Puget Sound (2-2) @ No. 23 Linfield (1-2)

You can hear the game live in the mid-Willamette Valley on KLYC 1260 AM.

Photo courtesy: Linfield Athletics

McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Linfield and Puget Sound meet for the 34th time on Saturday in McMinnville. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.

Both schools are members of the Northwest Conference and affiliated with NCAA Division III.

Last season, Linfield was 6-3 but missed the playoffs for the first time since 2002. The Wildcats were runners-up in the NWC.

Puget Sound was 7-3 in 2006, finishing in fourth place in the NWC with a 3-3 record.

The Records:

Linfield is 1-2 overall and 0-1 in the NWC. UPS is off to a 2-2 start (0-1 in the NWC).

The Loggers opened with wins over La Verne (21-7) and Claremont (22-12), but sputtered in losses to Whittier (28-26) and Pacific Lutheran (37-8).

The Polls:

Linfield is ranked No. 23 in the most recent D3football.com poll, down 11 spots from last week…Puget Sound is unranked.

The Series:

Linfield leads 20-12-1. The Wildcats have won the last 17 games. The two teams first faced each other in 1924 with the Loggers winning 55-6.

Largest Linfield margin of victory a 62-0 rout in 2003. Loggers’ biggest win came in 1928 when UPS blanked the ‘Cats 50-0.

The 1996 game reached overtime before Linfield prevailed 20-14. Closest game of the series came in 1998 when Linfield escaped with a 1-point victory at McMinnville.

On the Air:

The game will be broadcast live on radio station KLYC 1260 AM with Darrell Aune and Dave Hansen calling the action.

Tickets:

A limited number of single-game reserved seats remain in the covered grandstand.

Reserved tickets are $12 and may be purchased in advance at the athletic department offices or by calling 503-883-2421.

General admission (bleacher) seating is available only on the day of the game at the ticket booth, located on Lever Street next to the stadium

Adult general admission is $8, seniors (65 and over) and secondary students with school ID are $5, middle school students (6 to 11 years) are $3. Students without school ID are $8.

Quoting Coach Joe Smith:

What happened against Willamette?

“Losing to Willamette was a tough loss for us. It was the first time since I’ve been involved with the Linfield football program that we have lost to a team with less talent. To Willamette’s credit, they played great. But we let a chance to put the game away early get away from us. We had some mental mistakes that cost us. Overall, our defense played pretty well, but there were some times when we let their quarterback make some big plays against us. I am more concerned with the mistakes we made on offense. Willamette did a nice job of stopping the run and forcing us to pass. We had some communication and assignment problems. As a coaching staff, we’re evaluating everthing. Any time you don’t perform to your expectations, you have to look at all the things you are doing in practice. We are going to focus on the little things and have greater intensity and preparation.”

How does Puget Sound look?

“In a lot of ways, Puget Sound is similar offensively to Willamette. They have a ‘running’ quarterback and a ‘passing’ quarterback. Kavin Williams is a very fine runner. Defensively, they are always a solid, physical team and I expect they will continue to be that way. They pride themselves on tackling well. They’re definitely an improved program from 3-4 years ago.”

WILLAMETTE GAME NOTES:

After surrendering a 19-point first-half lead and a being outscored 10-3 in the fourth quarter, Saturday’s setback to the Bearcats is sure to be remembered as one of Linfield’s more disappointing losses in recent seasons.

The Wildcats seemed comfortably in control through the game’s first 16 minutes.

Quarterback Trevor Scharer tossed three touchdown passes, including an 80-yard bomb to Travis Masters that put the Wildcats in front 19-0 to start the second quarter.

But Linfield missed an extra point and couldn’t convert a two-point conversion on a subsequent touchdown, foreshadowing a series bad events to come.

Willamette scored the next 20 points to take its first lead 1:24 before intermission. Linfield kicker Scott Birkhofer then gave Linfield a 22-20 advantage with a 38-yard field goal as time ran out.

The second half was a series of trials and tribulations for the Wildcats, who turned the ball over three times after playing turnover-free in the first half.

Scharer drove the Wildcats down the field in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter and Linfield looked to have the game sewn up after Birkhofer’s 31-yard field goal with 2:32 put the visitors in front, 32-30.

Willamette refused to quit, mounting its own game-winning drive that culminated with Matt Bicocca’s 42-yard field goal with four seconds to play.

Though Linfield outgained Willamette in total yards, 406-391, the Wildcats were held to 56 net yards rushing and were also penalized eight times for 80 yards.

