Saint PETER, Minn. – A huge game for former Steilacoom High star Greg Ford went for naught Saturday in Pacific Lutheran’s 34-33 nonconference loss to Gustavus Adolphus.
Ford, a junior wide receiver, broke his own school record with 292 receiving yards and had four touchdown catches, but the Gusties scored the winning touchdown on a 1-yard pass with 12 seconds remaining.
The Lutes (1-3) took a 33-22 lead with 10:17 left when Ford caught his fourth TD pass, a 34-yard strike from AJ Palazzolo.
Gustavus (2-3 overall) promptly drove 63 yards and scored on Jordan Becker’s 6-yard pass to Blake Noennig, cutting the PLU lead to 33-28 with 6:28 left.
PLU picked up one first down on its ensuing possession but eventually punted, and a 31-yard return by Cody Sukalski gave the hosts the ball at their own 44 with 3:52 remaining.
The Gusties methodically drove down the field and had a first-and-goal at the PLU 2. On third-and-goal, Becker threw in the flat to Elliott Herdina, and he plucked the ball off his shoetops, turned and dove into the end zone for the winning score.
Ford caught 13 passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns. The 292 yards eclipses the school record 272 receiving yards he set last year in a PLU victory over Lewis & Clark.
With 13 receptions, he fell one shy of tying the school record 14 catches set by Gavin Stanley, now Ford’s receivers coach, against Western Washington in 1993.
Ford caught 57- and 33-yard touchdown passes from Jordan Rasmussen in the second quarter and 23- and 34-yard scoring throws from Palazzolo in the fourth period.
