MARION, Ind. - A tremendous second quarter and outstanding defense all day long guided No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan football to a 23-13 victory over No. 15 Concordia (Mich.). The victory marks the first in program history over the Cardinals.  

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In a slow first frame, the home squad notched a 3-0 lead. The second quarter saw the Wildcats pile up 20 points and it was more than enough with a stingy defense that only gave up six second-half points in the 10-point victory.
• Although IWU was out-gained 424-241, the defense forced four turnovers and never allowed the Cardinals to get the contest back to a one-possession game after holding a 23-7 lead at the break.

FIRST QUARTER

• The teams traded turnovers near the midway point of the frame. IWU lost a fumble but Justin Johnson's interception moments later gave the ball back to the home team.
• After three straight rushes by Daniel Weems, Xander Stokes hit Perrion McClinton for 13 yards. IWU mixed up the pass and run until it looked at a fourth-and-three from the 27-yard line. Ethan Collins calmly blasted his attempt through the uprights for a 3-0 lead with just five seconds left on the clock. 

SECOND QUARTER

• IWU's next drive started on its own 20-yard line after a touchback on a punt by Concordia. On second-and-10, Stokes connected with Jacquez Carter for an 80-yard pass. The ensuing extra point made it 10-0 11:54 to go before halftime.
• Lane Ruby's interception resulted into a five-yard scamper by McClinton for a 17-0 advantage with 10:06 to play.
• Donovan Shelton intercepted a pass and returned it to the 40-yard line. On second-and-nine from the 14, Stokes hit Charlie Hill for a touchdown pass. IWU held a 23-0 lead with 1:01 to play.
• Concordia bounced back and made it 23-7 at the break with a 29-yard touchdown pass as time expired.

THIRD QUARTER

• The Cardinals pulled within 10 on a one-yard plunge with 8:20 to go in the third quarter. It marked the lone score during the stanza.

FOURTH QUARTER

• With Concordia driving for much of the final quarter, the Wildcats held the visitors on fourth-and-nine on the 30 to just a three-yard run. The defensive effort was outstanding.
• Although Concordia managed to get the ball back, Donovan Shelton intercepted a pass at the 8-yard line, sealing the win.

TURNING POINT

• The turning point was when the stellar defense stepped up and forced the quick turnovers that resulted in points for the Wildcats in the first half. The final interception with under a minute to go sealed the victory.

WHAT THE WIN MEANS

• Two of the top teams in the country will square off next week. The Wildcats are 3-1 while Marian sits at 4-0.  

KEY STATISTICS

• Shelton picked off a pair of passes while Johnson and Ruby each had one interception each. Forcing four turnovers kept the high-octane offense off the board.
• Clayton Mosher led the defense with nine total tackles while Bacchus accounted for eight.
• Stokes was efficient, hitting 12-of-19 for 185 yards and three touchdowns.
• Carter, Hill and McClinton all had touchdown receptions. Carter led the offense with 101 receiving yards.
• Williams led the ground attack with 45 yards on eight carries.

LANGS PERSPECTIVE

• "I am so proud of the grit and toughness our players and staff showed today. We played together for 60 minutes and never gave up on each other. Our identity is complimentary football, and we stay committed to that all game."

NEXT UP

• IWU hits the road on Saturday, Oct. 8. The team will play at No. 5 Marian (Ind.) (4-0) at 6:05 p.m.
• Live video and stats will be available at IWUWildcats.com.

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