Box Score
DePauw 22, Ohio Wesleyan 21
Junior quarterback Kaden Buza (Winchester, Va./Millbrook) ran for one touchdown and threw for another to help Ohio Wesleyan build a 19-0 halftime lead, but DePauw rallied for a North Coast Athletic Conference win over the Bishops on Saturday at Selby Stadium.
After the teams traded punts to open the game, the Bishops took over on their own 18 and saw Buza convert 3 consecutive third-down situations, finding senior wide receiver Caden Calhoun (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe) for 14 yards on third-and-8 from the OWU 20, sophomore running back Jackson Gifford (Ross/Hamilton Ross) for 5 yards on third-and-4 from the Bishop 40, and freshman wide receiver Josh Hurst (Port Clinton) for 39 yards on third-and-10 from the Bishop 45. After another completion to Hurst, this one for 11 yards, Buza got the final 5 yards himself midway through the first quarter. Junior kicker Gabriel Chlebowski (Toledo/St. John's) had his point-after kick go wide and the score remained 6-0.
Early in the second quarter, junior wide receiver Jakii Alston (Pickerington/Central) returned a punt 20 yards to the DePauw 34-yard line, and the Bishops took advantage of the short field, with Buza finding Hurst for 15 yards to set up a first down and then again for 14 more and a score. Chlebowski's PAT kick hit the right upright and the score remained 12-0.
On DePauw's ensuing possession, Jack Drake boomed a 61-yard punt to pin the Bishops back on their own 8-yard line, but Ohio Wesleyan assembled a 12-play, 92-yard drive that included a 12-yard strike from Buza to freshman wide receiver Tyler Webb (Port Clinton) on fourth-and-2 from the Tiger 29. After another Buza-to-Webb completion set up first-and-goal, Gifford went over from 3 yards out. Senior kicker Tyler Shuster (Sunbury/Big Walnut) converted the PAT for a 19-0 Bishop lead with 2:41 left in the half.
The Tigers narrowed the deficit on the opening possession of the second half, with Nathan McCahill throwing completions of 14 yards to Gabe Quigley and 15 yards to Drew Moore. On the next play, McCahill and Moore connected again on a 30-yard touchdown play. and Joseph Sullivan's kick made it 19-7.
Ohio Wesleyan went 3-and-out on its following drive, but a Chlebowski punt rolled to the DePauw 1-yard line and was downed there, and on the first play from scrimmage, sophomore defensive tackle Terrell Burton II (Reynoldsburg) stood up Tiger running back Gus Baumgartner in the end zone. The ball came out and it appeared that Ohio Wesleyan had recovered the fumble for a touchdown, but it was ruled that Baumgartner's forward progress had been stopped and the Bishops were awarded a safety and a 21-7 lead.
Later in the period, a Tiger drive stalled at the OWU 30, and Drake came on and crushed a 47-yard field goal into the wind to bring the visitors within 21-10 with 4:28 left in the third quarter.
On the second play from scrimmage of the fourth period, DePauw's Tommy Ryan intercepted a Buza pass at the Bishop 41, and the Tigers converted a pair of fourth-and-1 situations, with McCahill targeting Jaylon Smith and drawing a pass interference penalty on fourth-and-1 from the OWU 32, then scrambling for 2 yards on fourth-and-1 from the Bishop 8. On third-and-goal from the 9, McCahill found Robby Ballentine for 9 yards and a score, but Ballentine was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct on the score, and the Bishops elected to enforce the penalty on the point-after, with Sullivan misfiring on the long kick to leave the game at 21-16.
The Tigers got the ball back with 6:36 remaining, and again converted a pair of fourth-down situations, first when McCahill hit Ballentine for 21 yards on fourth-and-5 from the OWU 45, and then found Ballentine for 7 yards on fourth-and-3 from the Bishop 17. On third-and-goal from the 7, McCahill found Evan Bohrer in the end zone for the touchdown with :13 remaining.
Buza completed 21 of 32 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown. Hurst made 10 catches for 123 yards and a score. Gifford led the Bishops with 68 yards on 23 carries. Sophomore linebacker Seth Anderson (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) led all players with 14 tackles, including half a tackle for loss.
Box Score
