TACOMA, Wash. – Wyatt Smith passed for five touchdowns and ran for another score, carrying No. 9 Linfield to a lopsided 56-7 Northwest Conference victory over the Puget Sound Loggers Saturday afternoon at Baker Stadium.
 
Linfield (3-0, 1-0 NWC) piled up a season-high 545 yards of offense while stretching its series win streak over the Loggers to 31 games.
 
Puget Sound (0-4, 0-1 NWC) remained winless in four outings, though the Loggers looked as though they might give the Wildcats a decent challenge when the game was tied 7-7 early in the second quarter.
 
Smith became Linfield's all-time leader in pass completions, passing former Wildcats All-American Sam Riddle, who connected on 593 passes from 2013 to 2016. The record-setting completion went to his brother, Colton Smith, on the Wildcats' second offensive series.
 
Wyatt Smith ended the game with 336 yards passing, completing 24 of 33 without an interception. For the third straight game, Linfield's offensive line did not yield a single quarterback sack.
 
The Smith brothers broke the ice just three minutes into the contest, combining for a 49-yard bomb down the left sideline. Puget Sound answered with its only scoring play of the game, a 10-yard rush by tailback Silas Washington in the opening minute of the second quarter.
 
Linfield found its stride after that, scoring 28 unanswered points to take a commanding 35-7 advantage into the halftime locker room. Smith tossed scoring strikes to Devon Murray, Chance Sparks, Franco Keplinger in order before plunging over the goal line himself from four yards out with 28 seconds remaining before the break.
 
Linfield kept the pressure on Puget Sound to start the second half as Colton and Wyatt Smith connected again for a 10-yard TD to cap a six-play, 75-yard drive just two minutes into the third quarter. Tailback Connor McNabb sliced through the middle of the line for an eight-yard score on the Wildcats' next series, putting the game completely out of reach.
 
Will French put the final points on the board, hauling in a seven-yard pass from backup Michael Schutz.
 
Colton Smith led Linfield's receiving corps with five catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns. McNabb caught four balls for 78 yards and Connor Morton had four receptions for 46 yards.
 
Tyler Sitton led the Linfield defensive charge with seven tackles. The Wildcats held the Loggers to a modest 174 yards, including just 53 yards rushing. Ben Baxter contributed six stops and Vinny Niosi added five tackles.
 
Linfield continued its remarkable efficiency on third down, converting 12 of 14 third-down plays. Puget Sound went 1 for 20 on third down as Loggers QB Murdock Rutledge completed just 18 of 41 throws for 109 yards. He was sacked three times.
 
AHEAD
Linfield returns to Maxwell Field for Homecoming to face the Whitworth Pirates. Kickoff on Saturday is set for 1:30 p.m.
 
LINFIELD COVID-19 PROTOCOLS
All individuals (age 12 and over) entering any athletics venue must provide proof of vaccination along with photo identification. Since all Linfield faculty, staff and students have completed this task in order to be on campus this fall, the Linfield individual must simply show their current Linfield ID.
 
Masks must be worn by all spectators at all times. Participants, including players, coaches, support staff and media on the sidelines, must wear masks throughout the duration of all athletic events, both indoor and outdoor, and during pregame and postgame activities.