MARION, Ind. - No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan football cruised to a 70-7 victory over Madonna Saturday afternoon in the regular-season finale. The Wildcats claimed the program's first outright MSFA Mideast Championship with an undefeated 7-0 league record. IWU secures an automatic bid to the 2022 NAIA Football National Championship Series.

 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Wildcats were never challenged after jumping on the visitors less than two minutes into the game.

FIRST QUARTER

• Dederrian Williams got things going in a hurry when he rumbled for an eight-yard score just 1:05 into the game. The Ethan Collins kick made it 7-0.
• Just four minutes later, Xander Stokes found Jacquez Carter for a nine-yard strike and a 14-0 advantage.
• Williams continued his stellar season with another touchdown run with 3:50 to go in the stanza. This time, it came from 12 yards out.
• Stokes completed the scoring in the first quarter when he found Xavier Gordon for a six-yard pitch-and-catch. The extra point made it 28-0.

SECOND QUARTER

• Williams pushed his way into the endzone at the 11:11 mark of the second quarter.
• With 2:05 to go in the half, Gordon hauled in an 11-yard pass from Stokes for a 42-0 lead at the break.
• At the half, IWU led 42-0.

THIRD QUARTER

• The scoring continued with a 16-yard pass to Markell Stephens-Peppers by Stokes. Following the touchdown, the kick by Collins widened the margin to 49-0.
• At the 7:26 mark, Jameson Chesser rushed from one yard out to keep the scoring going.
• Ryan Whiteman found the endzone with an 8-yard rush to give IWU a 63-0 lead.
• An interception by Lane Ruby was returned 25 yards to score another touchdown, ending the quarter with a score of 70-0.

FOURTH QUARTER

• The Wildcats maintained their energy in the final quarter, starting it off with another Chesser touchdown.
• At the 2:38 mark, Madonna got on the board avoiding the shut-out with a 79-7 final score.

TURNING POINT

• After the first touchdown, the Wildcats never lost momentum in the regular-season finale.

WHAT THE WIN MEANS

• The Wildcats will head to the NAIA postseason with a stellar 9-1 ledger.

KEY STATISTICS

• On offense, Stokes completed 13-of-22 through the air with four touchdown passes, setting a new program single-season record with 23 touchdowns this season.
• Williams ran for three total touchdowns in the game, tying the program record with his 12th of the year. Gordon and Chesser each had two touchdowns while Ryan Whiteman and Stephens-Peppers each had one.  
• Chesser led the Wildcats with 159 yards on the ground.  Williams had 16 carries for 122 yards. Whiteman added 50 yards on the ground.
• Stephens-Peppers hauled in two passes for 75 yards while Williams caught four passes for 51 yards.
• Defensively, both Aaron Harris and Clayton Mosher led the team with 7 total tackles against Madonna.
• Mosher, Devin Bacchus, Neil Campbell and Felix Meeks each had tackles for loss in the win.

LANGS PERSPECTIVE

• "It has been a hard yet rewarding journey that has brought us to this point," said Jordan Langs, Head Football Coach. "So many people have committed themselves to a cause greater than themselves, and we have shown the ability to reflect the mission of the university while playing championship football simultaneously!"

LOOKING FORWARD

• Tune in tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. to the upcoming NAIA selection show to find out who the Wildcats will face in the postseason.
• For more information on all the fall sport selection shows, click here.

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