SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth scored with no time left on the clock, but a two-point conversion to tie the game and force overtime was not successful, allowing visiting Chapman to escape with an 18-16 win over the Pirates in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs on Saturday in the Pine Bowl.
The Panthers (9-2), champions of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletics Conference, earned the first post-season road win in school history and advanced to play third-ranked Wisconsin-River Falls in the second round.
Whitworth ends its season at 8-3 after earning the Northwest Conference title.
Neither team scored in the first quarter. Chapman had a good opportunity when Jacob Gaudi intercepted Pirate QB Logan Lacio on the second play of the game and returned the ball 43 yards into Whitworth territory. The defense held and forced a 40-yard field goal attempt that was short.
The Panthers turned the second interception of the game into the first touchdown. Miles Grossman picked off Lacio at Chapman's 27 and the Panthers went 73 yards in ten plays to find the endzone. Kade Zimmerman caught a six-yard fade pass from Tyler Pacheco for the score. A two-point try was stopped short.
Another long drive, keyed by Andrew Latu's 44-yard run to the four-yard line, ended in Carson Nichols' 19-yard field goal after Whitworth's defense held again and forced the field goal.
The Pirates finally got on the scoreboard with 1:35 to play in the opening half when Lacio passed six yards to Chase Gomes for the touchdown. Whitworth went 71 yards in 11 plays.
The Pirates took their only lead in the third when Iden Bone kicked a 20-yard field goal to cap a 12-play, 86-yard drive. His 16th field goal broke the school record for makes in one season and gave the Bucs a 10-9 lead with 5:14 left in the third quarter.
Chapman retook the lead early in the fourth when Nichols kicked a 37-yard field goal.
After both teams exchanged punts, the Panthers took over with 4:18 to play on their own 43 with a chance to ice the game. On fourth and three at Whitworth's 28, Pacheco used play action to fool the defense and hit Zimmerman over the middle for a touchdown with 1:38 to play. Pacheco was called for taunting the Whitworth sideline after the play, forcing the PAT try from the 17 instead of the two-yard line. Nichols' attempt missed right, leaving the door open.
Another unsportsmanlike penalty on the PAT forced the Panthers to kick off from their own 20-yard line and Whitworth started its drive on its 38. The Pirates converted a fourth and two at Chapman's 40 when Lacio hit Deacon Dietz on a quick slant and Dietz turned it into a 28-yard gain. Three plays later, with 1.3 seconds showing at the snap, Dietz took an end-around and passed to tight end Taylor Wells for a six-yard touchdown with no time left.
Trailing by two, Whitworth had to attempt a two-point try. Back up running back Owen Harris lined up in a wildcat formation and ran toward the line before attempting a jump pass to Wells. The pass was knocked away by Gaudi to end the game.
Chapman outgained Whitworth 364-307, including a 173-84 edge in rushing yards. Pirate All-NWC running back Luis Salgado was not available for the game due to injury. That allowed Chapman to have a 33:24 – 26:36 advantage in time of possession.
Lacio completed 23 of 33 passes for 217 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Dietz had one of his best games of the season, catching eight passes for 108 in addition to throwing the potential overtime-forcing touchdown. Kurt Solano, subbing for the injured Salgado, ran hard for 83 yards on 16 carries.
Pacheco completed 18 of 28 passes for 191 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Zimmerman caught eight passes for 120 yards and two scores. Latu ran for 95 yards on 11 carries.
Hayden Throneberry led the Whitworth defense with a career-high 11 tackles, while Drew Cody made ten stops. Hunter Letteer had the Pirates' only interception and made eight tackles.
Gaudi was a star on defense for Chapman, leading the team with 11 tackles, including a nine-yard sack.
Whitworth loses 17 seniors from the 2025 championship season, but will return nine starters on offense and six on defense in 2026.