After a hard-fought regular season, the Linfield Wildcats are once again outright champions of the Northwest Conference and are headed to their 32^nd postseason appearance, their 17^th since joining the NCAA in 1998.
 
They will host the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, champions of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this Saturday, with kickoff set for 12:05 PDT.
 
2022 marks the first SCIAC championship and first postseason appearance for Pomona-Pitzer since splitting from Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in 1955.
 
Linfield (9-0, 7-0) and Pomona-Pitzer (8-2, 5-1) have never met before in the regular season or postseason.
 
Linfield is ranked fourth in the nation in the AFCA D-III Coach's Poll and fifth in the D3Football.com Top-25. They were ranked second among all teams in Region 6 as determined by the NCAA. The Wildcats have an all-time national playoff record of 44-27 (.620 and are one of 12 unbeaten teams competing in this season's 32-team field.

TICKETS
Both reserved grandstand seating and general admission tickets can be purchased in advance online at https://linfieldsports.universitytickets.com/
or at the Maxwell Field ticket booth on gameday, starting two hours before kickoff.

All reserved grandstand seating tickets are $25, while general admission tickets are $15 for adults with discounts available for seniors, children and youth and students.
 
A healthy supply of general admission tickets will be on sale at the ticket booth on Saturday. Gates open at 10 a.m.
 
As this is an NCAA sanctioned event, every spectator must purchase a ticket for admission. Northwest Conference passes and sponsor passes will not be honored. Linfield students, faculty and staff are also expected to pay for admission. 
 
LIVE COVERAGE
Live video and play-play-play coverage will be provided online on the Linfield Sports Network as well as on KRCW-32, Portland's CW, available to Portland, Vancouver and Salem-area Wildcat fans.
 
Linfield alum Joe Stuart provides fans with the play-by-play and former Linfield All-American running back Gary McGarvie brings color commentary and analysis on both streaming and television. Coverage starts 30 minutes before kickoff on the LSN with the "Farnham Electric Pregame Show."
 
THE SEASON SO FAR
The Wildcats have rolled to their second consecutive undefeated regular season and third consecutive NWC Championship under head Coach Joseph Smith. It is the 12^th NWC title and seventh undefeated regular season under Smith, who is 147-27 overall in his 17 seasons as head coach and 19-11 in the postseason.
 
The Wildcats have outscored their opponents 428 to 94 this season, 366-57 against conference opponents, and 217-17 over the final four games of the regular season.
 
Their most notable wins this season came 41-34 at Huntingdon (9-1, 7-0) in the season opener, the champions of the USA South Conference for now two consecutive seasons, 21-3 vs 2021 SCIAC champion Redlands (4-6, 4-2) on Sept. 17, and substantial wins against the two second-place teams in the NWC, 45-0 vs Pacific Lutheran (6-4, 5-2) on Oct. 22 and 37-10 at George Fox (8-2, 5-2) on Oct. 29.
 
The Sagehens had to scrap for their first-ever SCIAC Championship and first-ever postseason appearance, with the conference title coming down to the last game of the year against their "Sixth Street Rivals" Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (7-2, 5-1) with a 28-14 win.
 
Pomona-Pitzer outscored their opponents 354 to 165 over the course of the season, and 210 to 101 against SCIAC opponents under fifth year head coach John Walsh, who is 25-20 since taking over the program.
 
The Sagehens' two losses came both in overtime. They lost to Pacific (5-4, 4-3) on Sept. 17, 23-20, and to Redlands on Oct. 29, 27-24.
 
Linfield beat Pacific and Redlands by a combined 63-24.
 
THE LINFIELD OFFENSE
Linfield has clicked on all cylinders over the past month and has been the best offense in the NWC and the nation all season long.
 
They end the year first in the league and fourth in the nation in scoring offense with 47.6 points per game and first in the league and 19^th in the nation in total offense at 460.7 yards per game under co-offensive coordinators Brett Elliott and Aaron Boehme.
 
