Box Score
Otterbein 21, Ohio Wesleyan 13

Junior Jakii Alston (Pickerington/Central) scored on an 88-yard pass play as Ohio Wesleyan wiped out a 7-0 deficit, but Otterbein went on to a non-conference win in the season opener for both teams on Saturday at Selby Stadium.

The Cardinals scored on the opening drive of the game, marching 81 yards in 11 plays, with the final 18 coming on Eason Hardouin's pass to Armani Burton.

Early in the second quarter, Alston got behind the Cardinal defense, and sophomore quarterback Zack Leonard (Niles/McKinley) found him, with Alston flying the rest of the way down the right sideline to complete the 88-yard play, the third-longest pass play in the Bishop record book.

Otterbein retook the lead on a 4-yard run by Siraj Muhammad with 4:24 left in the first half, capping a 68-yard, 10-play drive.

The Bishops answered with a score when freshman wide receiver Josh Hurst (Port Clinton) eluded a Cardinal defender and scored on a 55-yard play, finishing off a 75-yard, 5-play possession.  Junior kicker Gabriel Chlebowski (Toledo/St. John's) misfired on the conversion, however, and the Cardinals still held a 14-13 lead.

Ohio Wesleyan looked to take the lead late in the third quarter when a 25-yard Cardinal punt set the Bishops up on the Otterbein 40, and on the first play from scrimmage, Leonard found senior wide receiver Caden Calhoun (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe) for 25 yards and a first down, but the drive stalled and Chlebowski pushed a 26-yard field goal attempt to the right.

Senior cornerback Ian Riddle (Perrysburg) picked off a Cardinal pass and returned it to midfield to give the Bishops a chance at the tying score midway through the fourth quarter.  Alston broke free for 33 yards on a sweep and Leonard hit Calhoun for 17 yards and a first down at the 15-yard line, and a face mask penalty on third down gave Ohio Wesleyan a first down at the Otterbein 7, but on fourth-and-goal from the Cardinal 4, Leonard and Hurst could not connect for the score.

Leonard completed 15 of 33 throws for 258 yards and 2 scores.  Sophomore running back Jackson Gifford (Ross/Hamilton Ross) led the Bishops with 4 catches, Calhoun caught 3 passes for 52 yards, and Alston had 2 catches for 100 yards and was Ohio Wesleyan's top ground gainer with 42 yards.  Sophomore safety Drew Thornton (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) led Ohio Wesleyan with 13 tackles, including a sack and one for loss.

Box Score