IT'S GAME DAY! No. 12 Linfield (1-1) @ Willamette (1-3)

You can hear the Linfield-Willamette game in McMinnville and the Salem-area on KLYC 1260 AM.

Photo courtesy: Linfield Athletics

SALEM, Ore. - Longtime rivals Linfield and Willamette will meet for the 81st time Saturday at McCullough Stadium in Salem. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.

Linfield is 1-1 overall -- the Wildcats dropped their season-opening game to NCAA Division II Western Oregon (32-20), but defeated nationally ranked Hardin-Simmons (52-42) in Week 2.

Willamette is 1-3 -- the Bearcats lost their first two contests to Western Oregon (23-9) and Gustavus Adolphus (34-25), beat California Lutheran (14-7) the following week, then fell to Southern Oregon (34-27) last Saturday at home.

The Polls

Linfield is ranked No. 12 in the most recent D3football.com poll. Willamette is unranked.

The Series

Linfield owns a 44-33-3 advantage in the series, which dates back to 1902.

The first 14 games in the series were won by Willamette, but since 1949 Linfield has won or tied 45 of 62 games.

The Wildcats have been winners in 30 of the last 36 games, including the previous seven.

Linfield's biggest margin of victory was 55-0 in 1984.

Willamette's greatest win was 48-0 in 1930.

Closest game in the series was Linfield's 20-19 win in 1998.

On The Air

You can hear the Linfield-Willamette game in McMinnville and the Salem-area on KLYC 1260 AM with Darrell Aune and Dave Hansen calling the action.

Internet users can hear the game on FullAceessSports.com with Mike Allegre and Craig Spivey calling the action.

Last Meeting: Wildcats 42, Bearcats 14 (Sept. 30, 2006 at McMinnville, Ore.)

Coach Joe Smith savored his first career coaching victory, coming from behind to beat the rival Bearcats with five unanswered touchdowns.

New quarterback Trevor Scharer (Sr., Salem, Ore.), who took over as the starter following a season-ending injury to Tim Benzel, passed his first test with flying colors.

The fourth-year junior threw for three scores and ran for another, completing 21 of 29 attempts for 338 yards.

Nine different receivers caught passes in the game as Linfield rolled up a season-high 466 yards of total offense.

Jared Thomas led the receiving parade with seven catches for 104 yards and one TD, Tyler Kaluza (Sr., Issaquah, Wash.) had five receptions for 43 yards and Josh Vierra (Sr., Kahaluu, Hawaii) grabbed three balls for 122 yards.

Vierra’s exciting 94-yard TD reception from Scharer in the first quarter set a new record for longest pass play in program history.

The Wildcats netted 120 yards rushing on 36 attempts, led by 35 yards from Jon Montalvo (Jr., Maple Valley, Wash.) and 33 from Louie Penn.

Three players listed on the defensive two-deep roster scored TDs in the game, two on the offensive side of the ball.

Cornerback Bubba Lemon (Soph., Tualatin, Ore.) slipped into the game at receiver and caught a 34-yard TD strike from Scharer.

Tackle Mike Ketler lined up at fullback and vaulted over the goal line for a 1-yard score.

Monsterback Keone Tawata (Sr., Honolulu, Hawaii) returned one of the Wildcats’ three interceptions 40 yards for a touchdown.

In all, Tawata made 15 tackles, nine unassisted, and grabbed two interceptions.

Lemon added five tackles and fellow cornerback Andrew Woods (Sr., Portland, Ore.) made four stops.

Ketler and Nik Soo each recorded quarterback sacks.

The ‘Cats held Willamette to 270 total yards, including 74 rushing.

QUOTING COACH JOE SMITH

“What are your feelings heading into the Willamette game? “Willamette’s offense is always difficult to prepare for. They are solid on the offensive line with a good group of running backs. Defensively, their linesbackers, Taylor Hermes and Phil Sweet run very well, and they are physical and athletic. They are very well coached and it’s going to be a tough game.”

WILLAMETTE GAME NOTES

Coming off a tough 34-27 loss at the hands of Southern Oregon, the Bearcats look to bounce back against their rivals from McMinnville.

Willamette boasts a defense that has preformed well in the early season.

The Bearcats feature a senior-dominated defense, led by linebacker Taylor Hermes (6-2, 238, Sr., Keizer, Ore.), tackles Mitchell MacCready (6-4, 244, Sr., Manteca, Calif.) and Chris Mulitalo (6-1, 290, Sr., San Leandro, Calif.), and safety Ben Fennimore (6-2, 200, Sr., Salem, Ore.).

Hermes leads the team with 43 tackles in four games.

End Cory Lowe (6-4, 230, So. Beaverton, Ore.) has 7 ½ tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including 3 ½ sacks.

The Bearcats pride themselves on dominating the run game on both sides of the ball.

Willamette has outgained its opponents by an average of 35 yards on the ground, 170 to 135 yards per game.

Offensively, look for Willamette to utilize two quarterbacks with very different skills.

Grant Leslie (6-2, 187, Jr., Bainbridge Island, Wash.) and Ryan Whitcomb (6-1, 190, So., Oak View, Calif.), both are expected to see playing time.

Leslie is the better passer, leading the Bearcats with 300 passing yards on the season.

Whitcomb’s strength is his running ability.

Coming into the game, he ranks second on the team in rushing with 217 yards on 32 carries.

Slippery flanker James Yamashita (5-9, 172, Jr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) is the big-play threat for the Bearcats.

Yamashita leads the team with 290 all-purpose yards.

Last week against Southern Oregon, he returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown to keep Willamette in the game.

Yamashita is the primary target in the Bearcats’ passing game, leading the team with 128 receiving yards on seven catches.

C.J Washington (5-9, 177, Sr., Spokane, Wash.) is the main cog in the Bearcats’ “Fly” offense.

Washington comes into Saturday’s game with a team-best 248 rushing yards on 28 carries.

He topped the Bearcats with 109 yards on 16 carries versus the Raiders, averaging 6.8 yards per carry.

Source: Linfield Athletics

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