They've averaged 292.6 passing yards per game, second in the conference and 19^th in the country, and 166.8 rushing yards per game, best in the NWC. Linfield is the fifth-best third down offense in the nation, converting on 54.6 percent of third down chances.
 
They've scored 52 touchdowns this year and are coming off back-to-back season highs in total offense, racking up 531 yards on Nov. 5 vs Willamette before blowing that out of the water with one of the all-time great offensive days in Linfield history last week at Lewis & Clark with 659 yards, the sixth-most ever by the Wildcats in a single game.
 
The 659 yards overall were fueled by 445 rushing, the second most net yards rushing by Linfield ever in a single game, a number the Wildcats hadn't even approached since rushing for 330 yards at Puget Sound in 2010.
 
Sophomore quarterback Blake Eaton has shown the capability to be a top starting quarterback in Division-III throughout his first season running the Linfield offense despite the pressure that comes with playing the position for the Wildcats.
 
Eaton is fresh off his first All-NWC First Team selection after leading the league in touchdowns with 28 and finishing second in passing yards per game with 230.7 yards. He's also added 44 yards and 4 touchdowns in the running game.
 
As just a sophomore Eaton has been one of the most accurate quarterbacks in Division-III, with his 71.9 percent completion rate sitting sixth in the nation. He has registered a completion rate over 70 percent in all but two games this season and has thrown just five interceptions on 281 pass attempts.

Senior Connor McNabb leads a Linfield rushing attack that has looked deadly in recent weeks.
 
McNabb capped the regular season with the best game of his collegiate career, rushing 12 times for 182 yards, and two touchdowns. It was the first 100-yard rushing day of McNabb's career and his fourth with multiple rushing touchdowns.
 
His performance tied Leo Sloan of the 1979 Linfield team for the ninth-best individual single-game rushing total in Wildcat history, and his 15.2 yards per carry are the second highest by any Wildcat in a single game.
 
On the season, McNabb has ran for 528 yards, fourth in the NWC, and six touchdowns, third in the NWC, with an average of 5.7 yards per carry. He's also added 13 catches for 175 yards and a touchdown.
 
He was named NWC Offensive Student Athlete of the Week for the second time this season for his performance in Portland, and was named to the All-NWC First Team for the second time in his career.
 
A host of Linfield running backs filled out the stable nicely behind McNabb, who did not play in the second half thanks to the substantial Linfield lead. Through the season juniors Aaron Martinez, Tyler Larson and Zach Young as well as graduate transfer Bishop Mitchell have been called on to contribute and should factor into the backfield mix in the playoffs.
 
As they were last season, all three of Linfield's starting wide receivers have been named to the All-NWC First Team once again in 2022.
 
Junior Joel Valadez has led the group in receptions and yardage this year, with 49 catches, tied for fifth in the NWC, and 696 receiving yards, third in the NWC. His seven touchdowns are sixth in the league.
 
Valadez ended the regular season with a touchdown of each of the final three games of the year.
 
Senior Colton Smith is just behind Valadez with 48 catches and 607 yards. His eight touchdowns this season are tied for fourth in the NWC, and his now 29 touchdowns in his career are tied for the fourth most in Linfield history.
 
Smith has been a threat both deep down the field and underneath this season, with at six catches in five of his last six games this year.
 
The trio is rounded out by senior Devon Murray, whose 10 touchdowns are second in the conference and 21^st in D-III. Murray is also top-10 in the conference in receptions with 40 and top-15 receiving yards with 416.
 
Murray has scored five of his touchdowns in the last four games of the season.
 
Junior tight end Franco Keplinger is yet another First Team All-NWC selection for the Linfield offense this year, having caught 10 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown as well as providing crucial support in Linfield's blocking schemes.
 
He's joined at tight end by senior Isaac Hoidal, who has caught 18 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown this season.
 
The Wildcats' offensive line proved to be hands-down the best in the conference this season, helping make the offense one of the most unstoppable in the country. They garnered five all-league selections this season, including three repeating on the first team.
 
