Lutes Host Menlo In 2009's Final Home Game

THIS WEEK: Pacific Lutheran (2-5 overall, 2-2 Northwest Conference) hosts Menlo (4-4, 3-1) in a Northwest Conference game at Sparks Stadium in Puyallup, Wash., Saturday, 12:00 p.m.

SPECIAL TIME: Saturday's game time has been moved up to 12:00 p.m. to accommodate Menlo's postgame travel arrangements.

THE SERIES: Saturday's meeting will be the eighth time the Lutes have faced the Oaks, with the two teams playing every year since the 2002 season. Pacific Lutheran holds the series advantage with a 6-1 record, having won the last six games after a 32-29 Menlo win in the first game of the series. The Lutes have outscored the Oaks by 103 points in the seven meetings, for an average spread of +14.7 points.

LAST YEAR: Given a second chance when Menlo was offsides on an onside kick inside the final minute, Pacific Lutheran recovered the second attempt and ran out the clock to preserve a 35-34 Northwest Conference victory over the host Oaks. After Pacific Lutheran took a 35-28 lead with 2:21 remaining in the game on a 45-yard pass from Michael Byrne to Drew Griffin, Menlo marched 59 yards on six plays to score on an 18-yard pass from Angel Molina to Brad Wilkinson. The Oaks elected to go for a two-point conversion and the win, but the pass fell incomplete. The Oaks then recovered the ensuing onside kick attempt, but they were whistled for offsides and had to kick again. This time, Pacific Lutheran's Luke Terwilliger made the recovery and the Lutes were able to run out the clock. Byrne completed 12-of-21 passes for 221 yards and four touchdowns, but he was intercepted three times. Greg Ford had six catches for 79 yards and a score, and Griffin made three grabs for 75 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Bryce Davis was the team's leading rusher with 35 yards on seven carries. Pacific Lutheran finished with 280 yards of offense compared to 409 for the Oaks. Molina completed 20-of-30 passes for 234 yards with three interceptions and three touchdowns, and he was sacked four times by the PLU defense. Jordan Long carried the ball 20 times for 141 yards in a losing effort. Andy Sturza and Neal Chalmers both had 10 tackles for the Lutes and Davies had a pair of interceptions to go along with eight tackles.

ABOUT THE COACHES: Scott Westering is in his sixth year as head coach at Pacific Lutheran, where he has compiled a 25-27 overall record. Scott joined the PLU coaching staff in 1981 after playing tight end for the Lutes under his father, Frosty Westering. Since 1983, Scott has served as the Lutes' offensive coordinator, helping PLU to two NAIA Division II and one NCAA Division III national championships, as well as four runner-up finishes. He has coached 11 first-team All-Americans, including the 1999 NCAA Division III Player of the Year, Chad Johnson. Scott was a captain and All-American tight end on the 1980 PLU team that won the Lutes' first NAIA national championship. He was inducted into the PLU Hall of Fame in 1998. For the Oaks, Fred Guidici serves as interim head coach for the 2009 season, his 14th as a member of the Oaks staff.

ABOUT THE OAKS: Menlo's dominant defense sets the tone for the team, as the Oaks rank either first or second in the Northwest Conference in several defensive categories. The Oaks rank second in scoring and total defense, giving up an average of 20.5 points per game and 296.9 yards per game. The Oaks' pass defense leads the Northwest Conference, giving up only 175.8 yards per game while holding opponents to 6.4 yards per attempt and a league-low 54.5 completion percentage. Menlo's rush defense is almost as solid, ranking second in the conference giving up 121.1 yards per game and 3.3 yards per carry, as well as tying for a league-best 10 rushing touchdowns against. The Oaks have limited opponents to 127 first downs in eight games, best in the NWC, and they rank third in the conference with 20 sacks, for an average of 2.5 per contest. Offensively, the Oaks struggle, ranking second-worst in scoring offense with only 14 points scored per game. Menlo's passing offense puts up a solid 217.6 yards per contest, but has thrown a league-high 13 interceptions this season. Saturday's game will match strength against strength with PLU's NWC-best pass offense goint against Menlo's top-rated pass defense, and it will also feature the two worst rushing offenses in the league. PLU ranks second-lowest in the league with only 2.7 yards per attempt and 77.6 yards per game, but Menlo ranks last in both categories, running for only 2.4 yards per attempt and 75.5 yards per contest.

LAST WEEK: Jeff Erlenmeyer stopped Cody Pohren for no gain on fourth down in the second overtime to give Whitworth University a come-from-behind 24-21 win over visiting Pacific Lutheran in a Northwest Conference football game at the Whitworth Pine Bowl. The Pirates came back from a 21-7 deficit in the second half and have now won the last six meetings with the Lutes. PLU outgained Whitworth 413-361, but two costly interceptions and a blocked field goal attempt led directly to Pirate touchdowns. PLU came into the game with a highly regarded passing attack, but it was the Lutes' running game that almost carried the day for the visitors. Sean Snead ran six times for 74 yards and a score and Pohren carried seven times for 37 yards and two scores. The pair led a ground game that picked up 132 yards and averaged 4.4 yards per carry. Jordan Rasmussen was 25-for-45 for 281 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. All-conference wide receiver Greg Ford made several acrobatic receptions and finished with six catches for 103 yards. Isaac Moog added six grabs for 61 yards. Both teams had a chance to win in regulation. Whitworth had the ball on its own 43 and got to the PLU 26 before stalling. A fourth down pass attempt failed with 2:17 to play. The Lutes then drove to the Whitworth eight yard line. But a seven yard sack and two incomplete passes moved the ball back to the 15. A field goal attempt on fourth down hit the left upright, but a false start was called on the Lutes, giving PLU another chance but from five yards further back. With 10 seconds left the next attempt also hit the left upright from 37 yards away, sending the game into overtime. Whitworth got one first down on its second possession, but then had to settle for Largent's 30-yard field goal, which split the uprights. On PLU's first play, Ford appeared to have the corner on a double reverse, but Schaefer forced him out of bounds at the 15 for only a 10-yard gain. Four plays later PLU decided to go for a first down on fourth-and-one from the six, but Erlenmeyer made great penetration from his defensive end position and hit Pohren in the backfield.

LUTES ON THE AIR: All Pacific Lutheran football games may be heard in the Puget Sound area on KLAY 1180 AM with Steve Thomas calling the action and Karl Hoseth handling the color commentary. The games may also be heard online at www.klay1180.com.

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