Football routs Southwestern Assemblies 52-13
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

WAXAHACHIE, Texas – Kansas Wesleyan put together another outstanding performance on the football field, rolling out 580 yards of total offense and capitalizing on five Southwestern Assemblies of God turnovers to rout the Lions 52-13 at Lumpkins Stadium on Saturday night.

For the second straight week the Coyotes used a crushing ground game, racking up another 394 yards on the ground after having 378 yards rushing last week against McPherson. Senior tailback Preston McCorkle led the way with 163 yards on 20 carries, and two touchdowns, despite only having one carry in the fourth quarter.

After failed opening drives by both teams, the Coyotes got the scoring express going on their second possession of the game. A 28-yard screen pass play on third down from Drew Dallas to McCorkle was the big play of the drive as Wesleyan marched 80 yards in ten plays capped by a four yard run by McCorkle to go up 7-0.

The Coyotes forced the first of four consecutive turnovers by SAGU on the Lions’ next drive. T.J. DiPrima recovered a fumble by Jason Rice at the KWU-23, and three plays later, McCorkle broke a 68-yard run for a touchdown to put the Coyotes ahead 14-0 after Scotty McKeon’s PAT kick.

SAGU again drove deep into KWU territory on its next drive but another fumble, this time by Robby Foster, was picked up by Dustin Trimble at the end of the first quarter. Five plays later, the Coyotes would give the ball back to SAGU on downs, when McCorkle came up just short on a fourth and three play from the Lion 19 yard line.

SAGU didn’t have the ball long as Rice’s pass on third down was picked off by Mike Vaughan at the SAGU-27. Seven plays later, Jeremy Washington scored from five yards out to put the Coyotes up 21-0.

Southwestern Assemblies’ next drive only last two plays as Joseph Garcia coughed up the ball, and Charles Starling recovered at the SAGU-26. The Coyotes then needed only two plays as Washington got his second score of the day on a 25-yard run to put the Coyotes up 28-0 with 6:34 to go in the second quarter.

The Lions finally broke the stiff Coyote defense and the string of four straight possessions with a turnover on their next drive when Garcia hit Andrew Colvin from 24 yards out to make it 28-7 with 4:31 left.

Wesleyan would settle for a 38-yard field goal from McKeon on its last drive of the first half to take a 31-7 lead into the break.

With a little momentum coming out of the halftime break, SAGU had hoped to make a little run on the Coyotes taking the ball first to open the half. However, just three plays into the drive, Garcia’s pass was picked off by Branden Edward at the SAGU-39.

After losing a yard on the first play, the Coyotes marched ahead and went up 38-7 when Dallas hit Jason Dolan in the end zone from 15-yards out.

SAGU answered right back, only needing two plays to go 65 yards as Rice hit David Howard on a 64-yard scoring strike. The extra point was partially blocked and was no good for the Lions.

Neither team was able to score on its next drive, but the Coyotes ended the third with a great play as Dallas hit Marcus Lowe for 33 yards, going down at the SAGU-1, setting up a one-yard scoring play by Dane McCoy just eight seconds into the fourth quarter. McKeon’s kick put the Coyotes up 45-13.

A 44-yard run by Steve Valliere on KWU’s next drive set up a six-yard run by sophomore Tyler Zachman that put the Coyotes up 52-13 after McKeon’s kick.

The Lions drove to the KWU-9 on their next to last drive, but Rice’s pass on fourth down was incomplete.

Wesleyan got some younger players into the game, as they got big runs by McCoy and were aided by some 15-yard penalties by SAGU to get all the way down to the SAGU-24, where the drive stalled on fourth down with eight seconds left.

SAGU was able to get two plays off before the end of the game, a 22-yard pass from Rice to Foster, and a 36-yard scramble by Rice ended the game.

McCorkle’s 164 yards led the Coyotes in rushing, while Washington added 10 carries for 64 yards and a pair of scores. Valliere had three carries for 57 yards, Dallas added five runs for 46 yards, McCoy had six runs for 41 yards and Zachman added seven carries for 19 yards. The Coyotes pounded out 394 yards on 54 carries on the night as a team. Dallas was 9-of-19 passing for 154 yards, and Johnny Park came in late and was 1-for-4 for 32 yards. Dolan led the receivers with three catches for 54 yards, while Lowe had a pair of catches for 38 yards and Valliere added two grabs for 20 yards.

Rice led SAGU with 143 yards rushing on 13 attempts from the quarterback position, while he and Garcia split time at the position, with Garcia passing 13-for-23 for 137 yards with one score and one interception, and Rice was 10-for-16 for 108 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Foster had five receptions for 57 yards, while Howard added five catches for 82 yards and a touchdown.

Wesleyan is back in action next Saturday as they head to Winfield to take on Southwestern College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., from Sonner Stadium.

-- KWU SI --