ELLENSBURG, Wash.—Another dominating performance against Western Oregon, another Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship for the trophy case.
 
Buoyed by a 42-point second half and the play of reserve quarterback JJ Lemming, Central Washington rolled to a 53-21 Homecoming win against Western Oregon, securing the Wildcats' fourth consecutive GNAC crown, Saturday at Tomlinson Stadium.
 
Lemming came off the bench midway through the third quarter and threw for 155 yards and two touchdowns and Darius Morrison caught four passes for 102 yards and two scores as CWU piled up 476 yards of total offense.
 
The four straight championships are a GNAC record for football and is the longest active streak of conference championships in all of Division II.
 
Playing Western Oregon for the second straight week – with a bye week mixed in between for each team – the start of CWU's latest win against WOU looked awfully familiar. Much like they did two weeks ago, the Wolves (2-5, 1-2) marched the length of the field on their opening drive, taking a 7-0 lead on a 15-yard scoring pass form Ryan Worthley to Jaren Ford.
 
The Wildcats mustered just a 39-yard field from Patrick Hegarty in the first quarter and weren't much better in the second until starting quarterback Quincy Glasper found Morrison in the back of the end zone from five yards out with 38 seconds left in the half. Isaac Crichton scored on a 2-point conversion and the 'Cats took an 11-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
Momentum changed swiftly in the second half.
 
Glasper rain it from two yards out on CWU's first possession for an 18-7 lead. Tyler Flanagan added a 1-yard scoring run just over two minutes later for a 25-7 Wildcat advantage.
 
Tony Archie opened the fourth quarter for the Wildcats with a 39-yard reception on a pass thrown by wideout Tai-John Mizutani as CWU's lead swelled to 32-7.
 
Lemming, who entered the game on the drive following Glasper's touchdown run, unleased a 40-yard bomb to Morrison on CWU's ensuing drive as the advantage swelled to 39-7.
 
Western Oregon stopped the bleeding momentarily when London Smalley hauled in a 20-yard scoring pass from Worthley to get the Wolves within 39-14.
 
Lemming connected with JoJo Hillel on a 5-yard touchdown pass and Rashaad Boddie finished off the scoring – and the game – on a bruising 15-yard touchdown run with 1:07 to play.
 
Lemming finished 7 of 9 passing. He and Glasper combined to go 17 of 24 for 249 yards and three touchdown passes. Add in the scoring throw from Mizutani and the Wildcats were 18 of 25 for 288 yards and four touchdowns from the pocket.
 
Archie joined Morrison with four receptions, adding 71 yards to his season total. Hillel finished with three catches (26 yards), and Kellen Gregory, Flanagan and Crichton each had two catches.
 
Central gained 188 yards on the ground, as Boddie carried 15 times for 79 yards. Glasper gained 66 yards on 11 carries, and Flanagan finished with 47 yards on 12 attempts.
 
Tanner Volk and Michael Chisley each had an interception for the Wildcats. Christian Penny, Donte Hamilton and Zach Stecklein all had sacks.
 
Game Notes

• Western Oregon finished the game with 368 yards of offense, but the final 143 yards came on their last three drives, well after the outcome was decided
• Darius Morrison recorded the first 100-yard receiving game of his career, and the first by a Wildcat this season
• Morrison also leads the Wildcats with 7 touchdown receptions
• The Wildcats scored touchdowns on all but one of their seven second half possessions
• Central managed just 149 yards of offense in the first half, but exploded for 327 yards in the second half

 
Quoting Coach Fisk
"Things weren't going our way in the first half, and we were showing a lot of rust coming off the bye week and for multiple weeks in a row, I haven't had to say anything at halftime. Those guys are in there, we've got great leadership, great seniors, great guys doing a great job and so to watch our players take charge of it and go out and do what we did in the second half was impressive. I'm very proud. Any time you win Homecoming we're happy around here."
 
Up Next
The Wildcats host Lincoln (Calif.), 6 p.m., Saturday, oct. 30 at Tomlinson Stadium.