In its eighth NAIA championship tournament, and its third title game, Linfield at last hit the jackpot. The Wildcats dominated William Jewell (Mo.) 33-15 at McMinnville High School’s Wortman Stadium.
It didn’t start out like that. William Jewell scored on an 86-yard pass-and-run 19 seconds into the game. But Linfield was undaunted – it was the eighth time in 12 games the ‘Cats had fallen behind that season. Linfield tied the score in four plays, including a 38-yard kickoff return.
The Wildcats recovered five William Jewell fumbles and intercepted five passes, controlling the rest of the game before a paid crowd of 4,598 and a Northwest television audience estimated at 100,000.
Quarterback Randy Mueller threw three touchdown passes, completing 18 of 33 with no interceptions. The Wildcats set a season record of 39 pass interceptions that still stands.
The NAIA honored as All-Americans center Brad Gilbertson, defensive guard Jim Winston, offensive tackle Dave Lorenz and Mueller.
