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PORTLAND, Ore. – Eighth-ranked Linfield surrendered a touchdown to Lewis & Clark on the opening kickoff, but the defending Northwest Conference champion Wildcats steadied the ship on the way to a lopsided 57-15 victory Saturday afternoon at L&C's Griswold Stadium.
Linfield (4-0, 2-0 NWC) moved within one win of extending its all-divisions national record for consecutive winning seasons. The Wildcats can clinch the program's 67th straight winning campaign with a win at home next Saturday against Yamhill County rival George Fox.
The Wildcats pushed their NWC win streak to 29 straight games.
Linfield tailback Connor McNabb ran for 76 yards and a touchdown, and quarterbacks Blake Eaton and Luke McNabb combined each threw for a pair of scores to pace the Linfield offense. Blaze Holani and Grady Kentch led the Wildcats' defensive effort, each contributing six stops.
The Wildcats were caught off guard when Jordan Lahusky returned the opening kickoff 85 yards to the end zone, giving the hosts a quick 7-0 advantage.
Linfield needed just over three minutes to tie the game. Eaton capped a 75-yard drive with a 1-yard keeper and the extra point by Gavin Dalziel knotted the score at 7 with 11:22 left in the first quarter.
Dalziel made it 10-7 with a 43-yard field goal four minutes later. Linfield tailbacks McNabb and Aaron Martinez each scored on 1-yard running plays just four minutes apart, pushing Linfield's lead to 23-7 with 13:53 remaining in the second quarter.
Lewis & Clark cut the margin to 10 points, 23-13, after Devin Stephens weaved his way for a 12-yard scoring run with 8:54 left before intermission. The Wildcats answered four minutes later as Eaton passed three yards to Isaac Hoidal, putting the 'Cats back in front 30-13.
McNabb gained 68 yards on 10 first-half rushes and finished with 88 yards on 16 carries. Aaron Martinez added 52 yards on the ground and scored on a pair of short runs.
The second half saw the Wildcats open up the playbook and outscore the Pioneers 27-2. Caleb Woodcock, Devon Murray and Jace Swygard all pulled in second-half touchdowns to put the game out of reach.
L&C's only points of the half came on a blocked extra point that was returned for a two-point conversion.
Lewis & Clark (2-3, 1-1 NWC) was led by the 49 receiving yards of Elijah McGee. Elijah Washington netted 33 rushing yards on seven carries.
'CAT SCRATCH
Linfield piled up a season-high 611 yards of offense, including 252 on the ground. . . the Wildcats did not commit a single turnover . . .Saturday's outcome was Linfield's 45th consecutive win over Lewis & Clark, extending a series winning streak that began in 1974. . . the Wildcats are nearing the all-time college football record of 46 consecutive wins over a single opponent set by Yale against Wesleyan (Conn.) from 1875-1913 … Lewis & Clark's last win in the series was in 1973 by a 7-4 score in Portland.
AHEAD
Linfield returns to Maxwell Field next Saturday for a Homecoming matchup with George Fox. Fans should take special note of the 12:30 p.m. kickoff time, necessitated by live television coverage on KRCW (32).