Wash. U. wideout Treyton Lamphier catches what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the Bears’ Saturday afternoon win over North Park at Francis Olympic Field. (Photo courtesy: WashU Athletics)

Scoring by Quarter1234T
North Park University (0-2)70007
Washington University (1-1)014131441

DeMarcus Dixon
Staff Writer

The Washington University football team picked up its first win of the 2021 fall season, Saturday afternoon in their home opener at Francis Olympic Field, with a convincing 41-7 victory over visiting North Park University.

Wash. U. was led by its quarterback, junior Matt Rush, who completed 21-of-31 passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns, including two scores in the final 1:15 of the first half that turned a 7-0 deficit into a 14-7 lead. Once they got the lead, the Bears never trailed again.

The host Bears were especially dominant in the second half, when they held North Park to just 92 total yards and outscored the Vikings 27-0. Wash. U. also intercepted two North Park passes in that second half and forced another turnover on downs.

In the early going though, it was the visitors that came out humming. First, they forced a Wash. U. turnover on downs, then went down the field — 56 yards on just seven plays — to score a touchdown that gave them the lead.

And North Park held that lead until late in the first half, when Wash. U. finally got its offense going.

With 3:45 left in the first half, the Bears took over on their own 16 yard line, but quickly moved deep into North Park territory, thanks to a 57 yard pass from Rush to wideout Cole Okmin. Five plays later, after converting a key third down, Rush hit Okmin again for 10 yard touchdown that tied the score.

That drive and especially the scoring play seemed to spark the Wash. U. defense, which forced a quick three-and-out and only allowed North Park to run nine seconds off the clock.

A short punt gave the Bears the ball back on their own 46, where Rush quickly moved his offense down the field. The key play of the half, and perhaps the entire game, came on a 4th and 7 from the North Park 28, when Wash. U. decided against attempting a field goal and elected instead to go for it.

And that choice proved worth it, as Rush made a brilliant throw to junior receiver Treyton Lamphier, who made a leaping catch in the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Bears the lead.

The second half was all Wash. U.

The Bears forced a turnover on the second play of the second half, when senior safety T.J. Perusek picked off a pass near midfield. Wash. U. converted that into a field goal — a 42 yarder by junior Chris Vartanian — to make the score 17-7.

Wash. U. forced another three-and-out on North Park’s next possession, then after taking over on their own 9, the Bears went the length of the field on nine plays before scoring on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Rush to tight end Zach Fenske.

North Park went three-and-out again and Wash. U. answered with another Vartanian field goal and suddenly the score was 27-7.

Perusek picked off his second pass of the day on the second-to-last play of the third quarter and returned it to the North Park 32 yard line.

That gave the Bears a short field, which eventually became a 1-yard touchdown run by senior Emmanuel Ebirim to make the score 34-7 and the rout was on.

Wash. U. pulled its starters midway through the fourth quarter, but got another score when third-string quarterback Brett Simcox hit fellow backup Zachary Ginsburg for a touchdown, which along with Vartanian’s fifth extra-point of the day produced the final score of 41-7.

The Bears are now 1-1 on the season, and will look to keep their winning ways going next week, when they’ll be back on the road next Saturday to play Elmhurst at 2 p.m. Wash. U.’s next home game will come in two weeks, on Saturday, October 2, when the Bears will host Wheaton at 6 p.m.

North Park University at Washington University– Scoring Plays
1st Quarter
9:45 – NPU – TOUCHDOWN – A.J. Harris 3 yd run (Michael Messersmith PAT) — NPU 7-0
2nd Quarter
1:15 – WashU – TOUCHDOWN – Cole Okmin 10 yd pass from Matt Rush (Chris Vartanian PAT) — Tie 7-7
:07 – WashU – TOUCHDOWN – Treyton Lamphier 28 yd pass from Matt Rush (Chris Vartanian PAT) — WashU 7-14
3rd Quarter
12:00 – WashU – FIELD GOAL – Chris Vartanian 42 yd field goal — WashU 7-17
6:06 – WashU – TOUCHDOWN – Zach Fenske 27 yd pass from Matt Rush (Chris Vartanian PAT) — WashU 7-24
1:29 – WashU – FIELD GOAL – Chris Vartanian 40 yd field goal — WashU 7-27
4th Quarter
12:28 – WashU – TOUCHDOWN – Emmanuel Ebirim 1 yd run (Chris Vartanian PAT) — WashU 7-34
4:50 – WashU – TOUCHDOWN – Zachary Ginsburg 8 yd pass from Brett Simcox (Chris Vartanian PAT) — WashU 7-41