Whitworth’s Ryan Blair, Evan Liggett set single-season records in 48-9 rout of Lewis & Clark

It was a milestone day in multiple ways for the Whitworth football team Saturday.

From start to finish – save a 2-minute stretch before halftime – the Pirates were too much for the Lewis & Clark Pioneers.

The Bucs posted their 18th consecutive regular-season victory, handling the Pioneers 48-9 in a Northwest Conference game at the Pine Bowl.

It was 27-0 before Lewis & Clark blinked as Whitworth improved to 8-0 overall, 5-0 in the NWC.

Achieving milestones were quarterback Ryan Blair, wide receiver Evan Liggett, running back Luis Salgado and middle linebacker Zach Brooks.

Blair had a career day, completing 25 of 34 passes for 465 yards and three touchdowns. He has 30 touchdown passes, exceeding the previous program best by one.

Liggett had seven receptions for 225 yards and two touchdowns, pushing his season TD catches to 16 – one more than the school mark.

Salgado, who set a conference and school record with 365 yards rushing last week, had 90 and a touchdown. He has 1,014 yards, a career best, and the first Pirate to surpass 1,000 since 2016.

And Brooks, who had 81 tackles a year ago, recorded 16 to push his season total to 89.

“Offense and defense really complemented each other,” Whitworth coach Rod Sandberg said. “We didn’t have a good 2 minutes right before the end of the first half. We didn’t make a fourth-and-1 which gave them time. And then we didn’t get a stop on defense in a hurry-up defense. But outside of that, our kids played really hard and were smart.”

Whitworth anticipated the Pioneers (3-5, 2-3) would scheme to slow down Salgado. The Pirates put in a play-action pass to Liggett for their first play of the game, and Blair hit his speedy receiver for a 62-yard connection to LC’s 6-yard line. Four plays later, Blair hit Liggett from 1 yard out for a 7-0 lead just 2 minutes, 21 seconds into the first quarter.

The Bucs’ defense forced a three-and-out moments later. Whitworth turned it into Iden Bone’s 22-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead.

Another three-and-out was followed by Bone’s 25-yard field goal.

Whitworth’s defense stopped the Pioneers cold again, but this time the Bucs turned it into a touchdown when Blair found Taylor Wells on a 20-yard TD pass for a 20-0 lead a minute into the second quarter.

LC picked up two first downs, but Whitworth forced the first of three turnovers. Pirates safety Daniel McKiernan recovered at the Bucs’ 35.

That set up Whitworth’s most explosive play, a 65-yard TD pass from Blair to Liggett that turned out to be a double record – for each of them. Blair stepped up to his right to avoid the rush and hit a streaking Liggett, who was all alone.

LC finally showed some life in the final 8 minutes of the first half when it scored all of its points, including a touchdown 5 seconds before halftime.

The defense regained form in the second half, throwing a shutout.

Sandberg praised backup running back Kurt Solano, a sophomore. Whitworth has been looking for somebody to complement Salgado.

Solano picked up 73 yards on eight carries and scored two TDs.

“He’s been grinding and it was cool to see him step up and really give us a two-headed monster back there,” Sandberg said.

On Solano’s final TD – a 22-yard scamper around the left side – Blair had a key block.

“That’s sending a message to the whole team – that it’s the team, that I’m not a pretty boy quarterback, I’m going to get dirty,” Sandberg said of Blair. “When your leader is your hardest worker and gives effort like that, you’ve got a chance.”

Blair praised the offense and defense.

“By no means was it perfect, but it felt complete,” Blair said. “We didn’t turn the ball over on offense and the defense took it away three times. We had a few missed opportunities in the red zone, but overall this was our best game so far.”

Blair was overjoyed that he and his roommate, Liggett, got to share a record-setting moment.

“We came off on the sideline and congratulated each other and gave each other a hug,” Blair said. “It was a cool experience. We’ve got to get that game ball and put it in our house somewhere.”

Whitworth travels to George Fox on Saturday before hosting perennial power Linfield on Nov. 16.