Homecoming Streak Ends as WPU Falls to SAU 53-34 in League Opener
The William Penn Statesmen Football team prepares to take the field against St. Ambrose on Saturday.
Oskaloosa–Shawn Davis (Sr., Hamersville, Ohio, Physical Education) rushed for three touchdowns, but the Statesmen football team did not have much of an answer for the high-powered St. Ambrose offense in a 53-34 loss on Homecoming in its Midwest League opener Saturday.
#22 William Penn (2-3, 0-1 MCC), which was outgained 582-448, had its Homecoming winning streak snapped at nine.
As one can discern from the yardage tallies, both offenses were rarely stopped. The hosts moved effectively in their first drive, but the drive ended abruptly with an interception thrown by Tyler Hafner (So., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Undecided).
The 11th-ranked Fighting Bees picked up large chunks of yards in their first possession to score the game’s first points with 2:01 left in the first quarter.
Another long drive by WPU came up short for the navy and gold as a 37-yard field goal by Marcus Kerrigan (Sr., Cary, Ill., Sociology) sailed to the left. The ball was returned to WPU shortly thereafter when Nick DiMarco (Jr., St. Charles, Mo., Physical Education) broke through and blocked an SAU punt. Jacob Batterson (Sr., Eddyville, Iowa, Industrial Technology) recovered the loose pigskin. William Penn managed to block four kicks Saturday.
Four plays and 30 yards later, Davis scored on a 12-yard scamper. Kerrigan’s extra point try failed, narrowing the margin to 7-6.
Both sides scored again in the second quarter, and with a successful two-point conversion by WPU, the contest was tied at 14-14 with 4:52 remaining until halftime. Davis crossed the goal line from two yards out for the host’s score. Unfortunately, St. Ambrose had the last say before halftime, giving the visitors a 21-14 lead at the break. Each side missed field goals in the final minute, leaving the difference at seven.
The Fighting Bees started the second half with the ball and took full control of the momentum with back-to-back touchdowns in the first few minutes, pushing the edge to 34-14. A Davis fumble was sandwiched in between to set up St. Ambrose’s fifth touchdown. The rest of the third quarter remained in favor of SAU with another score to put the game virtually out of reach at 41-14.
Davis managed his third TD, a one-yard plunge, to get things going in the fourth stanza. The senior fullback finished with 106 rushing yards. The Statesmen struck again when Hafner hooked up with Kramer Patterson (So., Ozark, Mo., Secondary Education) on a 23-yard passing score, making it 41-28 with 4:20 left on the clock.
An onside kick was unfortunately recovered by St. Ambrose and two quick scores–one offensively and one on defense–shut the door on William Penn.
Hafner, who was 10-for-26 for two touchdowns, found Clint Allen (Jr., Burleson, Texas, Physical Education) in the endzone on a three-yard touchdown pass to close out the scoring.
In addition to Davis’ yardage mark, Sam Tvedt (Jr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Business Management) added 91 and Hafner had 90. Desmond Douglas (Fr., Decatur, Ga., Physical Education) paced the receiving crew with three catches for 31 yards.
Batterson was seemingly everywhere on defense with 15 tackles (12 solos) in addition to blocking two kicks and breaking up one pass. The defense sacked quarterback Eric Williamson four times.
Next: William Penn remains at home next Saturday to host Waldorf in MWL play at 1 p.m.
