Freshman kicker Gabe Philhower (Reynoldsburg) kicked a 27-yard field goal with :18 remaining to lift Ohio Wesleyan over Wooster in North Coast Athletic Conference action on Saturday at Selby Stadium in Delaware, Ohio.

Leading, 7-6, midway through the fourth quarter, Wooster was looking to extend its lead.  After coming out of the game earlier in the quarter, Mateo Renteria returned at quarterback for the Fighting Scots and connected with Nick Strausbaugh for 12 yards and a first down on his first play, then Antonio Bailey ran for 14 more and a first down at the Bishop 26-yard line.  Seth Burke picked up 9 more on first down, and on second-and-1 from the Ohio Wesleyan 17, sophomore linebacker Cody Streit (Griffin, Ga.) and sophomore defensive end Alec Varteressian (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) stopped Burke for no gain.  On third-and-1, Renteria stretched out to reach the line to gain for the first down, but the ball came loose and senior cornerback Natrone Barnes (Deerfield Beach, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas) recovered at the Ohio Wesleyan 16 with 4:46 to play.

The Bishops moved the chains with a 5-yard completion from junior quarterback Jax Harville (Marion/River Valley) to senior wide receiver Deji Adebiyi (Canton, Mich./Plymouth) on third-and-4, then converted another third down when Harville found junior wide receiver Mher Tcholakian (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) for a 19-yard pickup on third-and-3.  A pass interference penalty gave Ohio Wesleyan a first down at the Wooster 29, and senior running back Jesse Beachy (Plain City/Jonathan Alder) ran for 6 and 8 yards on the next 2 plays for a first down at the Fighting Scot 15-yard line.  Runs by Beachy and sophomore running back Trey Dixon (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) moved the ball to the 10, and Philhower came on and converted from 27 yards out to give the Bishops the lead with :18 to play

A pair of completions got the Scots close to midfield, but Strausbaugh's attempted lateral to keep the final play alive was recovered by sophomore defensive end Kor'Darius Melton (Warner Robins, Ga./Houston County) to seal the win.

Ohio Wesleyan had taken an early lead after Wooster quarterback Caden Croft was sacked on the Scots' third play of the game, with Melton knocking the ball free and senior defensive tackle David Praul (Sunbury/Buckeye Valley) covering the ball at the Wooster 9-yard line.  Harville moved the Bishops to the 4-yard line with a completion to Beachy, but the Scots kept the Bishops out of the end zone and Philhower came on and drilled a 22-yard field goal for a 3-0 Ohio Wesleyan lead.

Late in the first quarter, Wooster put together a lengthy drive behind the running and passing of Renteria, but the march stalled at the Ohio Wesleyan 27 and Henry Whyte's 44-yard field goal try was short.  The Scots returned to the same formula on their next possession and assembled a 16-play, 90-yard drive that culminated in a 15-yard pass from Renteria to Jacob Lewis.

With time running out in the first half, Barnes recovered a fumble near midfield and Harville found Tcholakian for 21 yards on a third-and-10 call, then connected with Adebiyi for 13 yards and a first down at the Wooster 13.  A Harville-to-Beachy strike for 10 yards and a pair of penalties resulted in a first down at the Wooster 3, and after Ohio Wesleyan took a couple of shots at the end zone, Philhower came on and booted a 20-yard field goal on the final play of the half to bring the hosts within 7-6 at the intermission.