Fifth-year senior and 2021 All-American Julien Sears highlights the group at right guard. He was joined on the All-NWC First Team by fellow fifth-year seniors Taylor Adams at right tackle and Matt Metcalf at center.
 
Left guard is held down for the Wildcats by junior Bailey Lee, named to the All-NWC second team this season for the second time in his career.
 
Left tackle has been split between fifth-year senior Tyler Critser and junior Diego Rodriguez, who garnered his first career All-NWC honors this week with an Honorable Mention all-conference selection.

THE POMONA-PITZER OFFENSE
The Sagehens showed solid offensive ability on their way to their first ever SCIAC title, sitting second in the league in both total offense (444.1 yards per game) and scoring offense (37.5 points per game) under offensive coordinator Brian Carroll.
 
Much like Linfield, they run a balanced system, averaging 36.3 pass attempts and 35.4 rush attempts per game. They are second in the conference in both passing and rushing at 282.8 yards per game through the air and 161.3 yards per game on the ground.
 
Pomona-Pitzer has scored 31 touchdowns with the pass and 24 via the run. They are the fifth-best fourth down offense in D-III, converting on 19 of 24 chances on fourth down this season.
 
The offense is led by 2022 SCIAC Offensive Player of the Year, senior quarterback Skylar Noble.
 
In his first season as the starter Noble kept SCIAC defenders on their toes with his dual-threat ability, accounting for 34 total touchdowns. He finished second in the league in passing with 230.3 yards per game with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 65.8 percent of his passes.
 
On the ground he was the league's third leading rusher with 77.3 yards per game on 4.2 yards per attempts, scoring 13 touchdowns, tied for first in the league.
 
Noble has ran for multiple touchdowns in five games this season, but has thrown for three or more touchdowns just twice.
 
Noble's 773 total rushing yards on 184 attempts this season easily leads the Sagehens, but senior running backs Dom Norris and Kenric Jameison should mix into the run game as well.
 
Norris has run the ball 45 times for 185 yards (4.1 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns this season. Jameison has registered 192 yards on 32 attempts (6.0 yards per attempt).
 
Norris has also added 26 catches for 187 yards while Jameison has 20 catches for 147 yards.
 
Noble's top target in the passing game has been twin tight ends, juniors Quentin and Sander Wimmer of Hollis, New Hampshire.
 
Quentin was just named a First Team All-SCIAC selection, leading the league with 56 receptions, finishing fourth in yards with 687 and second in touchdowns with nine. He is coming off a seven catch, 119 yard, two touchdown performance in the SCIAC championship game against CMS.
 
Sander finished ninth in the SCIAC in receptions with 35, tenth in yards with 403 and tied for fourth in touchdowns with seven. His biggest game of the season just two weeks ago against Whittier, in which he posted 104 yards and two touchdowns on six catches.
 
Graduate student Will Radice is the top wide receiver for the Pomona-Pitzer offense, sitting second on the team and fifth in the SCIAC in catches with 44, leading to 452 yards, eighth in the league, and three touchdowns.
 
Radice is joined at receiver by seniors Jason Kennel, Nate Miles and Clark Baker.
 
The Sagehen offensive line is led by First Team All-SCIAC selection Adam Camargo at center and Michael Collins and left tackle, both seniors.
 
Fellow senior Carson French joins them at right guard while junior Matt Donohoe starts at right tackle and sophomore Tristan Furnish starts at left guard.
 
THE LINFIELD DEFENSE
As unstoppable as the Linfield offense has been in recent weeks, the defense has been just as unstoppable under defensive coordinator Jackson Vaughan and pass defense coordinator Phil Rombach.
 
On the season the Wildcats have are number one in the conference and number 11 in the nation in both scoring defense and total defense with 10.4 points per game allowed and 222.0 yards per game allowed.
 
Against conference opponents, they allowed just 8.1 points and 206.4 yards per game. Over the final four games of the season they were even more impressive, allowing just 4.25 points and 190.25 yards per game.
 
