Oilers Run Over Kentucky Wesleyan in Homecoming Victory
Findlay, Ohio - The University of Findlay football team pounded the football on the ground to earn a 31-19 win against the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers on Saturday, Oct. 9 in Donnell Stadium for the Oilers Homecoming Game. Findlay stayed perfect against the Panthers all-time, improving to 5-0 against their Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) foe from Owensboro. With the victory, the Oilers are now 4-2 on the season and remain tied atop the G-MAC at 2-0. The Panthers fall to 2-4 on the year and are now 0-2 in conference play.
In a series that has been as lopsided as any in Oilers program history, the Panthers proved early-on that this was a different group than has visited Donnell Stadium in the past. Findlay and KWC traded possessions in the first quarter as they combined for one missed field goal, a turnover on downs, and five punts. Neither team was able to put points on the board.
However, the final play of the first quarter was a 36-yard pass from Matt Winzeler to Marlin Richardson, putting the Oilers on the Panthers' 13-yard line. Just two plays into the second quarter, Josh Booker bulldozed his way into the endzone from one yard out, putting Findlay ahead 7-0.
KWC's ensuing possession ended on an interception by Marquis Stokes, his second pick of the season. The Oilers turned that interception into points when, six plays later, Josh Booker capped a six-play, 60-yard drive with a 22-yard touchdown run. The score of 14-0 took both teams into halftime.
The Oilers, won the coin toss at the beginning of the game and deferred, began the second half with possession of the football. On the first play of the half, Garret Clark broke free, sprinting 75 yards for the score, putting Findlay ahead 21-0.
KWC finally got on the board with just over two-minutes left in the third quarter, but they still trailed by 14 points.
On Findlay's first drive of the fourth quarter, it was again Josh Booker who was the x-factor as he carried the ball three times for 17 yards, capped with an eight-yard touchdown run, his third of the game.
The Oilers would give up a touchdown late in the fourth, but it was not enough as they would roll to the 12-point victory.
As a team, Findlay had 240 yards on the ground, the fourth time in six games that the Oilers have rushed for more than 200 yards. On the flip side, KWC, which was a pass-heavy offense, rushed for just 62 yards. The Panthers had more yards through the air, 280 to Findlay's 135, but also turned the ball over twice, both via interception.
Booker ended the game with 12 carries and 63 yards on the ground including three touchdowns. However, Findlay's leading rusher was Garret Clark who carried the ball 16 times for 139 yards. He found the endzone once, the 75-yard run to open the second half.
On defense, Johnny Harris led Findlay with nine tackles, eight of which were solo stops. Linebacker Grey Brancifort had eight stops including a half tackle-for-loss. Jeremiah Jackson had five tackles, an interception, and three pass breakups while Marqis Stokes finished with four tackles and a pick.
Not to be overlooked was the play of freshman kicker Austin Snyder who was brilliant for Findlay. Snyder punted the ball four times for 167 yards, an average of 41.8 yards per punt. His best kick of the day came on Findlay's first series when he punted the ball 66 yards to inside the Panthers' one yard line. Snyder was also a perfect four-for-four on extra points and had a 26-yard field goal to his credit.
The Oilers are back in action on Saturday, Oct. 16 when they travel to take on Ohio Dominican in a matchup that is sure to have G-MAC title implications. That game will kick off at noon in Columbus, Ohio.
