NIXA, Mo. — A second-half comeback saw the No. 20 Evangel Valor football team improve to 5-0 on the season with a 27-21 victory over Ottawa Saturday afternoon at Eagle Stadium.
The Valor had to come back twice to stay undefeated. The Braves fell to 1-4 on the season in the first meeting between the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference foes.
A pair of defensive stands in the fourth quarter helped Evangel hold off Ottawa as a blocked punt by the Braves pushed the ball to the Evangel 13-yard line with 33 seconds left in the game. The Valor defense held strong on four downs to seal the win as Jaren Foster knocked down a pass in the endzone in the Braves final play.
After pulling within 21-20, RJ Wakley would find Broc Lyle in open space as he raced up the sideline 13 yards for the go-ahead score. Wakley finished 12 of 24 for 171 yards and two touchdowns, while Lyle led Evangel with seven catches for 86 yards in the win.
The Valor defense helped with the rally as two interceptions set up scores for Evangel. The second came from Nate Swofford with 4:58 left in the third quarter.
Eric Williams would catch a pass from Wakley and squeeze his way into the endzone from 16 yards out to pull Evangel with one. Williams again went over 100-yards rushing finishing with 151 yards on 26 carries and two scores, one rushing and one receiving.
After opening the game with nearly an eight-minute scoring drive, Ottawa would put together a second drive of over 70 yards to build a 14-0 lead at the 13-minute mark of the second quarter.
Evangel answered with a 10-play 75-yard drive of its own as Eric Williams plunged into the end zone from 2 yards out.
Jonah Edwards responded with a pair of field goals to end the half to pull the Valor within one at 14-13. The second Edwards field goal was set up by a Brody Patterson interception with eight seconds left before halftime.
Ottawa extended its lead to open the second half with a quick strike after an interception of its own on the opening drive by Evangel.
Defensively, Evangel forced two turnovers, both interceptions coming at important moments in the game. Bradley Myers led the Valor with 18 tackles, while Patterson added eight tackles and that interception.
Evangel outgained Ottawa 387 to 246 in total yards and held the Braves under 100 yards passing.
Up Next
Evangel heads into the final week of KCAC Cross Division action next Saturday at Avila for a 1 p.m. kickoff in Kansas City.
