Coyotes drop home finale to Sterling 18-10
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Jerod Barrett celebrates in the end zone after his 90-yard touchdown return of the opening kickoff against Sterling.

The game started out on the right foot for the Coyotes on Senior Day 2005, but as the day went on, things turned more and more bleak for Wesleyan, culminating in an 18-10 loss to Sterling on Saturday at Martin Stadium.

The loss snaps Wesleyan’s seven game winning streak, dropping them to 7-2 overall and 6-2 in the KCAC. The loss also dashes any hopes of making the NAIA Football Championship Series this season, somewhere the Coyotes haven’t been since 2002 when they captured the KCAC Title.

Senior Jerod Barrett playing his last game on the battered turf of Martin Stadium took the opening kickoff at the KWU-10, and cut back to the left up the middle of the field, going virtually untouched 90 yards into the end zone. Gary Trione’s kick made it 7-0 Coyotes just 16 seconds into the game.

Sterling was able to even the score at the 11:19 mark as Tyler Deganhardt hit Andy Wesner for a 28 yard touchdown pass. Ryan Heughan’s kick knotted things up at 7-all. Sterling’s drive was kept alive twice by KWU penalties.

Near the end of the first quarter, Wesleyan put together their only strong drive of the game, driving 69 yards in 12 plays, before stalling at the Sterling 11-yard line. Junior Alexis’ pass to Ernest Ballenger on third down was broken up by Rico Hardrick, forcing the Coyotes to settle for a 29-yard field goal by Trione with 12:00 to go in the first half.

After Sterling’s drive stalled, the Coyotes took over at their own 18, but after facing a first and 17 after a holding penalty, Barrett was stripped by Jared Dildy of Sterling and Jason Caputo recovered the ball giving Sterling great field position at the KWU 26. Sterling could only go 14 yards in eight plays before attempting a 30-yard Heughan field goal. Heughan’s kick was wide right, and the Coyotes took over clinging to a 10-7 lead.

Wesleyan’s ensuing drive stalled at their 47-yard line, Davis boomed a 53-yard punt for a touchback, and Deganhardt took a knee to head into halftime with Wesleyan ahead 10-7.

The third quarter was dominated by Sterling as they racked up 116 yards of offense, while holding the ball for nearly 12 minutes in the quarter. The only core came for the Warriors at the 3:34 mark as Heughan drove a line drive 32-yard field goal just over the cross bar to tie the score at 10-all.

On Wesleyan’s next drive, Alexis’ pass to Jeremy Jones was intercepted by Derrick Sullivan at the KWU-38 yard line, again giving Sterling a short field. Sterling appeared to be in position to score the go-ahead score, but Adam Paredes and Scott L’Ecuyer sacked Deganhardt on fourth down at the KWU 19, giving the ball back to the Coyotes. Wesleyan could not muster any kind of offensive attack on their next two drives, going three-and-out twice and only gaining seven yards, before Sterling struck with 8:59 to go. Nathan Baker took the handoff from Deganhardt and broke several tackles at the line before scampering 41 yards for the go ahead score. On the PAT attempt, Heughan’s kick never made it off the ground hitting an offensive player, but Andy Wesner picked up the loose ball and dove into the end zone. After a discussion between the officials, Sterling was awarded the two-point conversion and took an 18-10 lead.

Both teams went back and forth until KWU took over on their own 24 yard line with 2:08 to go. The Coyotes used the passing game to Andy Bean to move the ball down the field. Bean converted a big third down play with an eight yard catch at the Sterling 31, but the Coyotes could get no closer than the Warrior 25, on a scramble by Alexis on third down. On fourth and four, Alexis passed to Jon Robinson, who was wide open for the first down, but he dropped the pass allowing Sterling to take over on downs.

Deganhardt took a knee, and Sterling knocked off the Coyotes 18-10.

The Coyotes could only muster 219 yards of total offense on the afternoon, compared to 308 for Sterling. The Coyotes rushed for 112 yards, led by Darell Grames with 62 yards on 20 carries, and Jerod Barrett with 32 yards on six carries. Junior Alexis was a meager 10-for-31 passing for 107 yards, and was intercepted once and sacked once. Freshman Andy Bean led the receivers with four catches for 55 yards. Ernest Ballenger had three grabs for 44 yards.

Sterling had five different rushers combine for 263 yards on 62 carries, led by Nathan Baker who had 17 carries for 129 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown score, and a 53 yard run which helped set up Sterling’s scoring drive in the third quarter. A.B. Stokes had 12 carries for 65 yards, while Deganhardt carried 20 times as part of Sterling’s option offense for 44 yards. Deganhardt went 3-for-8 passing for only 45 yards and one touchdown – a 28-yard toss to Wesner. He was also sacked three times. Three different receivers each caught one pass for Sterling – Wesner, Stokes and Laudermilk.

The Coyotes (7-2 overall, 6-2 KCAC) conclude their season next weekend against arch-rival Bethany College at 1:30 PM in Lindsborg, while Sterling (5-3 overall and KCAC) travels to Wichita to play Friends.

-- KWU SI --

	All pictures by Krista Marsicek