Statesmen Fall to Second-Straight Top-10 Team
Alex Crehan scored the only touchdown of the day for WPU
Oskaloosa–Mistakes and missed opportunities came too often to overcome as the William Penn football team fell 30-7 to #9 Baker in a Heart of America Athletic Conference North-South Crossover game Saturday.
WPU (0-2) was outgained just 373-325 and tallied four more first downs than the Wildcats (1-0), but committed four turnovers (just one for BU) and also failed to get any points on one of its two red-zone trips.
The visitors got on the board first with a field goal midway through the first quarter. The home squad then looked for the answer, marching 57 yards on 17 plays, but the lengthy drive stalled out at the BU 8-yard line. Unfortunately, a field-goal attempt sailed outside the goalposts, setting the tone for a tough afternoon.
The Wildcats then added insult to injury by scoring touchdowns on their next two possessions and entered halftime leading 16-0.
William Penn started the second half with a promising drive, but it again ran out of gas in Baker territory. Another drive reached BU’s side of the field, but nothing came of it.
The Statesmen eventually fell behind 23-0 in the fourth before finally getting on the board with a hefty 12-play, 87-yard drive. Alex Crehan (Jr., Troy, Ill., Business Management) capped it with a two-yard plunge; the junior rushed for 45 yards and completed eight of his 17 passes for 98 yards.
WPU was unsuccessful in its ensuing onside kick and Baker wrapped up the scoring with a touchdown.
Amos Johnson (Sr., Rock Island, Ill., Mechanical Engineering) topped the offense with 83 rushing yards, while Ben Sherman (So., Troy, Pa., Elementary Education) added 79 on the ground. William Penn totaled 227 rushing yards.
Malcolm Stephens (Fr., Houston, Texas) caught four passes for 36 yards.
Mason Wisse (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Physical Education) paced the defensive effort with eight tackles, including two for loss. Resean Coleman (Jr., River Rouge, Mich., Exercise Science) and Jaidin Fletcher (Jr., Upland, Calif., Information Technology) were next with six stops each; Coleman also forced two fumbles. Fletcher and Anthony Jackson (Sr., Detroit, Mich., Physical Education) combined for the lone sack.
“It is very important for us to understand that in order to get better we need to focus on the team aspect of the game,” Head Coach Todd Hafner said. “We had multiple opportunities to make plays that could have changed the flow of the game. Offensively, we controlled the ball, but when you turn it over four times and miss opportunities to score, it makes it tough to win.”
“We are not playing as one unit right now and until we do, we will continue to struggle,” Hafner added. “As coaches, we will continue to work and try to put our players in the best position to win, but now it is their turn to take the reins and mold themselves into a family.”
Next Up: William Penn remains in Oskaloosa next Saturday to host Missouri Valley in a crossover game at 6 p.m.
