Owensboro, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan football team earned an all-around 33-13 victory over Northern Michigan in their home opener at Steele Stadium on Thursday night. It's the first time in over 20 years that the Panthers have begun the campaign 1-0, while the Wildcats fall to 0-2 on the season.
Joey Cambron went 20-31 with 310 yards and three touchdowns for an impressive start to his season. Kam Sherrard, Khia Sherrard, and Jatavian Churchill each caught a touchdown pass, and the former led the way with six total receptions for 99 yards.
Defensively, Bishop Byrd tallied a team-leading seven tackles. Jalon Baker and Kajuan Hardesty each had five of their own, with the latter recording 1.5 tackles for loss as well.
The Panthers wasted no time getting on the board to begin 2024, using an eight-play drive capped off by a 23-yard touchdown pass from Cambron to Churchill to take a 6-0 lead in the first. Later, Northern Michigan responded with a six-play, 3:06 drive that resulted in a one-yard score on the ground by Nico Lukkarinen, taking a 7-6 lead.
The two teams traded field goals early in the second quarter, as Blake Vivrette nailed a 41-yarder for his first of the year.
Midway through the second, Kentucky Wesleyan took the lead for good as Cambron threw a 34-yard dart to Khia Sherrard that gave the Panthers a 16-10 advantage.
Another Vivrette field goal, this time from 33 yards out, stretched the Panthers lead to 19-10 right before the half.
The second half was all Kentucky Wesleyan, as the Panthers added two more scores and the defense gave up just three points to the Wildcats. Cambron first threw his third touchdown of the night to Kam Sherrard, then backup QB Aden Hooper closed the game out with a rushing score after John Purdy picked off Aidan Hoard to solidify the 33-13 victory.
The Panthers next return home for their annual "Purple Out" against William Jewell at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 14th. The matchup last year was an instant classic between the two teams, with Kentucky Wesleyan prevailing on the road by a score of 41-34.
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