Kayla Hoy
Reporter
The Pacific Lutheran University football team left Salem, Oregon with a blow-out win Saturday, October 30, against Willamette University, 24-0. The Lutes, now 3-4 on the season, have come a long way. Since their winless four game season in Spring 2020, they’ve come back to win some big games against University of La Verne, 22-12, and Lewis and Clark College, 38-37. More importantly they’ve gained personal improvements, and strengthened their bond as a team. After months of strict Covid guidelines, the boys have finally been able to continue team dinners and build the brotherhood that holds a team together on the field.
I was able to chat with Senior Alex Gillies and get a little insight on how this year’s season’s been going. Gillies has been a meaningful Tacoma community member since his little league days. He graduated from Lincoln High School and continued his football career in Montana, before transferring to PLU, bringing him a little closer to home. He sounded proud of his team and excited for their future.
“There’s been a lot of improvement from last year, but there’s always room for more,” Gillies explains. “It’s been a nice change of pace from where they were last year. Covid made a big difference in terms of networking between teammates. Being able to bond with the team outside of practice and games makes a meaningful impact on the whole experience of the sport.”
PLU football has been known as a young team for a couple of years now. There’s a high volume of freshmen and sophomores on the starting line-up. This can be intimidating, but the Lutes have pushed through and shown their growth. Fans and teammates alike can see the younger players gaining comfort on the field and “are really getting into the game,” Gillies said. The Lutes have been able to lead the league in rushing yards gained this year with the help of eye-catching transfer Malik White, a senior running back from Seattle, Washington.
The season is nearing the end, but there’s still more to see. Next up for the Lutes will be our friendly rivals over at University of Puget Sound on November sixth. Bring your blankets, umbrellas, and seat cushions to Sparks Stadium in Puyallup at 1pm to support the team! After that, on November 13th, they will be heading back over to Oregon to play Pacific University.
