SPOKANE, Wash. – Jacob Hogger's interception in the end zone with 17 seconds left to play preserved Whitworth's 13-10 win over visiting Carnegie Mellon University in a season-opening Division III football game for both teams late Friday afternoon at the Pine Bowl.
The Pirates built a 13-0 halftime lead, but had to hold off a strong second half challenge from the Tartans.
Whitworth got a pair of 33-yard field goals from Nate RaPue for a 6-0 lead after one quarter. Isaiah Cole broke free for a 31-yard touchdown run on 2nd and 18 midway through the second quarter to score the Pirates' first touchdown of the season.
Whitworth limited CMU to only two first downs and 47 yards in the first half.
The Pirates appeared poised to stretch the lead after taking the opening drive of the second half into Tartan territory. But Kevin Arcia intercepted Jaedyn Prewitt's pass at the goal line and returned the ball to the Whitworth 37 yard line.
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| Jacob Hogger's last-minute interception touched off the celebration in Spokane. |
Seven plays later Tre Vasiliadis ran in from one yard on third down to get Carnegie Mellon into the end zone, cutting the margin to 13-7.
The Tartans put together their longest drive of the day early in the fourth, going 73 yards before stalling inside the Whitworth ten yard line. Hayden Hairston kicked a 24 yard field goal for the final points of the game.
The Pirates' offense struggled in the fourth quarter and did not pick up a first down, which put all the pressure on the defense. The defense came through. CMU had the ball three more times after the field goal, but could not score again.
A good punt return set up CMU at its own 47 yard line with 1:55 to play. A 32-yard completion right on the Whitworth sideline from Ben Mills to Alex Javier set up the Tartans at the Whitworth 12. But they'd get no further. After two incompletions to the corner, Mills threw over the middle where Hogger stepped in front of the pass for the game-saving interception.
Whitworth outgained Carnegie Mellon 307-288 and had a 15-10 edge in first downs. But the Pirates' offense had only 16 yards in the fourth quarter.
Prewitt completed 19 of 38 passes for 207 yards with one interception. Jerusalem To'oto'o caught five of those passes for 63 yards, while Matthew Fiesta had four grabs for 46 yards. Cole finished with 57 yards rushing on six carries.
Mills completed 8 of 27 passes for 105 yards with two interceptions. But he ran six times for 83 yards, including a 53-yard gain that set up the field goal. Vasiliadis added 76 yards on 15 attempts.
Derrick Platt led the Whitworth defense with eight tackles, including a nine-yard sack. BJ Mullin added seven stops. In addition to Hogger's interception, Parker Shaw had an interception in the first half that he returned 22 yards.
Whitworth won its seventh season opener in eight years under head coach Rod Sandberg. The only loss was an overtime setback in 2016.
The Pirates return to action on Sept. 11 when they host Lincoln University from Oakland, California in the Pine Bowl at 1:00 pm. Previous schedules said 10:00 am, but the time was switched when Lincoln's travel plans changed.