Box Score
Wittenberg 36, Ohio Wesleyan 28
Senior wide receiver Jakii Alston (Pickerington/Central) and the duo of sophomore wide receiver Tyler Webb (Port Clinton) and senior quarterback Kaden Buza (Winchester, Va./Millbrook) recorded school-record-setting long plays to help Ohio Wesleyan build a 21-13 lead, but Wittenberg rallied to take the lead, then withstood a potential game-tying possession for a North Coast Athletic Conference win over the Bishops on Saturday at Selby Stadium.
On the opening possession of the game, Wittenberg's Christian Sweet intercepted a Buza pass, giving the Tigers the ball at the OWU 17, but the Bishop defense held and Wittenberg's Brandon Goodwin kicked a 30-yard field goal to give the visitors an early lead.
Midway through the opening quarter, Ohio Wesleyan took over on its own 6-yard line after a Tiger punt and a connection from Buza to Webb on first down lost a yard. On second down, Buza found Webb again, this time on the left side, and Webb went the distance for a 95-yard scoring play. The 95-yard connection is the longest pass play in Ohio Wesleyan history, surpassing the 91-yard play from Hayden Buckley to Bob McFarland against Connecticut on Nov. 19, 1949, and equaled from Dan Hover to Matt Apel against Denison on Oct. 8, 1994.
Buza connected with Webb again during the final seconds of the first period, this time on a 9-yard scoring play, and freshman kicker Sean Putt (Mansfield/Senior) converted the point-after to make it 14-3.
The Tigers pulled closer with an 18-yard pass from Max Milton to Bryce Anderson during the second quarter, and Kade Rayn returned the second-half kickoff 45 yards, setting up a 43-yard Goodwin field goal that brought Wittenberg within 14-13.
Alston answered by returning the ensuing kickoff untouched up the right sideline for 99 yards and a touchdown to increase the lead to 21-13. Alston's 99-yard return surpasses the previous modern long of 95 yards, set by Bob McFarland against Otterbein on Oct. 4, 1947, and matched by Nick Rice at Wabash on Sept. 23, 2006.
The Tigers countered with a 6-play, 50-yard drive that culminated in a 10-yard run by Anderson, and Wittenberg went for 2 points to try to tie the game, but Milton's pass fell incomplete in the end zone.
On the Bishops' following possession, a Buza pass was intercepted by Sweet at the OWU 42, setting up a 36-yard Goodwin field goal that gave the visitors a 22-21 lead.
Wittenberg added to the lead on the opening drive of the fourth quarter, with Milton finding Milik Bowe for 28 yards and a score, and the Tigers increased the margin after a high snap on a Bishop punt was recovered by Wittenberg on the OWU 6, setting up a Garrett Gross touchdown run and a 36-21 Tiger lead.
Buza drove the Bishops down the field in 6 plays, connecting with Webb 3 times for 45 yards before a 15-yard strike to sophomore wide receiver J.T. James (Hurricane, W.Va.). Putt booted the extra point to bring Ohio Wesleyan within 36-28 with 8:14 to go.
Wittenberg took more than 5 minutes off the clock on its next possession, moving the chains with a third-down conversion and a fourth-down conversion before Ohio Wesleyan forced a punt. Hayden Olcott's punt was downed at the 4-yard line, putting the Bishops 96 yards away from the tying touchdown with 2:59 left in regulation time.
Facing a fourth-and-2 from the OWU 12, Buza hit sophomore wide receiver Josh Hurst (Port Clinton) for 23 yards and a first down, then found Hurst again for a 15-yard gain to midfield. Buza hit Webb on the sideline for 26 yards on the next play, then found Alston for the final 24 yards and the score, but the play was wiped out as Buza was past the line of scrimmage when he released the ball, and the Tigers were able to close out that series of downs and then run out the clock.
Buza completed 19 of 42 passes for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns. Webb led the Bishops with 9 catches for 190 yards and 2 scores, and Hurst had 5 receptions for 101 yards. Junior linebacker Seth Anderson (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) led the Bishops with 16 tackles, including a sack and 2 for loss, forced a fumble, and added a quarterback hurry. Junior linebacker Bryar Ramey (Polk/Mapleton) recorded 12 tackles and a pass breakup.
Box Score
