Fast Break: Football almost wins, golf dominates, I’m sensing a theme here …

Students of Willamette play a game of pickup soccer with the ducks. Art by Alyssa Diggdon.

Hello, Bearcat Fan! Bearcat soccer and volleyball, the Oregon Ducks, and the Chicago Bears all had byes this week, so for the first time in quite a while, I didn’t watch a lot of sports over the weekend — at least, not with much fervor. It makes me feel weird. Who is that? In the mirror? And what does she want? I don’t know! Onto the news!

Football almost won their first conference match since 2016 against Pacific Lutheran away on Saturday, but fell to the Lutes with a final score of 28-31. This was their best result against the Lutes since 2015, however, so things might be looking up. The Bearcats led by two scores at the end of the second quarter but gave up multiple turnovers and a safety in the second half to lose the game. Sorry, football.

Defending champs men’s golf won the Pacific Invitational by six strokes, narrowly edging out rival Whitman Blues in the 13-team competition. AJ Papajohn (’27) led the Bearcats individually, tying with Pacific’s Ryan Murray for No. 2, with Brock Olson and Oliver Smith (’26) close behind, tying in the No. 4 spot. 

Women’s golf, better known as Saida Seelig (’26) also competed at the Pacific Invitational, tying for No. 40 in individual rankings.

Triathlon traveled all the way out to sunny DeWitt, Illinois to compete in the aptly named Prairie State Cup, earning a No. 9 team finish, as Sofie Szigeti (’28) won the ’Cats 60 points with her No. 55 individual finish. 

Cross-country hosted the Charles Bowles Invitational on Saturday, with the men earning a No. 15 team finish and the women a No. 17. 

In the wider world of sport: WNBA drama comes to a head as the Las Vegas Aces go up 2-0 in the championship series against the Phoenix Mercury. Both Penn State and Texas were knocked out of the Top 25 CFB rankings after two embarrassing losses over the weekend, and UMiami has been bumped up to No. 2, edging out Oregon, who is now No. 3 after a bye week. The Ohio State Buckeyes are still No. 1 because, as we’ve previously concluded, the Earth is cruel and its evil boundless. There are no more undefeated NFL teams, as both the Buffalo Bills and the Philadelphia Eagles faced their first losses of the season on Sunday. MLB playoffs are heating up—unless you’re a Yankees fan, all of whom I presume are just praying for a swift end to their suffering. 

In the coming weeks: Volleyball and soccer resume conference play after a bye, with all three teams facing the Pacific Boxers and Lewis & Clark Pioneers this coming weekend. Football also plays the Pios this weekend at home, in hopes of redeeming themselves after their heartbreaking loss to the Lutes. Golf competes in the NWC Fall Classic over in the war-torn lands of Lake Oswego, Oregon next Monday, so make sure you pack your bulletproof vests, everyone.