SPOKANE, Wash. – A big third quarter by both the defense and the offense gave the Chapman University football team its first win of the season in a 49-34 victory over host Whitworth University (Wash.) on Saturday afternoon at the Pine Bowl. The Panthers converted three Whitworth turnovers into touchdowns within the first 8:02 of the third quarter, quickly turning an eight-point halftime lead into a 29-point advantage.

Chapman (1-1) earned its first-ever victory in Spokane after previously going 0-3 at Whitworth. It marked the second straight win for the Panthers in the all-time series with the Pirates and Chapman has now won three of the past four meetings as well.

Leading 28-20 at halftime, it was a pair of third-quarter interceptions – one by junior DB Drew DeMarco, one by sophomore DB Conner Larkin – and a fumble that gave the Panthers control of what had been a back-and-forth offensive affair in the first half. Chapman junior RB Jeremiah McKibbins and the offense capitalized on a short field in their first possession of the half and McKibbins scored on a 4-yard run to give the Panthers a two-touchdown lead 35-20.

Larkin's pick halted Whitworth's next drive on Chapman's 4 yard line and the Panthers responded by marching 96 yards for another score, capped by a 48-yard scoring pass from senior QB Michael Lahey to junior WR Austin Schaefer with 8:20 to go in the third.

Whitworth (3-1) coughed up its third turnover of the quarter on the first play of its next drive and Chapman followed with another 50-yard drive and another McKibbins touchdown run from 8 yards out. That gave the Panthers a 49-20 lead with 6:58 remaining in the third. That would be the last of the Chapman scoring for the afternoon.

In the first half, both teams traded offensive blows, each scoring touchdowns in their first three possessions. Only a blocked PAT by the Panthers gave them a slim 21-20 advantage midway through the second quarter. Lahey and senior RB Kean Stancil connected on a pair of touchdown passes from 6 and 8 yards out early on.

Chapman earned a little breathing room heading into halftime on a 1-yard touchdown run by Lahey with just 3 seconds left in the quarter to give the Panthers a 28-20 lead.

For the day, Chapman totaled 589 yards of total offense, including 346 through the air. Lahey finished the day completing 25 of 32 passes for 302 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed 15 times for a team-high 98 yards and a score. The game marked the third time in his career Lahey has surpassed the 300-yard plateau. Four different Panthers had at least five catches, including senior WRs Sean Myers and Blayr Jimmerson who had six apiece for 83 and 73 yards, respectively.

Chapman will open SCIAC play next Saturday when they travel to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges at 1 p.m.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/fball/2014-15/boxscores/20140927_2msf.xml

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