OWENSBORO, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan football team came up just short against in-state rival Thomas More to close out the 2025 campaign.
Both teams traded several punts for the first 10 minutes, including a booming 78-yard kick by Jakob DeShields to pin the Saints at their own three-yard line on his first attempt of the game. Later in the frame, Jaheim Williams picked off TMU's Griffin Scalf and registered a 31-yard return, but neither team could get on the board in the first.
The defensive battle continued in the second period. After Wesleyan failed to convert on a field goal attempt, Williams came up with another interception on the ensuing TMU drive for his second of the game. The Panthers looked to break the tie with a long mid-quarter drive, but the Saints stood tall on the goal line to keep the game scoreless.
Quarterback Justus Wertzler and running back Ayden Houston helped put together a strong drive, highlighted by Wertzler connecting with Houston for a 35-yard deep ball, that was capped off by a Cole Cawthorne 30-yard field goal to put Wesleyan up 3-0 early in the third quarter.
The Panthers maintained that momentum defensively, as Dre Raven recorded KWC's third interception of the day following the field goal. Later, TMU booted their own perfect punt to pin Wesleyan at the one-yard line, and the Saints turned that into a safety on the very next play to create a unique 3-2 score.
On the Saints' ensuing possession, the road team put together their first and only touchdown drive but failed to convert the two-point conversion, resulting in an 8-3 score with just under 13 minutes left.
Wesleyan responded quickly on their following drive. Wertzler scampered for 22 yards before linking up with DeMauriah Brown for a 36-yard touchdown pass, then delivered an impressive throw to DJ Perry to convert the two-point try and solidify the Panthers' lead at 11-8.
The Saints had their own response as the scoring just kept coming, putting together a 13-play drive that led to a 37-yard game tying field goal.
It was the Panthers' turn to try and answer. Wertzler connected with Camron Brogran on a 27-yard pass and catch to get Wesleyan in field goal range, but Cawthorne just barely missed a tough 49-yard drive that gave TMU the ball with 1:54 to play.
Thomas More came up just short on their own field goal try from 45 yards out with 1:09 left, allowing KWC to receive yet another chance. On just the third play of their next drive, Wertzler scrambled right before throwing a pass to the middle of the field that would get intercepted by the Saints at Wesleyan's own 35-yard line.
All Thomas More had to do was convert their field goal try, which had proved to be a difficulty all afternoon, but this time Luke Iden sunk his 46-yard attempt as the clock ran out.
Before the classic between the two teams, the Panthers honored their 16 seniors: student-athletes Taveris Albury, Jalon Baker, Reggie Barnes, AJ Bullard, Cawthorne, Carter Contratto, Houston, Jaiden Miller, Ak'Bar Shabazz II, Isaiah Tomes, and Terrant Young, as well as staff members Conner Murphy, Ethan Stumpe, Brooklynn Wolf, and Terrell Young.
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