WPU Upset Bid Thwarted in Final Period

William Penn University Athletics

William Penn University Athletics

by Wade Steinlage

Oskaloosa–Detorien Rawlinson (So., York, S.C., Psychology) returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown and his squad led #8 Evangel late in the contest, but the Statesmen football team could not hold on as it fell 28-14 in its final Heart of America Athletic Conference North-South Crossover game Saturday.

Evangel (6-0) entered the afternoon with a league-worst 307.8 yards per game, but had little trouble moving right down the field on its opening possession against William Penn (2-4) for the 6-0 edge (extra point missed).

The Crusader defense has been touted as being quite impressive and forced a quick three-and-out and punt from the home team. The visitors appeared ready to run away with the contest, again marching down the field. They were inside WPU’s red zone, but Rawlinson, who now has three pick-six’s in his one-plus year career (two in 2018), stepped in front of a pass and sprinted away from the maroon and white, tying the school record for longest interception return for a score. The extra point was good and the navy and gold were suddenly in the lead.

The Crusaders, who finished with a 405-170 advantage in total yardage, moved into Statesmen territory twice more in the first half, but were denied points on both trips. Unfortunately, the host offense was also stymied, leaving William Penn still ahead 7-6 entering the break.

WPU converted a trio of third downs on its first drive of the second half, eventually moving into EU’s red zone, but nothing came of it.

The visitors then reclaimed the lead on their ensuing possession at 13-7. With one side of the ball struggling to produce, the Statesmen looked to the defense to make it happen and the unit did. Evangel’s next drive went backwards, highlighted by William Penn’s only sack of the day, by Jaidin Fletcher (Jr., Upland, Calif., Information Technology) and Jalan Cooper (Jr., Houston, Texas). Then special teams stepped up and pressured the punter into a high boot that went out of bounds at the EU 39-yard line.

With a much smaller amount of green in front of it, WPU’s offense had its most successful drive, going 39 plays to recapture the advantage at 14-13. Tyler Wood (Jr., Newton, Iowa, Education) found Grant Smallwood (Sr., Wichita, Kan., Exercise Science) for a 27-yard pass play, Ben Sherman (Fr., Troy, Pa., Elementary Education) picked up another first down on an 11-yard run, and Wood capped the possession with a one-yard plunge to put his team ahead by one with just 12:26 left in regulation.

Sherman rushed for a team-high 52 yards, while Wood was 7-for-15 for 93 yards. Smallwood hauled in two catches for 43 yards.

With momentum on its side, WPU was poised to do more damage after another big defensive three-and-out, but the Statesmen stalled near midfield. The team knew it could not afford a big mistake if it was to pull the upset, but unfortunately it happened as punter Kane Brumbaugh (Fr., Ottumwa, Iowa, Sports Management) could not pick up a bad snap and was tackled, returning the pigskin to Evangel at the 32-yard line.

The visitors punched it in five plays later to take the lead for good at 21-14. They then shut the door on a WPU rally by stopping the offense and tacking on a final touchdown with 1:40 left.

Defensively, Jonathan Thomas (Sr., Americus, Ga., Undecided) was at the top of the tackles list with 10, while Mason Wisse (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Physical Education) and Jace Neugebauer (So., McArthur, Calif., Business Management) each had eight stops.

Despite the miscue on special teams, Brumbaugh was solid in the kicking game with a 44.5-yard average over four punts, headlined by two that pinned the Crusaders inside their own 20-yard line.

Of interesting note, Evangel did not convert on a single third-down play, going 0-for-6 Saturday; WPU was 7-for-15.

Next Up: William Penn will have a bye this coming week and then enter North Division play on October 13 as it hosts Culver-Stockton for Homecoming at 2 p.m.

Posted by on Sep 30 2018. Filed under College Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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