Ashland, Ohio – The Kentucky Wesleyan football team has a lot to build on for next season after an impressive effort in a 44-30 defeat against Ashland on Saturday afternoon.
The Panthers finish the season 2-9 overall and 1-8 in the G-MAC, while Ashland finishes 8-3 overall and 8-1 in the G-MAC.
Wesleyan got on the board first, with Cole Cawthorne knocking in a 49-yard field goal late in the first quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Jahiem Williams forced a fumble by the Eagles that was recovered by Desmond Thomas. The Panthers then scored on the very next play, a 22-yard touchdown pass from Harrison Burch to Kam Sherrard that put Wesleyan up 10-0.
Ashland responded with three consecutive touchdown drives. A blocked punt by the Eagles set up one of those three scores, putting the home team up 21-10.
The Panthers weren't going to fold. Burch threw another touchdown pass to Sherrard, this time a 33-yard score, to cut the Ashland lead to 21-16.
The Eagles then put together a 7-play, 65-yard drive to extend their lead to 27-16, but Wesleyan had another quick response as Burch hit Brohns Donaldson for a 76-yard score right before the half to send the Panthers into the half down just 27-23.
Ashland controlled the second half, totaling two touchdowns and a field goal across the next two quarters. A Brandon Mackey touchdown run accounted for the only score by Wesleyan as the senior running back capped off a record-breaking season.
Burch went 20-34 for 363 yards and three touchdowns overall in his first full game as a Panther, making a strong case for next season.
Mackey racked up 131 yards and a score on the ground. Sherrard had the best game of his season, totaling 10 catches for 185 receiving yards and two touchdowns in his final game as a Panther, and Donaldson had three catches for 85 yards and a score.
Defensively, Jhor'dan Inniss and Kelton Farmer both had 10 tackles. Williams came in right behind them with eight on top of a forced fumble. John Purdy, Mason Bell, and Josh Noble had six tackles each on the afternoon.
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