POSTED: Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008
COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Wildcats too much for Vikings
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closeSEATTLE - At least Western Washington University football fans can celebrate knowing that Mike Reilly is graduating this season.
The Central Washington University quarterback has certainly given the Vikings nothing to cheer about over the last four years.
Reilly passed for four touchdowns and 371 yards as the Wildcats ran past WWU 50-28 at Qwest Field in Seattle on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the sixth annual Battle in Seattle for the Cascade Cup. Central, ranked No. 11 in the nation, hasn't lost to an NCAA Division II opponent this season.
"I told the team we had our chances to win it on offense, defense and special teams," WWU coach Robin Ross said. "But nobody played well enough to win the game on offense, defense and special teams. We had our opportunities."
It was the fourth straight loss for the Vikings at Qwest Field and the fifth overall in the series since the two started playing the Battle in Seattle in 2003. Western's only win over Central in Seattle came in 2004. Last season the Wildcats came out on top 24-7. This year's game drew 12,258 people, the second largest crowd since the series began.
Western (3-3, 3-2) came into the game gunning for an upset after its best start to a season since 2004, but couldn't keep pace with Central's high-powered offense. With the win the Wildcats (6-1, 5-0) take a commanding two-game lead in the race for first place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
The Wildcats are also hoping for a return trip to the national playoffs after reaching the national quarterfinals last season.
"It's tough in the GNAC because you have to go undefeated in conference play and in Division II play if you want to get in the playoffs," Reilly said.
The Wildcats certainly should have turned some heads around the region and possibly the nation with the big win. Central's 50 points were the most it has scored against WWU in at least 30 years and the margin of victory was the greatest for a Battle in Seattle game.
"They're very potent, very potent," Central coach Blaine Bennett said. "That's why we felt like we had to keep scoring. We were trying to score as many points as we could. We came up with 50 and we still felt like we had to hang on."
As well as the Wildcats' offense played, their defense made just as many big plays. Western trailed 36-21 late in the third quarter and took the ball down to the Central 6-yard line looking to score, but the Wildcats held on fourth-and-goal. Central stopped the Vikings again on fourth down on their next possession to snuff any chance of a WWU comeback.
"Maybe we should have taken the field goals and gradually climbed ourselves back in to it," Ross said. "Looking at it then, I felt like we were down by too much, maybe we got a little greedy with it, I don't know. But I felt like we had our opportunities and didn't execute. I think when we watch the film we're going to see there were a lot of opportunities that we didn't take advantage of."
The Vikings, who came into the game with the top ranked offense in the conference, finished with 372 yards. Quarterback Adam Perry went 22 for 36 for 320 yards and two touchdowns to lead WWU.
"It was another tough loss against Central," Perry said. "They are a good team obviously, but I felt like we had our chances on offense, defense, and special teams. I felt like we shot ourselves in the foot a lot in all three phases of the game."
Still, the game belonged to Reilly. The senior finished his college career undefeated at Qwest Field and has a chance to go undefeated over the course of his career against the Vikings with a win over WWU in Ellensburg at the end of the regular season.
"I'm just so proud of our guys," Reilly said. "This is really the first time all year that we put together four really good quarters of football."
NOTES
Reilly's first quarter touchdown pass to Sam Togar was his 100th with the Wildcats, breaking the school's record for touchdown passes set in a career. The record of 99 was held by current Detroit Lions quarterback Jon Kitna ... The touchdown also marked the 42nd straight game that Reilly has thrown a touchdown pass in a game, a national NCAA football mark for any division ... WWU wide receiver Travis McKee's touchdown catch in the second quarter for WWU marked the third straight Battle in Seattle game that he has caught a score. It was also his first of the season ... Reilly's fourth quarter interception was his first in 185 consecutive attempts this season.
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