Tuesday, October 26, 2021

After one half of play, it looked as if Western Oregon was going to give Central Washington a close game.

That all changed in the final 30 minutes. The Wildcats proceeded to outscore the Wolves 42-14 in the second half and scored a string of 39 consecutive points beginning late in the first quarter to roll to a 53-21 win to secure the program’s fourth consecutive GNAC championship.

Central Washington finished with 476 yards of total offense in the contest with 288 passing yards. The Wildcats played two quarterbacks in the game. Freshman Quincy Glasper completed 10 of 15 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 66 yards and a score. Sophomore JJ Lemming took over midway through the third quarter and completed 10 of 15 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

Sophomore wide receiver Darius Morrison was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after he made four catches with 102 yards and two touchdowns. He had the first CWU touchdown of the game and then had a 40-yard scoring reception in the fourth quarter.

Junior kicker Patrick Hegarty was named the Special Teams Player of the Week after he went 6 of 6 on point-after opportunities and scored CWU’s first points of the game on a 39-yard field goal with 14 seconds left in the first quarter.

The game also produced the Defensive Player of the Week in Western Oregon senior defensive back Curtis Anderson. Anderson finished with 10 tackles, including three tackles for loss for nine yards, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.

While the Wildcats won their fourth consecutive title, it is just the second outright title in that span. Central Washington shared the trophy with Azusa Pacific in 2018 and with Western Oregon in 2019.

In the other game in the conference last week, Simon Fraser dropped a 51-10 decision at Angelo State. The team finished with 190 yards of total offense, led by sophomore quarterback Justin Sieber’s 15 of 24 completions for 136 yards.

Western Oregon will host Simon Fraser on Saturday for the conference contest of the week. Central Washington will host first-year program Lincoln (Calif.).

The Oaklanders are 1-5 on the season with the program’s lone win coming against Willamette on September 19, 34-9. Lincoln has lost their last three teams to Lone Star Conference teams by a combined score of 178-27.

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Darius Morrison, Central Washington
WR • 6-3 • Sophomore • Puyallup, Wash.

Morrison caught four passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns as Central Washington clinched the GNAC title with a 53-21 win over Western Oregon. His day included a 40-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. It was the first 100-plus yard performance for a CWU receiver this season and the first of Morrison’s career.

Also Nominated: Robert Meadors (Simon Fraser), Omari Land (Western Oregon).

DEFENSIVE
Curtis Anderson, Western Oregon
DB • 6-2 • Senior • Klamath Falls, Ore.

Anderson had a solid individual effort in the Wolves’ 53-21 loss to Central Washington. He tied with teammate Jaylin Parnell for the team lead with 10 tackles, which included five solo tackles, three tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Anderson also had two kick returns on special teams for 47 yards.

Also Nominated: Donte Hamilton (Central Washington), Griffin Barrett (Simon Fraser).

SPECIAL TEAMS
Patrick Hegarty, Central Washington
P/K • 6-4 • Junior • Ferndale, Wash.

Hegarty went 6 for 6 on point-after attempts and made a 39-yard field goal in the first quarter in the Wildcats’ 53-21 win over Western Oregon. He is now 30 for 30 on point-after attempts this season.

Also Nominated: Kristie Elliott (Simon Fraser), Curtis Anderson (Western Oregon).

AROUND THE GNAC
CENTRAL WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Oct. 23: Beat Western Oregon, 53-21
THIS WEEK: Oct. 30: vs. Lincoln (Calif.), 6 p.m.

• Central Washington exploded for 476 yards of total offense to clinch its fourth consecutive GNAC championship on Saturday, beating Western Oregon 53-21.

• While it is the fourth consecutive title, it is the Wildcats’ first outright championship since 2017. Central Washington shared the title with Azusa Pacific in 2018 and Western Oregon in 2019. It is the Wildcats’ 11th overall GNAC championship.

• Sophomore wide receiver Darius Morrison was named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week after he caught four passes for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns. It was the first 100-plus yard receiving performance for CWU this season and the first career one for Morrison. He scored the Wildcats’ first touchdown of the game on a five-yard reception with 38 seconds left in the second quarter and scored gain on a game-long 40-yard reception in the fourth quarter. Morrison is third in the GNAC with 49.9 receiving yards per game and is 28th in Division II with seven receiving yards.

• Junior kicker Patrick Hegarty was named the GNAC Special Teams Player of the Week after he went 6 for 6 on point-after opportunities and opened scoring for CWU with a 39-yard field goal. Hegarty has now made all 30 of his point-after opportunities. He ranks 13th in Division II with a .750 field goal percentage and 15th with 1.29 field goals per game.

• The Wildcats played two quarterbacks in the game. Freshman Quincy Glasper completed 10 of 15 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 66 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. He yielded to sophomore JJ Lemming midway through the third quarter, completing 7 of 9 passes for 155 yards and two more scores. Lemming is third in the GNAC with 131.5 passing yards per game and is 10th in Division II with 15.17 passing yards per completion. Glasper is averaging 134.8 yards per game in four games.

•Senior wide receiver Tony Archie also had a solid game, making four catches for 71 yards and a touchdown. Archie is fifth in the GNAC with 40.3 receiving yards per game.

• In addition to the 268 passing yards in the game, CWU finished with 188 rushing yards. Junior running back Rashaad Boddie led the way with 79 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries. Boddie leads the GNAC and is 19th in Division II with 103.2 rushing yards per game.

