Chapman Comes Alive Too Late to Pull Off a Victory

What started out as a bad rerun from the 1997 season, Chapman turned into a cliffhanger Saturday in its season-opener at home.

After Western Washington, an NCAA Division II team, dominated its Division III hosts for a half, Chapman made it interesting by scoring two third-quarter touchdowns before the visiting Vikings eventually escaped with a 21-14 victory.

Chapman’s Steve McLaughlin blocked a field-goal attempt with 7 minutes 13 seconds remaining to keep the Panthers within 21-14 and another defensive stand gave Chapman one last chance with 3:46 remaining.

Quarterback Greg Hyland, who completed 15 of 29 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, moved Chapman from its 20 to the Western Washington 45. But Hyland’s fourth-and-two pass to Dave Vaccaro went a little high, and the senior tight end couldn’t hang on at the 38 with 1:08 remaining. Western Washington took over on downs and ran out the clock.

“I told our guys,” Chapman Coach Ken Visser said, “that they have a right to be angry because they let one that they could have won get away. Still, it was nothing to be ashamed of and we gave a lot better effort than last year.”

Western Washington, a first-year NCAA Division II school, reached the NAIA Division II championship game in 1996 and handily defeated Chapman last season, 35-0.

Western Washington’s defense set the tone early, holding Chapman without a first down and minus-seven yards offense in the first quarter. Junior defensive tackle Mark Bone had four sacks, leading a pass rush that recorded nine sacks.

Western Washington’s offense clicked for a half as quarterback Sam Hanson tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Scott Noteboom and an 11-yarder to Ben Clampitt, putting the Vikings ahead in the first quarter, 14-0.

Chapman’s defense played well, with Ty Pursley intercepting two passes.