NEWBERG, Ore. -- Though the George Fox football team pounced on the Linfield Wildcats early — taking a 14-0 first quarter lead thanks to several explosive plays — they ultimately came up just short of their first win over the Wildcats since the program's return, losing, 35-17.

How It Happened
Though the Bruins hadn't downed Linfield in over a century on the gridiron, they showed no nerves in the opening stages of the game. Two massive plays help give Fox their best first quarter of the season — both by Bruin running backs. First, it was William Moffitt, who got in on the action for the GFU special teams. Moffitt blocked the Wildcats' first punt of the game, scrambling to recover the ball in the end zone and give his team a 7-0 lead.

Four minutes later, it was the Bruins' other running back that stepped up: Taylor Saben. JJ Leman found the senior tailback on a perfect wheel route, finding him down the sideline; Saben rewarded his quarterback by taking the ball and outracing the Wildcat defense, taking the ball 53 yards to the house to give his team a 14-0 lead.

The 14-point lead was the largest for the Bruins over Linfield since the program's return in 2014, with the 14 points the most scored in a quarter versus the Wildcats as well. And though a GFU fumble seemed to turn the tide in favor of the visitors, an Austin Harrison interception in the end zone kept the Homecoming crowd in good spirits. After the first period, Fox led, 14-0.

If the first quarter belonged to George Fox, the second belonged to Linfield. The Wildcats outgained the Bruins 124-40 and outscored Fox 14-0 to tie the game heading into halftime. The quarter started solid for the home defense, with the Bruin D stopping Wildcats QB Luke McNabb four straight times in a goal-to-go situation to force a turnover on downs; Duke Alderete-Labuguen and Caleb McElfish recorded the touchdown-saving tackle on 4th & Goal.

However, McNabb and the Wildcats got the ball in GFU territory and moved the ball on their next possession. The junior QB hurdled a man on a 17-yard run on 3rd & 16 before finding Dane Meddaugh over the middle for a touchdown. Two minutes later, McNabb found Caleb Woodcock, who broke a tackle and worked his way to the end zone. The play, which was initially called down at the one-yard line but was overturned upon review, tied the score, 14-14, headed into halftime.

The second half could not have started more differently for the Bruins than the first; Leman's pass on the first play from scrimmage was intercepted. The Wildcats marched down the field, scoring on another McNabb passing TD to give Linfield their first lead of the game. Though there would be no additional points in the third quarter, there were still highlights for the Bruins — Jacob Erickson barely blocking a field goal attempt and Ty Borde picking off a pass to end the period down 21-14.

It was Borde's interception that put the Bruins in business, and they cashed in on the first play of the fourth quarter; Ben Rembisz scored Fox's first points since the first quarter with a career-long 40-yard field goal.

11 seconds later, Linfield was on the board. Reid Gray took the kick at the six-yard line and rocketed down the east sideline 94 yards for a touchdown to put the Wildcats firmly in control. Though the Bruins took advantage of several Linfield penalties to get into the red zone, back-to-back large losses left Rembisz with a 44-yard field goal; this time, the junior's kick was blocked.

An insurance touchdown from the Wildcats extended the lead to 35-17, but the Bruins kept fighting. Leman found Karsen Denault for his weekly 47-yard gain, and hit Dreylen Tolentino twice to get the Bruins into the red zone again. Though the Bruins would turn the ball over on downs and lose the game, 35-17, they showed great promise for another week in a hard-fought game.

Top Performances
The 17 points for the Bruins were tied for the most against the Wildcats since the program's return in 2014. William Moffitt had six of those thanks to his first career blocked punt and punt return TD; in addition, the running back had a career-high seven catches for 45 yards. Quarterback JJ Leman had a career-high of his own with 209 yards passing on 18-45 passing, with one TD and one INT. Taylor Saben had 18 yards rushing, 58 yards receiving and a score, and 100 yards returning. Karsen Denault totaled three catches for 58 yards.

Defensively, Jacob Erickson led the team in tackles yet again with 13 tackles, 2.5 of which were for a loss. Erickson also blocked a kick for the Bruins. Erickson and Zak Holsey each recorded 1.5 sacks, while Austin Harrison and Ty Borde each had an interception. Caleb McElfish and Ben Nuss were the other players to record 10-plus tackles, with McElfish totaling 12 tackles and Nuss 10.

Coach's Thoughts
"That game came down to field position and we didn't play disciplined enough to win," Bruin head coach Spencer Crace said, "You can't give a team like Linfield a short field, you have to make them earn it. We gave them too many opportunities inside our territory, and that was the biggest difference. I thought this young team showed grit! I know one thing for sure: we're one of the toughest 0-4 teams in the country, and these guys get better every week. I'm proud of my team. They showed that we aren't afraid of anyone and that's all I can ask for."

What It Means
The Bruins fall to 0-4 (0-1 NWC) on the season, though they have shown improvement in every game. Linfield improves to 2-1 (1-0 NWC).

What Happens Next
Fox will be on the road next against another tough opponent, facing Whitworth (2-2, 1-0 NWC) in Spokane, Wash. The game is scheduled for 1:00 pm.