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Central Washington University Athletics

Chris Hauss
Alistair Hennessey
36
Western Oregon WOU 2-1 , 0-1
45
Winner Central Washington CWU 1-2 , 1-0
Western Oregon WOU
2-1 , 0-1
36
Final
45
Central Washington CWU
1-2 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
WOU Western Oregon 10 14 0 12 36
CWU Central Washington 0 17 14 14 45

Game Recap: Football |

Wildcats Come Back Against PNW Rival #10 Western Oregon for Head Coach Power's First Victory as Head Coach

ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The 16th-ranked Central Washington University Football Team (1-2, 1-0 LSC) earned its first win of the season and the first win of Head Coach Scott Power's career as the 'Cats came back to defeat Pacific Northwest rival and 10th-ranked Western Oregon (2-1, 0-1 LSC) by a 45-36 score.
 
QUOTING CWU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH SCOTT POWER:
 
"I'm just really happy for the players. There's been a lot of work that's gone into this thing from last winter when we were here in January and February, six a.m. practices, just a lot of work that goes into nights like tonight, I would credit our players and the culture that we've built. We were down 14 points two different times tonight and to just keep fighting and plugging away and find a way to win, I'm just very excited for them.
 
That was a good football team. I think that was a heck of a college football game tonight for people to watch. That's two probably top-10, top-15 teams in the country going at it. They have good players, they have some good things schematically that can make it tough on you. Regardless of who it is, you're just trying to get one win each week as you advance through the conference schedule and for us to be 1-0 in conference play is just very exciting."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
  • Western Oregon started out the game with the ball and immediately found success with a pair of short passes before going to work on the ground, and after a pass interference against the Wildcats put the Wolves deep in CWU territory the Wildcat defense stiffened up and a quarterback hurry on third down by Brady Phillips helped Chris Hauss break up a pass and the Wolves settled for a 41-yard field goal that Ashton Wolff sailed through the uprights for the early 3-0 lead with 10:20 left in the first.
  • The Western Oregon defense came out swinging, forcing the 'Cats into a three-and-out on their first possession forcing the 'Cats to punt the ball.
  • The Wildcat defense came out and after a few short gains on the ground by WOU and a nine-yard completion, a pass breakup by Hudson Hardy followed by a tackle for loss by Phillips and finally a third down quarterback hurry by Riah Tua to force an incomplete pass, saw the Wolves punt and give the ball back to the 'Cats only to see the Wolves defense force another three and out.
  • The Wolves immediately got going on their next drive, quickly earning a 12-yard gain on the ground followed by a 17 and four-yard rush, all from Terayon Sweet to set up Jermaine Land to run it in the final 29-yards for the first touchdown of the game and with Wolff's PAT made it a 10-0 WOU lead with 1:46 left in the first.
  • The Wildcat offense continued to be stifled by the Wolf defense on their next drive, going three-and-out once more to give the ball back to the Wolves offense with 12 seconds left in the first.
  • WOU saw an incomplete pass before Isaiah Strong and Brycen Indell combined for a yard tackle for loss to end the first quarter with WOU leading 10-0.
  • The Wildcat defense opened the second quarter with a bang as Joseph Jefferson II intercepted Jordan McCarty's pass for the 'Cats first interception on the season thanks to the help of Phillips who helped with the quarterback hurry as Jefferson II returned it 10-yards to the WOU 21-yard line.
  • The 'Cats made the most of the turnover as Ryder Bumgarner and Justin Brennan combined for a 14-yard gain on four plays before an incomplete pass to Isaac Torres in the endzone on third down forced the 'Cats to settle for the field goal which David Weber drilled in from 24-yards out to make it a 10-3 WOU lead with 11:58 left in the second.
  • The Wolves wouldn't take kindly to the 'Cats score as they maneuvered their way down the field thanks to some solid gains on the ground and McCarty finding a pair of big gains in the air to set up McCarty to find Tyler Konold for the 13-yard touchdown and with Wolff's PAT made it a 17-3 Western Oregon lead with 6:56 left before the half.
  • CWU made the most of the momentum on their last drive as Samaje Featherstone caught a pass from Brennan to get the 'Cats to midfield followed by Brennan connecting with Mason Juergens for a nine-yard gain before going once again to Juergens for the 45-yard touchdown and with Weber's PAT the game was once again a one-score game with WOU leading 17-10 with 5:35 left before the half.
  • Western Oregon continued their first half offensive onslaught as they barreled their way down the field getting to the Wildcats side of the field all from the ground before McCarty found Jaydan Burns for a 46-yard touchdown after which Wolff hit the PAT to make it a 24-10 WOU lead with 2:24 left in the second.
  • The 'Cats took over at their own 19-yard line. Bumgarner earned a pair of six-yard gains while Brennan connected with Juergens for a pair of short yard passes before Western Oregon called a timeout. Following the timeout an incomplete pass was saved by a pass interference call against the Wolves that put the 'Cats on the WOU side of the field. Brennan gained a quick four-yard gain before connecting with Wiley Donnerberg for nine-yards to keep the drive going with a first down. Following a CWU timeout, Brennan connected with Torres for a 32-yard touchdown and after Weber's PAT sailed through the uprights the 'Cats trailed 24-17 with 22 seconds before the half.
  • WOU took a knee to end the first half with the Wolves leading 24-17.
  • The Wildcats were unable to continue their momentum to start the third quarter as the Wolves defense forced a three-and-out, however a key quarterback hurry by Tua on third down forced an incomplete pass to force the Wolves into a three-and-out and the 'Cats took back over.