They also went 0 for 3 on fourth-down plays, snuffing key drives and costly junctures.

Among the receivers, Josh Vierra caught eight passes for 83 yards and Masters finished with 128 receiving yards.

Defensively, the Wildcats got steady play from linebacker Alex Tkachuk, who racked up a career-best 15 tackles.

Monsterback Keone Tawata had 12 tackles, including two for loss, forced a fumble and returned an interception 38 yards.

Rover Andrew Bean chalked up eight tackles and recovered one fumble.

Punter Stan Fisher added to his impressive statistics, averaging 47 yards on two punts.

PUGET SOUND GAME NOTES:

Coming off a difficult 37-8 loss to crosstown rival Pacific Lutheran, the Loggers travel to Maxwell Field looking to get back on the winning track.

Under sixth-year coach Phil Willenbrock, UPS is hopeful of taking another step toward its first back-to-back winning seasons since the 1986-87 seasons.

Turnovers were the difference against PLU.

During a five-possession span of the first half, UPS fumbled the ball away four times, giving the Lutes a 17-point second-quarter lead.

Even though the Loggers had more first downs (17-11) and held a five-minute advantage in time of possession, their multiple turnovers proved too much to overcome.

The Loggers feature a balanced mix of newcomers and experienced veterans, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

Puget Sound is experienced in the trenches, where all five starters on the offensive line saw significant action during 2006.

Center Steve Palmer (6-3, 289, Sr., Bothell, Wash.) anchors the unit. The quarterback position has been somewhat unsettled, with incumbent starter Kavin Williams (6-0, 208, Jr., Ocean Shores, Wash.) sitting out two games with an injury.

Always a threat to run, Williams ranks third on the team in rushing. Williams is expected to start, though second-year pivot Spencer Crace (5-10, 185, So., Wilsonville, Ore.) could also play.

In Williams’ absence, Crace completed 59 percent of his passes for 691 yards and two touchdowns.

Tailback Silas Paul (6-0, 203, Jr., Portland, Ore.) is considered one of the top rushers in the NWC and fills a huge void left by graduated all-star Rory Lee.

The Loggers’ leading receiver is Eddie Behringer (6-0, 178, Sr., Seattle, Wash.), who has 15 catches for 169 yards. UPS boasts one of the conference’s better defensive units, ranking second in total defense (292.8) and third in scoring defense (21.0).

Safety David Mensonides is the team’s leading tackler with 28 stops. Linebacker Jake Parks (6-2, 233, Sr., Saint Helens, Colo.) is the leading tackler for loss.

Preseason All-America return specialist Isaac Blum (5-8, 172, Jr., Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) gives the Loggers an added dimension.

Blum is averaging 21.4 yards on kickoff returns and 6.7 yards on punt returns.

Veteran punter Brian Ames (6-0, 180, Jr., Portland, Ore.) averages 38.9 yards per punt.

Last Meeting Wildcats 42, Loggers 17 (October 7, 2006 at Tacoma, Wash.):

Special teams provided the spark Linfield needed to stave off an inspired Loggers team that outgained the Wildcats by more than 100 yards during the first half.

Though Linfield never trailed, UPS moved the ball effectively through the first two quarters.

Clinging to a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter, Wildcats running back Drew Ragan scooped up a short kickoff and bolted 78 yards for a touchdown.

The Loggers narrowed the margin to 14-10 two minutes later, but Travis Masters raced 97 yards with the ensuing kickoff, his second such scoring dash this season.

In all, the Wildcats totaled 228 kickoff return yards, including 150 by Masters, to establish a new single-game team record.

Linfield held a 21-17 advantage at the intermission, then outscored the hosts 21-0 in the second half to win going away...quarterback Trevor Scharer was smooth in his second start, throwing for 270 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Josh Vierra.

Tyler Kaluza had five receptions, including a 15-yard touchdown, and finished with 117 receiving yards.

Running back Jon Montalvo rushed for 67 yards on 14 carries.

The Linfield running game averaged a season-best 4.6 yards per carry, totaling 111 yards.

Scharer rushed for 27 net yards, including a 37-yard scamper.

Defensively, monsterback Brian Mehl helped hold UPS to 17 points, recording 10 tackles, including seven unassisted.

Cornerback Andrew Woods and linebacker Phil Rombach each added five tackles.

Andrew Bean, Nik Soo and Mike Ketler all collected quarterback sacks.

The Wildcats won their 25th straight Northwest Conference game.

Source: Linfield Athletics

Adding comments to these stories has been disabled. View the current sports stories Salem-News Sports