McMINNVILLE, Ore. - With an undefeated season at stake on Senior Day, fifth-ranked Linfield was not to be denied Saturday afternoon at Maxwell Field. Wildcats quarterback Aaron Boehme (Jr., Stanwood, Wash.) completed 24-of-29 passes for 374 yards and five touchdowns in just a little over a half of play, as Linfield pummeled Pacific Lutheran 62-44.

The win gives Linfield an undefeated regular season finish for the sixth time since 2000, tallying a 9-0 overall mark and a 6-0 record in the Northwest Conference. PLU concludes its season at 3-6 and 3-3 in NWC play.

Hanging tough and trailing Linfield 13-7, the wheels came off the wagon for PLU in the final minutes of the first half. It was a dreadful final 3:45 for the Lutes, as the Wildcats scored 28 unanswered points before halftime.

Linfield tailback Aaron Williams (Soph., Aptos, Calif.) got the scoring started at the 3:45 mark with an 11-yard touchdown run.

With a 20-7 lead, it was Linfield’s defense that came up big. With 2:44 left in the first half, Lutes quarterback Jordan Rasmussen was pressured by Eric Hedin (Jr., Silverdale, Wash.) and tossed an ill-advised throw right into the hands of linebacker Alex Tkachuk (Sr., Beaverton, Ore.), who returned it 22 yards for a TD.

Linfield got the ball back with 1:28 left in the half on its own 18-yard line. Buddy Saxon (Soph., Grants Pass, Ore.) provided Boehme a solid target, making three catches on the drive. With the ball on the PLU 16-yard line and 24 seconds remaining, Boehme dialed up Patterson for a 27-yard touchdown score to make it 34-7.

As if things couldn’t get any worse for PLU, the Lutes coughed up the ball deep in their own territory. With 13 seconds remaining, Paul Nishizaki (Jr., Portland, Ore.) forced the fumble before it was recovered by Hedin.

With two seconds left on the clock, Boehme hit Patterson for a 16-yard touchdown completion, giving Linfield a 41-7 lead.

It was a magical first half for Boehme. The senior quarterback picked apart a vulnerable PLU secondary to the tune of 313 yards and four touchdowns. Boehme completed 22-of-27 passes.

The main target for Boehme was physical wide receiver Trevor Patterson (Sr., Pendleton, Ore.). The Lutes had no answer for Patterson as he hauled in seven catches for 153 yards to go along with two touchdown receptions.

The Lutes caught a big break on the Wildcats first drive of the afternoon. After Linfield drove the ball down to the PLU 13 yard line, a Boehme pass caromed off tight end Russell Sells (Sr., Folsom, Calif.), shooting up in the air and into the hands of linebacker Bryan Neumiller.

PLU drove down to the Linfield 43-yard line but was promptly turned away on a third-and-four. The punt that followed forced the ‘Cats to take over at their own one-yard line.

Instead of creating some space with the run, Linfield went to the air. Boehme started the drive with a 43-yard strike to Trevor Patterson (Sr., Pendleton, Ore.) and the drive would stay alive after the Wildcats converted on a fourth-and-one on the PLU 27-yard line. At the 3:46 mark Boehme found Saxon in the back of the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown pass.

Linfield’s defense put the clamps down on the PLU passing game, allowing just 14 passing yards in the first quarter.

The ability to convert on fourth down, short yardage situations continued to be a trend for the ‘Cats. On the first play of the second quarter and facing a fourth-and-one, Linfield’s Taylor Avritt (Jr., Portland, Ore.) moved the chains on a two-yard run from its own 49-yard line.

Later on the drive, the Wildcats scored at the 11:37 mark on a Boehme touchdown pass to Chris Saunders (Soph., San Francisco, Calif.).

PLU answered back at with 6:25 remaining in the first half, on a Rasmussen touchdown pass to Cody Pohren from eight yards out. From there the Wildcats would seize control.

Boehme concluded his afternoon following his first drive of the first half. Just over three minutes into the second half, Boehme laced a 56-yard touchdown reception to Chris Slezak (Sr., Salem, Ore.).

While Linfield’s offense was clicking on all cylinders, the defense was quietly shutting down a pass-happy PLU offense. The Lutes amassed only 84 yards of total offense in the first half.

PLU got some momentum going in the second against the Wildcats second unit. The Lutes scored 35 points with their first-team offense against Linfield’s reserve in a game that was never close.

Linfield slammed home the exclamation point with 2:25 left in the game when David Hurn (Jr., Forks, Wash.) made a spectacular catch on a 41-yard touchdown strike.
The Wildcats lit up the Lutes for 644 yards of total offense.
Paul Partlow (Sr., Portland, Ore.) led Linfield with seven tackles and Andy Sturza picked up a team-high eight tackles for PLU.

Williams led Linfield with 79 yards on 14 rushes. Patterson concluded the day with 153 yards receiving and two scores.

Rasmussen completed 31 of 56 passes for 325 yards and five scores, all but 55 yards of it coming in the second half. His 56 pass attempts broke a PLU single-game record set by Marc Weekly in 1993.

NEXT: Linfield learns Sunday at noon which team it will face in the NCAA Division III playoffs. . . the playoff announcement will be broadcast live on ESPNews. . . the first-round game will be Saturday, Nov. 21, at noon.