LIBERTY, Mo. - The William Jewell football team scored in every quarter on Saturday night enroute to a dominant 48-21 win over Kentucky Wesleyan in the home opener. The Cardinals improve to 2-0 on the season as they enter Great Lakes Valley Conference play next week.
HOW IT HAPPENED
MicahJo Barnett sparked the Cardinals instantly taking the first snap 75 yards for a touchdown, which is tied for the second longest rush from scrimmage in Jewell's NCAA era. In the second quarter both sides of the ball capitalized, beginning with
AJ Austene who went up and over a defender to haul in the 29 yard pass from
Jake Shaffer and put the Cardinals up 13. Kentucky Wesleyan fumbled on the ensuing drive and handed the ball back to Jewell on the nine yard line. After a penalty backed things up five yards, Shaffer found
Layne Cavanah in the center of the end zone to extend the advantage to 20-0.
Kentucky Wesleyan picked off a pass and returned 46 yards to get on the board but
Ben Murawski got a pick of his own to close the half with the Cardinals leading 20-9.
Jewell started the second half as they finished the first as
Keagan Hart picked off the KWC quarterback and ran it 65 yards for the score. The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter as Barnett ran it in seven yards before the Panthers got back-to-back scores and pull within 34-21.
In the fourth,
Tyler Kubat entered at quarterback and found
AJ Austene for 11 yards before
Devin Walton picked up his first interception of the season to hand the ball right back to Jewell on the 37 yard line. Midway through the final period, Barnett ran for his third score of the night, this time for 28 yards to bring the score to the final of 48-21.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The ground game was superb for Jewell who outpaced the Panthers, 211 yards to just 32. Barnett led the way with 150 yards on 10 carries and three touchdowns.
- Austene, Reece Thomas, and Nate Barnett each gathered two passes with the latter having a team high 58 yards receiving.
- Kubat finished 6-for-11 for 101 yards with one score and one interception.
- Defensively, Murawski led two Cardinals with double-digit tackles, finishing with a game high 15, including one for loss and one interception. Jonny Williams added a career high 10 tackles with three for loss and a forced fumble.
- The defense forced another four turnovers to go with five sacks for 46 yards.
- Jewell posted 349 yards on just 51 plays for an average of nearly seven yards per play.
- The Cardinals are now 6-2 all-time against Kentucky Wesleyan.
UP NEXT
Jewell remains at home next weekend as they host Southwest Baptist to open GLVC action. Kick off is set for 6 p.m.
