MONMOUTH, Ore.—Surviving a game-tying field goal attempt in the final seconds, the Western Oregon University football capped its season with a 24-21 win over Simon Fraser University on Senior Day at McArthur Field.
Prior to the game, Western Oregon honored 23 student-athletes on the roster that played their final collegiate games. A dozen of those Wolves spent at least four seasons with the program.
With the win, WOU ends its season with a 3-8 overall record and a 2-7 mark in GNAC play. Simon Fraser fell to 0-10 overall with eight losses in conference competition.
After nearly setting a GNAC record with 82 points in the matchup north of the border in early October, scoring was limited in the season finale despite the Wolves jumping out to a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.
After both players turned the ball over via fumbles, Blaise Manable opened the scoring by securing a 5-yard pass from
Nick Duckworth on the opening play of the team's ensuing possession earned by a second WOU forced turnover, this time with an interception by linebacker
Tyler Johnson.
Johnson picked off the pass, his eighth career interception, and retuned the ball 22 yards to the SFU 5-yard line.
The Wolves failed to score in its next possession as the drive ended on an Adrian Salanda field goal miss from 28 yards, but Saldana quickly gained redemption by drilling a 38-yarder in the second quarter to make it a 10-0 spread.
Simon Fraser closed the gap by punching in a 3-tard touchdown run with Dionte Simon the carrier, but with four minutes remaining before the half, the Wolves returned with a 6-play, 77-yard drive that resulted in another Duckworth TD pass, this time to
Keoni Piceno for a 17-7 halftime score.
After forcing a WOU punt early in the third, Simon Fraser marched down the field for a 10-play and 80-yard drive that resulted in a Cobb touchdown catch.
Two plays later, an interception returned the ball to the Clan which set up another lengthy touchdown drive with Miles Richardson scoring from the 1-yard line to give SFU its first lead of the season at 21-17.
The Clan had two more opportunities to extend its lead but the WOU defense stepped up with back-to-back stops to force SFU punts.
Shaking off the early interceptions, Duckworth directed the WOU offense 82 yards on a 10-play drive of their own. On a 2nd and 10 from the 16, Duckworth delivered another scoring pass to Piceno with Saldana booting the extra point for a 24-21 advantage for the home side.
After trading possessions, SFU regained possession with 2:29 to play and 75 yards to the end zone. Overcoming a sack and recovering two of their own fumbles, the Clan advanced as far as the WOU 7-yard line, but a personal foul penalty after a loss of four on a Richardson rush pushed the team back to the 29, setting up a now 47-yard field goal attempt by Ethan Beselt. With five seconds remaining and standing in front of just his second attempt of the season, Besalt's try fell short to ensure the WOU win.
Duckworth ended the day with 199 yards passing with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Devon Fortier provided the punch in the ground game with 121 yards on 27 carries with
Paul Revis hauled in five catches for 71 yards.