• Senior linebacker Donte Hamilton once again led the Central Washington defense with nine tackles, including four solo tackles, one tackle for loss and a half-sack. Hamilton is tied for third in the GNAC with 55 tackles, is tied for the GNAC lead with 11 tackles for loss and leads the conference with five interceptions. Hamilton is 20th in Division II with 1.6 tackles for loss per game and tied for 30th with 5.1 solo tackles per game.

• Central Washington leads the GNAC with 36.1 points per game, 167.3 rushing yards per game, 210.6 passing yards per game and 377.9 yards of total offense per game. The Wildcats are 10th in Division II in fumbles lost (2), 12th in turnover margin (1.14), 18th in passing yards per completion (14.74) and 22nd in kickoff returns (24.33 yards per return).

• In the first Super Region 4 rankings of the season, Central Washington is ranked No. 3.

• Central Washington returns to non-conference play on Saturday, hosting first-year program Lincoln (Calif.) on Saturday night. The Oaklanders are 1-5 this season with their lone win a 34-9 victory over Division III Willamette on September 18.

SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Oct. 23: Lost at Angelo State, 51-10
THIS WEEK: Oct. 30: at Western Oregon, 1:05 p.m.
 
• Simon Fraser continued its four-game season-ending road trip with a 51-10 loss to Angelo State on Saturday in San Angelo, Texas.

• Simon Fraser finished the contest with 190 yards of total offense, 151 of which came in the passing game. Sophomore quarterback Justin Sieber led SFU as he completed 15 of 24 passes for 136 yards and the team’s only touchdown, a 13-yard pass to junior wide receiver Robert Meadors in the third quarter. Sieber leads the GNAC with 222 passing yards and 223.6 total offense yards per game.

• Meadors was one of seven SFU players to catch passes, making four catches for 21 yards and the touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver Riley Morrison led the way with eight catches for 46 yards while junior wide receiver Aidan Pearce caught one pass for 26 yards. Morrison leads the GNAC with 63 receiving yards per game and is fourth with 73 all-purpose yards per game.

• Junior running back Somto Anyadike accounted for the vast majority of SFU’s rushing yards, finishing with 44 yards on 15 carries. Anyadike leads SFU with 21.2 rushing yards per game.

• Senior linebacker Griffin Barrett once again paced the SFU defense, making 11 tackles with five solo tackles. Junior defensive back Kolby Buljevic finished with nine tackles. Barrett leads the conference with 74 total tackles. He is third in Division II with 12.3 tackles per game and 12th with 6.3 solo tackles per game.

• Sophomore kicker Kristie Elliott converted a 30-yard field goal for Simon Fraser’s first score in the second quarter and also converted the point-after on the team’s lone touchdown. Elliott is 2 for 4 on field goals this season.

• Simon Fraser enters the week averaging 256.3 yards of total offense per game and is second in the GNAC with 210.2 passing yards per game. Simon Fraser is second in Division II in fewest penalty yards (216), third in penalty yards per game (36), 12th in fewest penalties (34), 14th in red zone defense (.645) and 19th in defensive touchdowns (2).

• Simon Fraser will finish the season with two GNAC games. The team will be in Monmouth, Oregon on Saturday to face Western Oregon.

WESTERN OREGON
LAST WEEK: Oct. 23: Lost at Central Washington, 53-21
THIS WEEK: Oct. 30: vs. Simon Fraser, 1:05 p.m.
 
• Western Oregon kept things close in the first half against Central Washington but could not slow down a 42-point second-half scoring barrage in a 53-21 loss to Central Washington on Saturday in Ellensburg.

• The Wolves finished with 368 yards of total offense, 231 of which were rushing yards. Junior running back Omari Land led the Wolves with 150 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, punctuated with a 67-yard scoring run late in the fourth quarter. Land leads the GNAC with 106.9 all-purpose yards per game and is second with 96.1 rushing yards per game. Land also ranks 19th in Division II with eight rushing touchdowns.

• Junior quarterback Ryan Worthley completed 13 of 25 passes for 137 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He found sophomore wide receiver Jarren Ford for a 15-yard scoring reception early in the first quarter and freshman wide receiver London Smalley for a 20-yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter. Worthley is second in the GNAC with 199.9 passing yards per game. He is 29th in Division II with a .626 completion percentage and 30th with 19.86 completions per game.

• Ford finished the day with four catches for 49 yards while junior wide receiver Thomas Wright made two catches for 42 yards. Wright is fourth in the GNAC with 48.3 receiving yards per game while Ford is ninth with 29 receiving yards per game.

• Senior defensive back Curtis Anderson was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week after he led all players in the game with 10 tackles, including five solo tackles, three tackles for loss for nine yards, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. Anderson is tied for seventh in the GNAC with 35 total tackles. On special teams, Anderson returned two kicks for 47 yards and is second in the GNAC with 19.1 yards per return.

• Junior linebacker Jaylin Parnell finished with 10 tackles for the second consecutive game, which included one sack for three yards. Parnell is fourth in the GNAC with 45 total tackles and ranks 14th in Division II with 1.8 tackles for loss per game.

• Western Oregon enters the week ranked second in the GNAC with 15.9 points per game, 142.6 rushing yards per game and 348.6 total offense yards per game. The Wolves lead the GNAC with 136 first downs.

• Western Oregon will conclude its GNAC season on Saturday, hosting Simon Fraser.