OZARK, Mo. – A strong ground attack helped the Evangel University football team post a 44-17 victory over Avila Saturday in Heart of America Athletic Conference action in front of a nationally televised audience.
Cade Wilke rushed for a season-high 112 yards and scored once on the ground and once through the air to help lead the Crusaders.
Evangel built an early 23-7 lead over Avila as senior quarterback Blake Woodard also threw three touchdown passes and the defense record a safety in the first half. After a Brady Burke punt pinned the Eagles on their own 1-yard line, an errant snap went out of the back of the end zone for a safety giving Evangel its other early score.
Evangel added one more touchdown before halftime to extend its lead to 30-14, but Avila answered with a 39-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter making it a 30-17 Crusader lead.
Neither team would find the end zone in the third quarter trading punts before Evangel got its fourth passing touchdown from Woodard to push the lead to 37-17. Woodard finished the day 24-of-34 for 245 yards and four touchdowns.
Zayne Kyser scored the final touchdown for the Crusaders capping a 14-play 71-yard drive that took 6:39 off the clock in the fourth quarter. The score gave Evangel its eventual 44-17 spread as the Crusaders totaled 420 yards of total offense in the win and 175 yards on the ground.
Senior Devon Overall led Evangel with 14 tackles and 0.5 tackles for a loss in his final home game for the Crusaders. Josh Evans added to his league-leading sack total with 5-yard sack in the second half which also increased his career record for tackles for a loss at Evangel.
Up Next
Evangel heads to the nation’s 2nd-ranked team next weekend, Baker University in the Heart Game of the Week on ESPN3. The Crusaders and Wildcats will kickoff at 11 a.m. from Baldwin City, Kansas
