IWC News
Charles Thomas (#9) makes a tackle against Olivet Nazarene. Photo courtesy Emily Situ
Football - Sat, Oct. 29, 2011
MOUNT PLEASANT - Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) University scored the game's final 28 points to send Iowa Wesleyan College to a 52-31 loss Saturday afternoon in a Mid-States Football Asssociation Midwest League game.
IWC was unable to stop ONU's hard-running, straight-ahead ground game and also was done in by a number of its own mistakes, missing a chance to even its record in league play. Wesleyan dropped to 2-6 overall and 2-4 in the MSFA Midwest, while ONU improved to 3-6 overall and 2-4 in league.
Iowa Wesleyan's Tigers outgained ONU's Tigers 396-385 for the game, including 376 yards passing. IWC allowed ten sacks, though, and fumbled the ball away five times. The Tigers also committed 13 penalties, and between the sacks and fumbles gave away 160 yards of field position in the game.
IWC still led much of the game, never trailing until the fourth quarter and leading 24-17 at halftime. Olivet Nazarene finally took the lead on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 17-yard run by Michael Ho-Lewis. Ho-Lewis would add another score in the fourth quarter, in all totaling career highs of 131 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
Wesleyan racked up nearly 400 yards for the game but just 21 in the fourth quarter. After going ahead 31-24 in the third quarter when Buddy Guastella (Jr.-Yorba Linda, Calif.) caught a three-yard pass from Kevin McConnell (Jr.-Kansas City, Mo.), the Tigers fumbled on three of their next four possessions, including once deep in ONU territory when driving for another score to retake the lead. IWC was able to drive into Olivet territory just once in the fourth quarter and saw its final two drives end in sacks.
Wesleyan jumped to a 10-0 lead early as Ridge Hobbs (So.-New London, Iowa) caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Zandro Diaz (Fr.-Camarillo, Calif.) on a reverse pass on the third play of the game, and Brett Brodersen (Jr.-Visalia, Calif.) added a 31-yard field goal. Olivet Nazarene came back to tie the score at 10-10 early in the second quarter, but IWC retook the lead when McConnell hit Chase Taylor (Jr.-LaPorte, Colo.) for a 17-yard touchdown 6:28 before halftime.
Olivet came back to tie again when Ho-Lewis scored from a yard out, but Wesleyan took the lead again when McConnell found LiMichael Peeples (So.-Conley, Ga.) for a 27-yard score just before halftime. ONU tied the game again with 10:10 left in the third quarter on a 43-yard touchdown run by David Payne, who also set a career high with 132 yards rushing.
Olivet Nazarene gained 266 yards rushing and gained 119 yards through the air on just five completions. The IWC pass defense was able to make up for some of the fumbles by picking off three passes, including a pair of interceptions by Napoleon Johnson (Jr.-San Jose, Calif.).
McConnell finished 30 for 47 for 310 yards and three touchdowns but also fumbled three times. Peeples caught eight passes for 73 yards and Hobbs recorded his third straight 100-yard game receiving with six catches for 161 yards.
Aaron Wagoner (Jr.-Roseville, Calif.) led the IWC defense with nine tackles. Charles Thomas (Jr.-Fontana, Calif.) and Sale Fatu (Jr.-Pago Pago, American Samoa) both added six tackles each.
The Tigers are home again next week for their MSFA Midwest season finale against Grand View University at 1 p.m. at Mapleleaf Stadium. IWC will then close its season a week later on Nov. 12 against Concordia (Mich.) University.
Box score ONU 52 IWC 31
IWC was unable to stop ONU's hard-running, straight-ahead ground game and also was done in by a number of its own mistakes, missing a chance to even its record in league play. Wesleyan dropped to 2-6 overall and 2-4 in the MSFA Midwest, while ONU improved to 3-6 overall and 2-4 in league.
Iowa Wesleyan's Tigers outgained ONU's Tigers 396-385 for the game, including 376 yards passing. IWC allowed ten sacks, though, and fumbled the ball away five times. The Tigers also committed 13 penalties, and between the sacks and fumbles gave away 160 yards of field position in the game.
IWC still led much of the game, never trailing until the fourth quarter and leading 24-17 at halftime. Olivet Nazarene finally took the lead on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 17-yard run by Michael Ho-Lewis. Ho-Lewis would add another score in the fourth quarter, in all totaling career highs of 131 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
Wesleyan racked up nearly 400 yards for the game but just 21 in the fourth quarter. After going ahead 31-24 in the third quarter when Buddy Guastella (Jr.-Yorba Linda, Calif.) caught a three-yard pass from Kevin McConnell (Jr.-Kansas City, Mo.), the Tigers fumbled on three of their next four possessions, including once deep in ONU territory when driving for another score to retake the lead. IWC was able to drive into Olivet territory just once in the fourth quarter and saw its final two drives end in sacks.
Wesleyan jumped to a 10-0 lead early as Ridge Hobbs (So.-New London, Iowa) caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Zandro Diaz (Fr.-Camarillo, Calif.) on a reverse pass on the third play of the game, and Brett Brodersen (Jr.-Visalia, Calif.) added a 31-yard field goal. Olivet Nazarene came back to tie the score at 10-10 early in the second quarter, but IWC retook the lead when McConnell hit Chase Taylor (Jr.-LaPorte, Colo.) for a 17-yard touchdown 6:28 before halftime.
Olivet came back to tie again when Ho-Lewis scored from a yard out, but Wesleyan took the lead again when McConnell found LiMichael Peeples (So.-Conley, Ga.) for a 27-yard score just before halftime. ONU tied the game again with 10:10 left in the third quarter on a 43-yard touchdown run by David Payne, who also set a career high with 132 yards rushing.
Olivet Nazarene gained 266 yards rushing and gained 119 yards through the air on just five completions. The IWC pass defense was able to make up for some of the fumbles by picking off three passes, including a pair of interceptions by Napoleon Johnson (Jr.-San Jose, Calif.).
McConnell finished 30 for 47 for 310 yards and three touchdowns but also fumbled three times. Peeples caught eight passes for 73 yards and Hobbs recorded his third straight 100-yard game receiving with six catches for 161 yards.
Aaron Wagoner (Jr.-Roseville, Calif.) led the IWC defense with nine tackles. Charles Thomas (Jr.-Fontana, Calif.) and Sale Fatu (Jr.-Pago Pago, American Samoa) both added six tackles each.
The Tigers are home again next week for their MSFA Midwest season finale against Grand View University at 1 p.m. at Mapleleaf Stadium. IWC will then close its season a week later on Nov. 12 against Concordia (Mich.) University.
Box score ONU 52 IWC 31
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