Box Score FOREST GROVE, Ore. – Teejay Gordon ran for 137 yards and three scores and added 195 yards through the air, as the College of Idaho blocked a pair of kicks late to seal at 35-34 victory over Pacific University at Hansen Stadium.
Playing their first intercollegiate game in 37 years, the Coyotes (1-0) erased a 28-21 third quarter lead with two Gordon touchdowns – the second from 19-yards out with just under 10 minutes to go, giving C of I a 35-28 lead.
The Boxers (0-1) answered, going 75 yards in five plays, capped by a 41-yard touchdown strike from Warner Shaw to Jakob Lawrence to put the hosts within a point. However, Moses Villareal-Gomez had his game-tying conversion blocked by Hunter Temple to keep the score at 35-34.
C of I muffed the ensuing kickoff, setting the Boxers up at the nine yard line. However, the Yotes defense held, and Villareal-Gomez missed a 33-yard field goal to the right with five minutes remaining.
Pacific had one last chance with two minutes to play, driving 54 yards on eight plays, including a Shaw 37-yard pass to Caleb Roher. However, T.J. Fitzsimmons 25-yard field goal attempt to win the game was blocked by Charlie Shepherd setting off a huge celebration.
C of I jumped out to a 7-0 lead on their first possession, taking the opening kickoff 84 yards on a 16-play march. The Yotes converted three third downs on drive, with Zach Garzoli plunging in from one-yard out on a fourth down carry to give C of I the lead.
Pacific used the run to answer on their first possession of the second quarter. Kamana Pimental used a 22-yard run to get the Boxers in C of I territory, with Bobby Ladiges breaking off a 24-yard run and a 17-yard scoring run to tie the score at 7-7.
Late in the half, the Yotes drove 63 yards in six plays – with a Gordon 45-yard strike to Wes Fitzpatrick putting C of I in the red zone. Gordon finished the drive by running the option in from five-yards out, giving the Coyotes a 14-7 lead. However, the Boxers rushed down the field, as a Shaw 39-yard pass to Lawrence put the ball on the Yotes 35 yard line. The duo struck again, as Lawrence hauled in a screen pass and scored from 12 yards out to tie the game at the break.
A Shaw-to-Lawrence 33-yard touchdown pass early in the third quarter gave the Boxers a 21-14 lead – the first of three scores in a 30 second period.
Elijah Carter took the ensuing kickoff 87-yards for a touchdown for the Yotes, but Bronson Barretto answered, returning the C of I kickoff 95-yards to give Pacific a 28-21 lead with eight minutes left in the period – setting up the wild final 23 minutes.
The Yotes held a 433-413 edge in total offense, including 238 yards on the ground. Garzoli recorded 79 yards on a team-high 27 carries for C of I. Fitzpatrick made eight catches for 131 yards in his collegiate debut.
Shaw was 16-of-25 for 244 yards and three scores, with Lawrence catching six balls for 156 yards.
C of I returns to action next Saturday, hosting Montana Western in their Frontier Conference opener, at 1 p.m.
NOTES: C of I now has a two-game win streak, as the Yotes defeated the same Pacific team, 24-23, in their final game of the 1977 season before the 37-year hiatus…C of I converted 9-of-18 third down opportunities and held the ball for 33 minutes…Kyle Cothern had a big day on the defensive side of the ball, recording 10 tackles and added a sack, with both Josh Price and Hunter Temple adding five tackles…Temple forced a third quarter fumble, but C of I turned the ball over on downs…Kevin McLemore punted three times for a 41-yard average, with Luke Taylor a perfect 5-of-5 on conversion attempts…the 35 points scored by the Yotes were the most since a 41-7 victory over Lewis & Clark during the 1974 season.