Somehow, they've been even better than their offensive counterparts on third down, and in fact have been better than any team in the land. They've allowed teams to convert on just 20 percent of third down chances, tops in the nation.
 
Linfield's allowed the fewest first downs of any team in the country this year, just 100, and boasts the fourth-best run defense in the country allowing just 44.7 yards per game on the ground.
 
The Wildcat defense has registered 19 takeaways as well this season, with 11 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. The 'Cats have forced at least one turnover in every game this season.
 
The Wildcats have built their defense on the strength of an elite pass-rush, leading the nation in team sacks per game with 4.11 (31 total). They also averaged 8.1 team tackles for loss per game (73 total), second in the NWC and 22^nd in D-III.
 
The defensive line can disrupt any offense at a moment's notice, highlighted at defensive end by sixth-year senior, 2021 NWC Defensive Player of the Year and All-American Travis Swanson.
 
Swanson had to settle for All-NWC Second Team this year due to missing a couple of games to injury, but still managed to lead the team and finish second in the NWC in sacks with 8.5 and tie for the team lead and fourth in the NWC with 12 tackles for loss. So far in 2022 he totaled 23 tackles overall, 17 solo, with two quarterback hurries, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
He's joined at defensive end by fifth-year senior Vinny Niosi, fresh off an All-NWC Honorable Mention selection. Niosi recorded 15 tackles this year, with four for loss and three sacks to go with a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a quarterback hurries.
 
It's not one, but two First Team All-NWC honorees at defensive tackle for the Wildcats with fifth-year senior Chase Lydig and junior Nick Severson.
 
Both with three sacks apiece, Severson has 27 tackles 5.5 for loss and a quarterback hurry. Lydig has added 19 tackles with 4.5 for loss with two breakups, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.
 
Fifth-year senior Grayson Cosier, juniors Caleb Sell and Alex Frazier, sophomore Connor Stevens and freshman Grady Kenth could all spell the starters along the defensive line.
 
Junior linebacker Blake Rybar leads a linebacker corps that has gotten better every week and was named the 2022 NWC Defensive Player of the Year, the second consecutive season the award's gone to a Wildcat, and the 14^th time overall.
 
Rybar leads the team in tackles with 52 this season, 37 of them solo. He's tied with Swanson for first on the team and fourth in the league in tackles for loss with 12, and is second on the team in sacks with 3.5. Rybar has also recorded a quarterback hurry and a forced fumble.
 
Rybar is joined at linebacker by junior Logan Carr, who is third on the team in tackles with 34, including 17 solo. Carr also has 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble to go with a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup, both recorded last week against Lewis & Clark when he tied for the team lead in tackles with six.
 
Rybar and Carr will be backed up by senior Tyler Good and freshman Blaze Holani. Senior Chris Collins, junior Mason Kincheloe and others may also mix into the linebacker rotation.
 
Junior Caiden Biege-Wetherbee bridges the gap between the linebackers and the secondary at the rover position, and was named First Team All-NWC for the second time in his career based on his efforts this season.
 
His 38 tackles are second on the team only to Rybar, and he's contributed four tackles for loss. He has one interception and a fumble recovery to go with five pass breakups, tied for the team high with junior cornerback Chance Sparks.
An Honorable Mention All-NWC selection, Sparks holds down one starting corner position while junior Evan Fisette locks down the opposite side.
 
Sparks has 20 tackles, 19 solo, in addition to his five breakups, a forced fumble and his one interception on the season, which he returned for a touchdown on Oct. 22 against Pacific Lutheran.
 
Fisette's one interception on the season was also a "pick-six" against the Lutes. Fisette has recorded 15 tackles and three pass breakups, as well as a blocked kick.
 
The starting secondary is filled out by senior Ben Baxter at the starting safety position and sophomore Colby Kalaukoa at monster. Both were named to the All-NWC team as well, with Kalaukoa on the Second Team and Baxter as an Honorable Mention.
 
Kalaukoa is fourth on the team in tackles with 30 and has one pass breakup. Baxter has recorded 14 tackles with two breakups. Both have two interceptions apiece, leading the team and tied for fifth in the conference.
 
