Ohio Wesleyan’s Jake Smothers (2) hauled in an interception and collected six tackles as the Bishops held on for a 34-22 NCAC win over host Wooster Saturday night.
Courtesy | Matt Dilyard
Freshman quarterback Colin Pearson fired a pair of touchdown passes to help the Ohio Wesleyan football team build a 27-0 lead, and the Bishops went on to defeat Wooster 34-22 in a North Coast Athletic Conference matchup on Saturday in Wooster.
The teams battled through 29-plus minutes of scoreless football before Pearson connected with junior wide receiver C.T. Taylor on a 9-yard scoring play with :38 left in the first half, capping an 82-yard drive.
Wooster looked to respond, with Michael Boyle throwing for completions of 9 and 12 yards to Brazos Gadler and for 8 yards to Sebestyen Balassy, setting up a 48-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the half. Sophomore defensive end Jack Novak blocked Balassy’s kick and sophomore linebacker Grant Johnson picked up the ball and returned it 69 yards for a score to end the half. The extra-point try by freshman Collin Wehner was blocked, keeping the game at 13-0.
A 48-yard strike from Pearson to sophomore wide receiver Braden Fitchko set up a 2-yard run by freshman running back Nathan Severs, with Wehner’s PAT kick making it 20-0, and on the Bishops’ next possession, Pearson found freshman wide receiver Jay Rockwood on a 50-yard scoring play, with the kick by freshman Quin Schroeder increasing the margin to 27-0 midway through the third quarter.
Wooster returned the ensuing kickoff to the Bishop 38, setting up a 1-yard plunge by Jace Austin, but Balassy’s PAT kick was blocked. On Wooster’s next possession, Balassy’s punt pinned the Bishops on their own 5-yard line, and on third-and-10, Pearson was called for intentional grounding in the end zone, with Wooster’s Isaac LaFay credited with a sack, and the safety made it 27-8. After the free kick, the hosts got a 51-yard pass from Boyle to Gadler for a touchdown, and Balassy’s kick brought Wooster within 27-15.
The Bishop defense turned in a stop early in the fourth quarter, and the offense then manufactured a 15-play, 85-yard drive that chewed nearly 9 minutes off the clock, with Severs carrying the ball on 9 of the final 10 plays, including a 5-yard touchdown run.
Pearson completed 20 of 34 passes for 249 yards and 2 scores. Rockwood caught 7 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. Severs ran for 65 yards and 2 touchdowns on 22 attempts. Senior linebacker Seth Anderson had a team-high 10 stops, including 1½ for loss.
OWU Sports Information contributed to this report.
