Box Score
Wabash 30, Ohio Wesleyan 13

Fifth-year quarterback Kaden Buza (Winchester, Va./Millbrook) tossed a 3-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Braden Fitchko (Avon) that brought Ohio Wesleyan within a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, but Wabash pulled away for a win in the North Coast Athletic Conference opener for both teams on Saturday in Crawfordsville, Ind.

After the Little Giants held the Bishops on fourth-and-3 on the Wabash 36 on the opening drive of the game, Wabash moved the chains with a 10-yard rush by Xavier Tyler, a 19-yard connection from Blake White to Connor Garrity, and a 2-yard run by White on fourth-and-1 from the OWU 13.  Two plays later, Tyler found T.J. Alexander on a 6-yard scoring play.  The hosts got the ball back after a shot punt and took advantage of the short field on Brody Rucker's 39-yard field goal for a 10-0 lead late in the period.

Senior linebacker Drew Grup (Temperance, Mich.) picked off a White pass on the first play of the second quarter and returned it to the Little Giant 28-yard line.  Buza ran for 14 yards and a first down on a third-and-13 call, and 2 plays later, it was Buza to junior wide receiver J.T. James (Hurricane, W.Va.) for a 9-yard touchdown.  Freshman Collin Wehner (Bellbrook/Kettering Alter) misfired on the point-after to keep the score at 10-6.

Wabash increased its lead with a 20-yard field goal by Rucker with 1:10 left in the half, culminating a 72-yard, 14-play drive that took more than 5 minutes off the clock, but the Bishops responded with completions of 31 yards from Buza to junior wide receiver Bryan Hines Jr. (Lima/Senior) and 26 and 10 yards to junior wide receiver C.T. Taylor (Canal Winchester/Pickerington Central) for a first down at the Wabash 5-yard line with :07 remaining.  Two passes fell incomplete before a Wabash penalty gave the Bishops a third chance, but Buza was sacked on the final play of the half and it remained 13-6.

Wabash's Gavin Ruppert intercepted a Buza pass and returned it to the OWU 23 early in the second half, and on the first play from scrimmage, Kannon Chase caught a 23-yard pass from Brand Campbell to extend the Wabash lead.

In the fourth quarter, Buza found Hines for 13 yards, freshman running back Nathan Severs (Galena/Big Walnut) for 13 more yards, and Fitchko for 20 yards and a first down at the Wabash 6.  Facing fourth-and-goal from the 7, the Bishops got another chance when a Buza interception was wiped out by a Little Giant penalty, and Buza took advantage by finding Fitchko for 3 yards and a score, with Wehner's conversion kick making it 20-13.

Campbell broke loose on a 31-yard run on Wabash's next possession, setting up a 28-yard field goal by Rucker, and Wabash's Avery Epstein returned an interception 51 yards to the OWU 5-yard line to set up a touchdown run by Tyler that sealed the outcome.

Buza completed 28 of 48 throws for 343 yards and 2 scores.  Junior wide receiver Josh Hurst (Port Clinton) and James caught 6 passes apiece, with Hurst compiling 90 yards and James 68.  Severs and junior running back Devon Haley (Granville) ran for 44 yards apiece.  Senior linebacker Seth Anderson (Springfield/Kenton Ridge) led the Bishops with 9 tackles.

Box Score