Other DB's that could see postseason action are seniors Jett Searle and Justin Pfau, Adin Wolf and Des Phillips, sophomores Makai Williams and Cruz Braun and freshman Johnny Miller.
 
THE POMONA-PITZER DEFENSE
The Sagehens have posted the second-best defensive numbers in the SCIAC this year, sitting second in the league in total defense at 232.5 yards per game allowed and second in scoring defense with 15.0 points per game allowed.
 
A staunch defensive front has led to Pomona-Pitzer allowing 174.0 passing yards per game and a SCIAC-leading 58.5 yards per game against the run. They also lead the conference in sacks with 30, and are second in turnovers forced with 19, 11 from interceptions and eight from fumbles.
 
All three starting defensive linemen for the Sagehens, all seniors, earned all-conference nods this season, with defensive ends Nicholas DelBiaggio and Graham Olson earning First Team consideration and nose tackle Mark Carling receiving Second Team honors.
 
Olson led the trio on the year with 26 tackles, was second in the SCIAC with 12 tackles for loss and nine sacks, and forced two fumbles.
 
DelBiaggio recorded 25 tackles, was top-10 in the league in tackles for loss with 8.5 and tied for fifth in sacks with five. He's also added a forced fumble, two recoveries and three pass breakups, tied for third on the team.
 
Carling rounds out the group with 23 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and three sacks. He's also added a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
 
Senior Thali Cobb and juniors Ethan Norris and Sathya Siddepureddy could see action this Saturday as well.
 
First Team All-SCIAC honoree Thomas McConnell leads Sagehen linebackers as just a sophomore.
 
McConnell led the team and was sixth in the SCIAC this year with 66 tackles, 29 of them solo. He's added six tackles for loss, a sack, two pass breakups and two blocked kicks.
He's joined at linebacker by seniors Nate Barewin, second on the team in tackles with 53, and Will Welch. Sophomore Eamon Glascott rounds out the starting group.
 
An experienced secondary is led by senior Briggs Garrison, who is third on the team in tackles with 45 and has recorded three pass breakups.
 
He's joined at safety by fellow senior Garrett Pittman, who has 21 tackles and leads the team with two interceptions and 10 pass breakups, which leads the SCIAC.
 
Two more seniors start at cornerback, with Andrew Olson and Viashnav Siddepureddy. The duo has combined for five pass breakups this season.
 
LINFIELD SPECIAL TEAMS
Linfield's ability in the third phase of game has been elite. The Wildcats are the number one return team in Division-III this season, leading the nation with 46 returns and 653 yards, scoring four touchdowns.
 
Sophomore Maclain Stoneking is the number one return man in the country, racking up 407 punt return yards and scoring two touchdowns. He averages 16.16 yards per returns and was named to the All-NWC First Team as a return specialist.
 
Senior Paul Thie has returned alongside Stoneking and is 21^st in D-III in punt return yards with 189 yards, averaging 12.6 per return, with one touchdown.
 
With the dominance of Linfield's defense, both have been called upon far more often to return punts than kickoffs.
 
But Stoneking has returned seven kickoffs for 166 yards (23.71 per return) while Thie's returned four for 102 yards (25.5 per return).
 
Sophomore Gavin Dalziel has handled PATs and field goals for the Wildcats this season. His six made field goals are tied for second in the NWC, on 10 attempts. His season-long was a 43-yarder against George Fox. He's also connected on 54 of 56 PATs
 
Freshman Nolan Ahmann has been succcesual as the kickoff specialist in his first collegiate season. Ahmann has kicked off 67 times, averaging 56.6 yards per kickoff with 10 touchbacks. He has only put two kicks out of bounds all season.
 
Ahmann is coming off his first career NWC Special Teams Student Athlete of the Week nod for his performance against Lewis & Clark, in which he kicked off seven times, averaging 59 yards per kick and kicking two touchbacks.
 
