MONMOUTH, Ore. (Sept. 8) – The No. 16 Central Washington University football team picked up an emphatic win, 50-17, over Western Oregon University (0-2, 0-1 GNAC) in their Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener.
 
The Wildcats (1-1, 1-0) scored the most points in a single-game against Western Oregon since Oct. 22, 2005, when they handily defeated Western Oregon 61-33.  It is the most points scored by the Wildcats at Western Oregon since Nov. 1, 2003, when CWU won a 55-44 shootout.
 
"To beat anybody, to score 50 points, it's a hell of a team effort," CWU Head Coach Ian Shoemaker said.  "It was a good answer.  We talked about responding after adversity and I thought we responded well.  We found a good offensive balance. It was good to see a bunch of backs get touchdowns.  We found success through the air, which opened up play-action and the ground game."
 
Reilly Hennessey finished 17-for-28, with 275 yards, and one touchdown.  He found wide receiver Ryan Ramones early and often, as Ramones tallied six catches for 134 yards.  Quinton Lewis hauled in four passes, one of which went for a touchdown, for 55 yards.
 
Cedric Cooper paced the ground game, racking up 66 yards on 16 carries.  He found the end zone once.  Michael Roots chipped in 50 yards, on 13 carries, and one touchdown.
 
Defensively, Josh Wikel led the Wildcats in tackles for the second straight week, bringing in 11 tackles and one sack.  Tevin Gray got to the quarterback twice for a loss of 16 yards.  Kai Gamble also recorded a nine-yard sack, while Sean Gordon notched one sack as well.
 
"It's good for us to put together a full game," Shoemaker added.  "A lot of that comes from the defense getting three and outs, getting the ball back to us, and being efficient offensively.  There're still some things to work on, but it's hard to be disappointed with a 50-point effort."
 
The Wildcats' defense got after Ty Currie early, sacking him for 12 yards on just the third offensive play of the game for the Wolves.  The sack brought the punt team onto the field.  The snap launched over the punter's head and was kicked out of the end zone for the game's first points, a safety, giving the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.
 
The ensuing Wildcat drive culminated in a Colin Manners' 36-yard field goal, extending the Wildcat lead to 5-0.  The Wolves responded with a field goal of their own, making the safety the difference again at 5-3.
 
Western Oregon's defense stalled the Wildcat offense on their third drive, resulting in a punt.  The Wolves took over on their own 39-yard line and drove to the Wildcats' 26-yard line before they were forced to call on the field goal unit.
 
Adrian Saldana's field goal attempt was blocked and recovered by Chaz McKenzie, who raced 65 yards to the house.  Manners tacked on the point after touchdown, putting the Wildcats ahead 12-3.
 
"That's a great effort from a captain on special teams," Shoemaker noted.  "I think that's the play that got us going the most.  It goes to show the momentum you can gain from a big play on special teams."
 
The Wildcats rolled after McKenzie's special teams touchdown.  Maxwell Nauer forced a fumble on the next WOU drive, leading to a Zach Floyd touchdown run for a 19-3 advantage.
 
Western Oregon took back over at their own 29-yard line and drove to the Wildcats 39-yard line.  On third and five, Currie found Anthony Bradley on a screen but McKenzie forced the ball loose.  Wikel scooped up the fumble and the Wildcats marched down the field for a Roots' rushing touchdown.  Manners tacked on the PAT, giving CWU a 26-3 advantage.
 
After a pair of disappointing drives, the Wolves found the end zone in the second quarter.  A 44-yard reception from Bradley cut the Wildcats' lead to 26-10.
 
Unphased by the Wolves' drive, Hennessey and company went back onto the field at their 26-yard line.  Utilizing Cooper and Ramones, the Wildcats drove down the field to the Wolves' goal line.  On third and goal, Hennessey found Lewis for a Wildcat touchdown and a 33-10 lead.
 
Looking to close the deficit, the Wolves' offense came out with an aerial assault and just 33 seconds on the clock.  After a timeout halted the clock at seven seconds, Currie dropped back and let loose a pass that was intercepted by Tyren Sams as time expired.  The pick is Sams' first of the season.
 
The Wildcats scored 17 second half points.  Hennessey found an open Ramones for 28-yards, setting up a nine-yard rush by Cooper in the third quarter. Jordan Tufaga recorded his first rushing touchdown of the season early in the fourth.
 
It is the first time since Sept. 10, 2016 that three different Wildcat running backs have punched in touchdowns on the ground.  The Sept. 10, 2016 game also came against Western Oregon.  Quincy Carter, Jordan Tufaga, and Christian Cummings were the last trio prior to Cooper, Floyd, and Tufaga today.
 
Central Washington is in Yakima, Washington next week for a matchup against Humboldt State University at Zaepfel Stadium.  Kick-off is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15.