ROSEBURG – Senior running back Kyle Rackley accounted for all four of the Roseburg football team’s touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to counteract Willamette quarterback Taylor Bridge-Eiler, who had five passing touchdowns to lead the Wolverines to a 48-27 win on Friday.
Roseburg and Willamette played a tight first half, highlighted by Rackley’s two rushing touchdowns to put the Indians up 14-0 midway through the second quarter. Bridge-Eiler came off the Willamette bench to take over at quarterback in the second quarter and he sparked a rally to get the Wolverines in front by halftime.
Bridge-Eiler tossed three touchdown passes in the second quarter to give the Wolverines a 21-20 advantage at the break. He found Bryce Goggin in the end zone twice and set-up running back Tanner Webb with a perfectly executed screen play for another score.
Rackley kept the Indians close in the first half with a touchdown toss on a halfback pass. The senior found receiver Garrett Russell wide open for a 49-yard score.
The Indians retook the lead early in the third quarter on Rackley’s first receiving score of the year. Sophomore quarterback Collin Warmouth connected with Rackley for a 53-yard touchdown that put Roseburg ahead 27-21.
Willamette responded with a 73-yard drive that ended with a one-yard dive by Brian Kim to tie the score at 27-27.
The Wolverines went on to score three more unanswered touchdowns before the final horn, earning their first win of the season. The turning point in the match was a fumble by Brendan Ibarra on a kickoff return late in the third quarter. Ibarra had weaved his way deep into Willamette territory, but coughed the ball up and the Wolverines recovered.
The return would have given the Indians a very short field and a decent chance to tie the game at 34-all, but the fumble ended up putting points on the board for Willamette. The Wolverines marched 74-yards down the field, most of which came on another screen play to Webb, and stretched their lead to 41-27. The turnover proved to be the back breaker for the Indians.
Bridge-Eiler finished the night with 407 yards passing on 23-of-32 passing, with four scores and no interceptions. Goggin was his favorite receiver, collecting 10 passes for 182 yards and two scores. Webb also had a big receiving game. The running back had three catches for 106 yards and two scores.
Rackley led Roseburg with 117 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He finished with just the once touchdown catch for 53 yards and was the second leading passer with 49 yards through the air. Warmouth tallied 83 passing yards for Roseburg on 2-of-7 passing with one score and one interception.
Roseburg will finish the regular season with a non-conference home game against North Salem on Friday. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Finlay Field.
SCORING BY QUARTER
Willamette 0; 21; 20; 7 – 48
Roseburg 7; 13; 7; 0 – 27
SCORING PLAYS
1st Quarter
R – Rackley 1 yard run (Hunt kick)
2nd Quarter
R – Rackley 3 yard run (Hunt kick)
W – Bridge-Eiler 30 yard pass to Webb (LaVassuar kick)
R – Rackley 49 yard pass to Russell (Kick fail)
W – Bridge-Eiler 30 yard pass to Goggin (LaVassuar kick)
W – Bridge-Eiler 23 yard pass to Goggin (LaVassuar kick)
3rd Quarter
R – Warmouth 53 yard pass to Rackley (Hunt kick)
W – Kim 1 yard run (Kick fail)
W – Bridge-Eiler 45 yard pass to LaVassuar (LaVassuar kick)
W – Bridge-Eiler 69 yard pass to Webb (LaVassuar kick)
4th Quarter
W – Branson 1 yard run (LaVassuar kick)