Freshman Cade Johanssen and senior Thomas Tabor have shared punting duties this season.
 
Johannsen has punted 18 times with an average of 38.72 yards, causing six fair catches, putting five punts inside the 20, and punting two longer than 50 yards.
 
Tabor has punted seven times with an average of 46.71 yards, inducing two fair catches, putting four inside the 20, punting two longer than 50 yards and sending one through the back of the end zone for a touchback.
 
The Linfield special teams unit has also managed to block two kicks and one punt this season.
 
POMONA-PITZER SPECIAL TEAMS
Junior Cameron Shirangi has handled placekicking, punting and kickoff duties for much of the season.
 
He is five for nine on field goal attempts this year, but a perfect 37-for-37 on PAT attempts. His longest field goal of the season came from 31 yards.
 
Shirangi also handles kickoffs and punts for Pomona-Pitzer and is averaging 38.2 yards per punt. He has put 17 punts inside the 20-yard line.
 
Shirangi will still handle kickoffs and punts for the Sagehens, but will be replaced at placekicker by senior Kyler Parris. Parris is one for two on field goals attempts and nine for 10 on PATs. His one made field goal was from 20 yards.
 
Kenric Jameison and senior Cole Barry handle kickoff returns for the Sagehens, while Barry and junior George Blue handle punt returns.
 
Barry averages 20.8 yards per kick return and 13.3 yards per punt return. Jameison averages 21.6 yards per kick return. Blue averages 10.7 yards per kick return and -0.5 yards per punt return.
 
THE SERIES
This will be the first football meeting between Linfield and Pomona-Pitzer … Against teams from the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Linfield has an all-time record of 30-4; that includes marks of 20-0 at home and 10-4 on the road … Linfield's overall records against SCIAC schools: vs. Redlands, 10-1; vs. California Lutheran, 7-2; vs. Chapman, 5-1; vs. Whittier, 3-0; vs. Occidental, 3-0; and vs. LaVerne, 2-0 … In national playoff games, Linfield has a record of 10-2 against SCIAC teams; that includes 10-0 at home.
 
HEAD COACH JOSEPH SMITH
Joseph Smith is in his 16th season as Linfield's head coach; he has an overall record of 147-27 (.845), which is the highest winning percentage of any head coach in Wildcat football history … Smith's record includes marks of 117-16 (.880) in the regular season, 98-6 (.942) in Northwest Conference games, 81-7 (.920) at home and 19-11 (.633) in the postseason … during Smith's tenure, Linfield has won 12 NWC titles, including the 2022 crown; 11 of those have been outright, including this season … during Smith's tenure, Linfield has put together seven unbeaten regular seasons.
 
NATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Linfield is making its 32nd national playoff appearance and that includes a school-record nine straight from 2009-2017. Linfield's first national playoff appearance was in the NAIA bracket in 1961 … Linfield has an all-time national playoff record of 44-27 (.620). In national playoff games, Linfield's home record is 36-7 (.837) including a 33-7 mark (.825) at Maxwell Field; the Wildcats are 6-17 (.261) on the road in national playoff games and 2-3 (.400) at neutral sites … Linfield has won four national championships: 1982, 1984, 1986 (all NAIA Division II) and 2004 (NCAA Division III).
 
ALL-TIME
2022 saw Linfield put together an unbeaten, untied regular season for the 21st time in school history; the most recent had been a 9-0 record in 2021 and the first was a 1-0 record in 1900.
 
HOME FIELD
Linfield has won 23 straight home games dating back to 2017; and the Wildcats also won 25 in a row from 2009-12. The school record is 31 straight from 1960-66.
 
NASTY IN NOVEMBER
The Wildcats have always dominated the further the season gets along, as exhibited by Linfield outscoring 135-7 through two games in November this season … Since 1976 Linfield is 108-23-1 in November (.818 win percentage) and 61-10-1 at home in November (.847 win percentage) … since Linfield and the NWC joined the NCAA in 1998, the Wildcats are 40-3 at home in November (.930 win percentage).