Wildcats clobbered by Washington

Nicholas Valenzuela Arizona Daily Wildcat Husky tailback Rashaan Shehee drags UA defenders David Fipp and Kelly Malveaux (21)as he turns upfield. Shehee ran for 136 yards on 15 carries.

The Wildcats returned to their old ways of making mistakes and surrendering the big play as the Huskies scored on the opening kickoff and had an interception for a touchdown en route to a 58-28 victory in front of a near sellout crowd of 50,585 at Arizona Stadium on Family Weekend.

"However good we felt last week (after the win over Stanford) we feel the other of that this week," Arizona head coach Dick Tomey said. "We just didn't make enough things happen today."

UA actually allowed too many things to happen against them.

Washington benefited from nine plays of 20 yards or more, including the kickoff and interception returns.

Washington freshman Ja'Warren Hooker, who was not even listed on the depth chart, took the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown, dashing any hope Arizona had of impressing parents and the audience watching on national television.

Later in the half, backup quarterback Keith Smith, went right on a sweep and attempted a pass across the field to quarterback Ortege Jenkins. But Husky cornerback Jermaine Smith foiled the trick play taking the ball 91 yards for a touchdown.

The Huskies used those two plays as part of a 41-point, first-half explosion and put the game out of reach after the first 30 minutes.

"They just jumped on us early and hurt us with the big plays," said Jenkins after throwing for 348 yards on 22 of 46 passing. He also added one touchdown and one interception.

Only a handful of the fans stayed past halftime as Washington was well on its way to scoring the most points Arizona ever has given up in a Pacific 10 Conference game.

"It's so hard to look up and see 58-28," sophomore offensive lineman Yusuf Scott said. "We've just got to keep our heads up and get this game out of our heads."

After the opening kickoff, Washington scored on a one-yard run by Rashaan Shehee and a 39-yard strike from quarterback Brock Huard to Fred Coleman.

The Huskies' 21-point first quarter was the third time this season the Wildcats have allowed that many points in the opening period.

Huard finished the game 13 of 25 for 207 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters.

Eafon supplied the Wildcats with his second scoring run of the day on a six-yard burst, diving over UW cornerback Mel Miller.

The second half was not much prettier as the Huskies scored on their opening drive on a 62-yard touchdown run by Shehee, and a six-yard run by Maurice Shaw at the end of the third quarter.

Eafon completed his hat trick, scoring from four yards out in the third, but the Wildcats could not muster any defense to slow the Huskies scoring output. Lost in all the Huskies scoring was Arizona's inability to get to Huard and reserve quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo, recording only one sack late in game.

The Huskies, however, got to Jenkins with relative ease and regularity, sacking him five times. Arizona had given up only 12 sacks coming into the game.

"This game can set us back a great deal but only if we let it," Arizona safety David Fipp said. "We need to get ready for the next game and start executing better and we will be fine. We will still be a good football team."