Owls Score in Final Seconds to Pull Ahead of Scots, 32-26

GAMBIER, Ohio – The College of Wooster football team's dynamic fourth-quarter comeback was upended by Kenyon College, which scored with six seconds remaining to knock off the Fighting Scots 32-26 on Saturday afternoon at McBride Field. Kenyon snapped Wooster's 10-game series winning streak with the win.

Wooster (1-3, 0-2 North Coast Athletic Conference) senior return specialist Carter Warstler ignited the Scots with a 60-yard kickoff return, which answered a Kenyon fourth-quarter touchdown. Fifteen yards for unnecessary roughness were tacked on to the end of Warstler's 60-yard runback, setting Wooster up with possession at Kenyon's 19-yard line. Senior tight end Sebestyen Balassy was left open on the post route, making for a simple Chanden Lee touchdown completion on the first play of the drive. Balassy logged his first receiving touchdown on the grab, while Lee moved into ninth-place in program history for passing touchdowns at 24. The Scots' tight end added the extra point to pull Wooster within 25-20 at the fourth-quarter's 9:42 mark.

Junior Nick Bostic's pressure led to the defensive lineman getting a hand on a Park Penrod pass at the line of scrimmage two plays into Kenyon's drive. Sophomore defensive back Wyatt Wilkie tracked down the high deflection for the interception, giving Wooster the ball right back at Kenyon's 35-yard line.

Lee used his feet to keep the chains moving following the Wilkie interception. He scrambled left for 12 yards on a third-and-5 snap, then took off for five more yards on a third-and-4 play. Faced with fourth down on the goal line, Wooster turned to a triple-option look, and junior Jarvis Mims Jr. scored through the opening created by the lead blockers. Mims Jr.'s touchdown run put Wooster up 26-25 with 5:32 remaining. Wooster's two-point try was unsuccessful.

Sophomore linebacker Christian Kring disrupted Penrod's timing on the next driving, leading to a rushed throw. First-year defensive back Amari Lee red the play perfectly, stepping in front of the intended Owls' receiver for the Scots' second straight interception. Unfortunately, Wooster was unable to put points on the board and had to settle for a punt with two minutes remaining.

A pass interference call on Wooster in the end zone with 10 seconds remaining set the Owls up at the Scots' 4-yard line with time to run two plays and then try a potential game-winning field goal if needed. Drake Lewis erased all doubt, scoring from four yards out on the first play inside the 10-yard line with six second on the clock.

Earlier, Wooster found itself down 18-0 at halftime. Junior running back Shakir Perkins broke free from Kenyon's front seven for a 47-yard rush early in the third quarter. Perkins later scored from two yards out to cap the 5-play, 84-yard touchdown drive with 10:28 to go in the third.

Deep passes pulled Wooster within 18-13 in the fourth quarter. Lee completed a 39-yard strike to senior wideout Andrew Hammer, and a 40-yard pass to Warstler, which moved the ball to Kenyon's 1-yard line followed. Lee went on to find junior wideout Jordan Lewis on the slant route for a 2-yard touchdown as the fourth-quarter clock hit 12:26.

Chanden Lee completed 20-of-33 passes for 261 yards and the two touchdowns. Warstler was the leading receiver, turning seven receptions into 117 yards. Perkins toted the ball 10 times for 71 yards and the score. Defensively, Amari Lee and Wilkie had seven tackles each. Lee broke up three passes in his first collegiate start, while as a team, Wooster was credited with seven pass breakups.

Penrod went 29-of-52 for 370 yards and two touchdowns. Dylan Carlquist accounted for 103 of the yards through the air and one of the two touchdowns. Lewis ran the ball 26 times for 82 yards and had the game-winning score. Jackson Belyn led the Owls with six tackles.

Kenyon had 466 yards of total offense to Wooster's 398. The Owns were 10-of-17 on third down. Wooster finished the afternoon 6-of-14 on third down.

Next, Wooster hosts Wabash College (2-1, 1-0 NCAC) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 5. 

photo by Samanatha Harris '26