BOX SCORE (PDF)

ASHLAND – Gunner Yates stole the show in Southern Oregon's first matchup against Kwansei Gakuin since 1988, scoring five touchdowns to lead SOU to a 54-24 Mills Bowl victory amid a downpour on Saturday night at Raider Stadium.

KGU, which in December won its sixth consecutive Japanese national championship, proved to be a formidable opponent but couldn't keep up with the sophomore running back. Though the game was a non-counter officially, Yates became the first Raider to punch in four rushing TDs in 10 years and the first with five total since 2013.

He rushed 14 times for 145 yards, including a nine-yard score two minutes into the game and a 48-yard burst to the end zone four minutes later. He also recorded three receptions, the highlight screen pass from Brennan Stults that he took 32 yards to give SOU a 44-24 lead near the end of the third quarter.



The Raiders and Fighters traded blows early. Yuta Onishi's 47-yard field goal trimmed SOU's edge to 20-17 with 10:29 left in the second quarter, but the Raiders ended the half with a 34-yard Brian Batres field goal and Stults' seven-yard TD pass to Ted Wickman to give themselves a 13-point cushion.

SOU's defense tightened up after the break, giving up just one score the rest of the way, but KGU quarterback Shuta Hoshino finished 13-of-19 for 233 yards with a passing TD and a rushing TD. Running back Shoei Itami totaled 103 yards on 11 carries.

SOU starting quarterback Daschel Smith completed 8-of-12 attempts for 137 yards. Stults went 9-of-10 for 122, connecting with Wickman again late for a 23-yard score.

Yates – the Coquille product who shined as a freshman in 2022 with nine TDs over nine games, but appeared just twice after returning from injury while retaining a redshirt in 2023 – was named SOU's offensive player of the game. Ty Glumbik took top defensive honors, registering five tackles with a sack.

Elsewhere defensively for the Raiders, Brady Eaton made six tackles and recovered a fumble that Javan Montiho forced to open the game; Spencer Kuffel collected an interception; and Brennick Beck blocked a punt. Andreas Villanueva added six tackles with 1 ½ for losses.

Hoshino was named the Fighters' offensive player of the game. Their defensive honors went to Ryoji Nakano, who finished with nine tackles and an interception.

The game, named for the coach who initiated the first matchups, late SOU Sports Hall-of-Famer Chuck Mills, was the fourth ever between the teams. In 1986, KGU visited Raider Stadium to become the first Japanese team to play on American soil. Until arriving late Wednesday night, the Fighters hadn't been back since.