with 58 as a team which also set a new single-season record.
Billy Greer had three sacks on his own, giving him the team and conference lead with 11.0 on the season.
Elisha Pa'aga had two sacks, while
Kevin Haynes and
Sean Elledge finished with 1.5 each.
Offensively, tight end
Kyle Self set a new career-high with 122 receiving yards and scored a touchdown in the first quarter.
Pernell had another standout performance on the ground running for 196 yards on 29 carries and three touchdowns. Hennessey finished 13 of 17 for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