  • The 'Cats saw a pair of incomplete passes before Brennan found Torres for a 12-yard first down gain and after a four-yard gain by Bumgarner, Brennan found Ty Snider for nine-yards to get the 'Cats into Wolves territory. Brennan then found Juergens for a massive 48-yard gain to get the 'Cats at the Wolves one-yard line which Bumgarner punched in on the next play and after Weber's PAT, the 'Cats tied the game at 24 apiece with 9:25 left in the third.
  • Indell and Omar Lazcano started the Wolves next drive with a tackle for loss to force WOU back to their own 17-yard line, however Sweet grabbed six yards and with a McCarty pass to Brooks Ferguson for five yards the Wolves had a first down. McCarty and Konold mustered a first down on the ground before McCarty connected with E'lijiah McChristian for a four-yard loss that saw Kayo Wallace punch out the ball from McChristian and Jefferson II recover it to give the 'Cats the ball back at the WOU 34-yard line.
  • The 'Cats immediately were facing another third-and-out but Brennan found Juergens for a 21-yard gain and with a WOU penalty, set the 'Cats up at the Wolves six-yard line. Bumgarner earned four more yards before Brennan found Stephen Woodward for a two-yard touchdown and after Weber's successful PAT, the 'Cats took their first lead of the game at 31-24 with 3:20 left in the third.
  • The Wolves once again found their offensive stride as McCarty, Land, and Sweet found gains on the ground paired with McCarty's 11-yard connection to Erick Gonzalez-Bejar to set the Wolves up at the 'Cats 31-yard line an with a first down to end the third quarter with CWU on top 31-24.
  • McCarty started the fourth quarter for WOU with a quick eight-yard gain but Lazcano brought the Wolves back with a one-yard tackle for loss on the next play. McCarty then connected with Ferguson for a 15-yard catch but a penalty on the Wolves brought them back to the 'Cats 19-yard line. McCarty added a yard on the ground before finding Konold for an 18-yard touchdown. Wolff ended up hitting the post on the PAT attempt to keep the 'Cats lead intact, now a 31-30 game with 12:20 to go.
  • Antoine Lee immediately made an impact, grabbing 40-yards on the first play of the 'Cats next drive to put CWU at the WOU 31-yard line. Bumgarner added three yards on the ground before Brennan connected with Donnerberg for a 28-yard touchdown catch. Weber successfully kicked the PAT attempt to put the 'Cats up 38-30 with 10:43 left.
  • A penalty on the 'Cats on the second play of the next WOU drive put the Wolves near midfield and from there they pounded the ball into CWU territory before a 32-yard pass from McCarty to Cyris Taylor saw Kam Watkins-Hunter push him out of bounds at the CWU one-yard line. Phillips and Jefferson II combined to stop McCarty with no gain before Sweet punched in the one-yard touchdown. The Wolves went for two and Trishion Sullivan was all over McCarty forcing him to scramble before Hauss took him down for a big loss and saw it a 38-36 CWU lead with 4:57 left in the game.
  • Bumgarner grabbed a yard on the first play of the 'Cats drive before a Brennan connection to Featherstone for 17-yards put the 'Cats at midfield. Bumgarner added another three yards before Brennan connected with Juergens for a 44-yard gain to set the 'Cats up at the WOU 11-yard line. Justice Taylor tacked on two yards followed by Lee adding another six and Brennan adding one himself before Bumgarner punched in the two-yard touchdown. Weber added the PAT and made it a 45-36 lead with 1:27 left in the game.
  • The Wolves wasted no time as McCarty immediately found Gonzalez-Bejar for a 12-yard gain followed by a four-yard connection to Land. Hauss then took down McCarty for the 'Cats first sack on the season for a four-yard loss. Isaiah Paul then intercepted McCarty thanks to a Sullivan pass breakup to seal the deal and the 'Cats first victory of the season by a 45-36 margin.
 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 
  • Justin Brennan finished the night completing 19 of 26 passes for 314 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions while adding 13 rushing yards on five attempts.
  • Lee led the ground attack with 46 rushing yards on two attempts while Bumgarner tacked on 45 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 15 attempts.
  • Juergens continues his stellar start to the season, making eight catches for 179 yards and a touchdown while Torres added 50 yards and a touchdown on three catches, Donnerberg made two catches for 37 yards and a touchdown, and Woodwards only catch on the night came for a two-yard touchdown.
  • Indell made his presence known in his first game back after missing a game with 16 tackles and two tackles for loss.
  • Lazcano also finished in double-digits in tackles with 11 while adding a tackle and a half for a loss.
  • Phillips earned nine tackles, a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hurry while Strong tacked on eight tackles and a half tackle for loss.
  • Sullivan contributed six tackles and a pass breakup while Hauss had five tackles, a sack, and a pass breakup.
  • Jefferson II had four tackles, a fumble recovery, an interception, and a pass breakup while Wallace added three tackles, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble.
  • Hardy finished with three tackles and a pass breakup while Paul had two tackles and an interception and Tua added a tackle and two quarterback hurries.
  • Weber had four punts for 169 yards while adding a 24-yard field goal, eight kickoffs for 484 yards with six landing as touchbacks, and was a perfect six for six on PAT attempts.
  • Juergens had the only punt return of the night for 12 yards while Featherstone had six kick returns for 114 yards.
 
UP NEXT:
 
  • The Wildcats will wrap up their homestand when they welcome the Sul Ross Lobos  (1-2, 0-1 LSC) on Saturday, September 26 to Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium for a 6:00 p.m. kickoff.
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