Midland, Mich. – The Kentucky Wesleyan football team earned a massive 27-20 road win over Northwood on Saturday afternoon, tallying the Panthers' first G-MAC win of the season.
Wesleyan improves to 2-5 overall and 1-4 in the G-MAC, while Northwood drops to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in the G-MAC.
Northwood began the game off strong, holding the Panthers to a three-and-out before scoring on their first offensive play from scrimmage to take a 7-0 lead.
The Panthers bounced right back, as Joey Cambron led an 11-play, 92-yard drive capped off by an Aden Hooper touchdown run to knot the game at 7-7.
Although momentum was on Wesleyan's side, their defense was not yet settled in. The Timberwolves scored on their very next drive in just three plays to take a 13-7 lead after the extra point was missed.
Wesleyan, again, bounced back with consecutive field goals by Blake Vivrette, including one from 52 yards out, to tie the game at 13 going into halftime.
Coming out, Northwood drove right down the field and took a 20-13 lead on the opening drive of the second half, but the momentum turned from there for the Panthers.
After Wesleyan recovered a huge fumble by the Timberwolves, Cambron connected with Kam Sherrard for a 39-yard touchdown to tie the game for the third time at 20-20 with a little over three minutes to go in the third quarter.
The Panthers began with the fall in the fourth and had another lengthy drive to get into field-goal range, but Vivrette failed to convert the 27-yard attempt as the game remained tied.
The defense picked up the junior kicker, forcing a punt by the Timberwolves. The Panthers' offense took advantage with an 11-play, 83-yard drive that took up nearly all of the final minutes in the game. Brandon Mackey scored the game-winning touchdown with five seconds remaining to earn the 27-20 road victory for Wesleyan.
Cambron went 17-27 for 266 yards and a touchdown pass. Mackey, having broke the single-game rushing school record last week, continued his dominance with 95 yards rushing and a touchdown on top of three catches for 77 yards. Sherrard led the receiving corps with six catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Gerald Palmer had a team-high seven tackles and two pass breakups. John Purdy had six tackles and an interception, while Jhor'dan Inniss recorded four tackles, a forced fumble and recovery, and an interception of his own. Kelton Farmer had three tackles for loss and a sack in the win, and Kajuan Hardesty had two tackles for loss, a sack, and a fumble recovery.
The Panthers next return home to face off with the Hillsdale Chargers as part of Homecoming week. Kickoff is set for 12:00 PM on October 26 inside Steele Stadium.
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