Senior defensive end K.D. Melton and sophomore linebacker Sam Heyer scored touchdowns that helped the Ohio Wesleyan football team pull away for a 31-7 North Coast Athletic Conference win over Wooster on Saturday at Selby Stadium.
The Bishops (3-0, 2-0 NCAC) dodged a bullet early in the first quarter when Wooster’s Mateo Renteria connected with Cole Hissong for a gain of about 80 yards to inside the Ohio Wesleyan 10-yard line, but a holding penalty brought the ball back inside the Wooster side of the field, and the Scots were eventually forced to punt.
On Ohio Wesleyan’s ensuing possession, sophomore quarterback Austin Womack found sophomore wide receiver Jay Hines for 16 yards and senior running back Trey Dixon for 58 more, setting up a 20-yard field goal by senior kicker Gabe Philhower.
Melton added to the Bishop lead late in the second quarter when he picked off a Renteria pass at the Wooster 26-yard line and returned it for a touchdown.
Wooster (2-1, 1-1 NCAC) responded with a quick drive, getting completions of 25 yards from Renteria to Bryant Douglas II and 21 yards from Renteria to Hissong, setting up a 12-yard strike from Renteria to E.J. Humphries, and with Lake Barrett’s conversion, it was a 10-7 game at the break.
On Wooster’s opening posssession of the second half, the Bishop defense forced a punt and freshman safety Drew Thornton broke through and blocked the punt, with Heyer making the recovery and returning it 20 yards for a score.
Later in the period, senior wide receiver Kenny Streb returned a punt 14 yards to the Scot 35-yard line, setting the stage for a 3-yard scoring run by sophomore running back T.J. Weems on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Sophomore quarterback Kaden Buza found Streb on a 39-yard scoring pass later in the period, and Philhower’s PAT wrapped up the day’s scoring.
Womack completed 10 of 18 passes for 177 yards, while Buza was 5-for-7 for 51 yards and a score. Hines caught 5 passes for 63 yards. Dixon led the Bishops with 83 yards on 17 carries. Senior linebacker Shane Quin and senior linebacker Cody Streit shared the Bishop lead with 7 stops apiece.
Renteria completed 20 of 41 passes for 237 yards, with Hissong making 8 catches for 114 yards. Troy Baughman ran for 47 yards on 13 carries. Angelo Petracci had a team-high 10 tackles.
MEN’S SOCCER
Ohio Wesleyan 2, John Carroll 0.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Ohio Wesleyan 3, John Carroll 3.
VOLLEYBALL
Ohio Wesleyan 3, Defiance 0; Mount Union 3, Ohio Wesleyan 0.
