Football | 8/31/2008 3:33:56 AM
Box Score PORTLAND, Ore. - The Western Oregon University football team stalled but it could not stop the Portland State offense in a 31-14 defeat Saturday (Aug. 30) at PGE Park.
It was the season opener for both schools, played in front of 8,293 fans.
The Wolves hung with the Vikings throughout the first half, going into the locker room trailing just 7-0. But in the third quarter the teams began to separate. The Portland State offense found its rhythm under new quarterback Drew Hubel, tallying seven first downs, 124 yards and 14 points in just over eight minutes of third quarter possession. WOU was also not able to overcome its own mistakes in the third, flagged for nine penalties for 58 yards.
Hubel, who entered the game for the Vikings late in the second quarter, finished 28-for-40 for 305 yards after spelling starter Tygue Howland. The duo found nine different PSU receivers for a total of 457 yards of passing offense on the day.
WOU's offense sputtered with just 96 yards in the first half, only 25 of that through the air. Josh Riddell entered the game in the third quarter at quarterback, replacing starter Brady Lovell and led the Wolves on two scoring drives: one in early in the third quarter, and another in the final moments of the game. The first drive pulled WOU to within 14-7 with 10:30 left in the third, but PSU answered three impressive scoring drives directed by Hubel in the next 15 minutes to seal the game.
Western Oregon's first touchdown of the season came on a four-play, 58-yard drive that was capped off on a six-yard pass from Riddell to Demario Ballard. The key play of the drive was a 53-yard run by junior Ben Kuenzi in which he broke through a multitude of would be Portland State tacklers and rambled to the PSU 5 yard line. The 53-yard yard was the longest of Kuenzi's career, topping his previous long of 31 yards.
Riddell went 7-of-14 for 93 yards with two touchdowns (including a 21-yarder to Shaun Kauleinamoku) and one interception, while Lovell was 3-of-18 for 25 yards and one interception. Kuenzi led the team in rushing with eight carries for 78 yards. Bobby McClintock led Portland State with 48 yards rushing, and he also caught seven shovel passes for 68 yards and four scores.
The first half was filled with season-opening gitters for both teams as the Wolves and Vikings combined for 21 penalties and five turnovers in the first 30 minutes of play.
The defense was a bright spot in the first half as it created three turnovers and held the heralded Portland State offense to seven points and only 249 yards. It also forced six punts and held PSU to 1-of-7 on third down conversions. The defense made two critical plays within the final two minutes of the half to keep the score at 7-0. The first was a fumble recovery by sophomore Michael Petrovich at the Wolves' 32 yard line with 1:55 remaining. After a Wolves' turnover gave the ball back to Portland State at the WOU 17 yard line, linebacker Gavin Romanick made the second key defensive play of the half. Romanick, a junior from Madras, Ore., intercepted Howland's tipped crossing-pass at the WOU 4 yard line as the Vikings were driving with only 1:34 remaining in the half.
Andrew Jackson led the Wolves on defense with 12 tackles, including six solos. He also had an interception and a pass break-up. Romanick added 11 tackles, as did JT Gilmore. Caleb Singleton had 10 tackles.
The Wolves finished with 21 penalties for 157 yards, while PSU accumulated 17 flags for 145 yards.
The Western Oregon football team will be on the road again next week as it takes on Western Washington, Sept. 6, at 7:00 p.m., in Bellingham, Wash., in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
