Photo Courtesy of Andie Dolven
(NEW CONCORD, Ohio) – The Wilmington College football team lost a thriller Saturday afternoon to the Muskingum University Fighting Muskies 64-63. The Quakers held a 63-56 advantage with under five minutes to play in the game but a Muskies touchdown with 2:28 remaining put the game away.
Muskingum went up 14-0 with 7:26 remaining in the first quarter before Wilmington began to storm back. On the following drive, big plays of 17, 11 and 10 yards set the Quakers up at the Muskingum 31-yard line. A 31-yard touchdown pass was called back due to holding, but the Quakers hung tough during the drive. They picked up 13 yards over the next two plays before senior Derek Larimer found sophomore Bryan Kearse for a 14-yard touchdown to make the game 14-7.
After a 33-yard Zac Schmidt punt return early in the second quarter, it took just four plays for the Quakers to find the endzone on a seven-yard pass to Najee Dade to tie it up at 14-14. The game would be tied at the half, 28-28 after Larimer found Nehemiah Jenkins and Kearse for the Quakers next two touchdowns.
In the second half, a missed field goal was called back due to a Muskingum offsides penalty which gave Wilmington another play at the Muskies six-yard line. They took advantage, as Saa'lih Muhammed scored his first touchdown of the game and gave the Quakers their first lead of the game at 35-28.
After the Muskies tied it, Wilmington scored again with an eight-play drive that started at their 25-yard line. Plays of 16 and 19 yards along with a pair of key Muskingum penalties set the Quakers up for a one-yard touchdown pass to Kaleb Easley to retake the lead. The game would go into the final quarter at 42-42.
On their first drive of the final quarter, Larimer would find Lathan Jones for an 11-yard touchdown to give them the lead once again at 49-42. They would take a 56-42 advantage after a Larimer 34-yard touchdown pass to Jones capped off a seven-play drive. The Muskies would roar back though, scoring two quick touchdowns, after a three-yard touchdown pass was followed by a successful onside kick and a 51-yard touchdown pass tied the game at 56-56.
With 6:38 remaining, the Quakers began a seven-play drive that included plays of 31,10, and 14 yards, before Larimer found Muhammed for 32 yards and his ninth touchdown pass of the game. This gave the Quakers a 63-56 advantage with 4:28 remaining.
The Muskies went right down the field to score a touchdown and followed it up with a successful two-point conversion to take a 64-63 lead. The Quakers had one more chance, reaching their own 42-yard line, but an interception and ensuing first down sealed the game for the Muskies at 64-63.
Notables
- Derek Larimer set the Quakers program record with nine touchdown passes in the game and tied Ohio Northern University's Joe Zarlinga (1998) for the most touchdown passes in a single game in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) history.
- Larimer finished the day going 35-52 for 482 yards through the air.
- Lathan Jones finished the game with 11 catches and 196 receiving yards, the seventh game in his career with 100 or more receiving yards. He had three receiving touchdowns.
- Saa'lih Muhammed caught 10 passes for 148 yards, the second straight game he bested the century mark in receiving and the second game of his career with over 100 receiving yards. He had two receiving touchdowns.
- Nehemiah Jenkins ran for 174 yards on 26 attempts, which is his fourth game this season with over 100 rushing yards.
- Seth Best set the program record with 9 successful PAT's and 9 PAT attempts, as he finished the day 9-9.
- Joey Weikel finished with 12 tackles (seven solo, five assisted), and Zac Schmidt had 11 tackles (four solo, seven assisted) and an interception.
- Quentin Davis had an interception in the game and nine tackles (six solo, three assisted).
- Sean Hollenbeck and Jake Sheriff each had half a sack in the contest.
- The Quakers 658 yards of total offense is third in program history, while their 63 points is fifth in program history and their 482 passing yards is fourth in program history.
What's Up Next
The Quakers fall to 3-6 overall this season and 2-6 in the OAC. They conclude the 2023 season at home next weekend against the Ohio Northern University Polar Bears at 2:00 P.M.
