WIINFIELD, Kan. – RJ Wakley connected with Broc Lyle with 40 seconds left to help 10th-ranked Evangel football to a 17-14 victory Saturday over No. 24 Southwestern.
The Valor managed to stage a late rally after leading nearly the entire game to keep its undefeated season alive at 10-0 and clinches at least a share of the Kessinger Division title. Evangel also improved to 4-0 in the KCAC, while Southwestern fell to 7-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play; however the Valor would need a win over Bethel next week to earn the automatic bid from the KCAC.
The Wakley to Lyle connection was setup by a 20-yard pass and catch from Wakley to Lyle moving the Valor into Moundbuilder territory. The drive started at the EU 25-yard line with 1:40 left in the game. Wakley finished the game 20-of-41 for 318 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 63 yards on 14 carries.
Southwestern had taken a 14-10 lead barley a minute earlier as the Builders used a 56-yard pass and catch from Barden Howell to Matt Holthus to setup a 4-yard plunge from Jarious Burnett with 1:47 left. Burnett finished with 84 yards rushing and touchdown on 15 carries.
A true heavy weight bout saw Evangel take a 7-0 lead to start the second quarter. Wakley connected with Dillon Hester on his first touchdown of the game from 8-yards out at the 14:55 mark of the second.
Breaking free from the defensive slugfest, Southwestern managed to match the Valor with 7:05 left in the third quarter with a 10-play, 54-yard scoring drive. One play later Andre Jones tied the game at 7-7 on a 6-yard catch from Howell.
Evangel outgained Southwestern 449 to 250 as the defense also held Southwestern to just 129 yards in the air and 121 yards on the ground.
Near the end of the third quarter, Evangel regained the lead on a 39-yard field goal from Jonah Edwards. The kick from Edwards came with 3:32 left in the third quarter as both defenses again locked down setting up the exciting finish.
Defensively, the Valor held Southwestern to 4 of 13 on third downs and 0 for 1 on fourth down.
Bradley Myers led Evangel with 13 tackles, one sacks and two tackles for a loss, while the return of Koel Orchard saw the senior finish with five tackles and an interception. Nate Swofford added six tackles, a tackle for a loss and one forced fumble.
The exciting finish almost never materialized as Evangel was stopped on 4th and goal from the 1-yard line with 6:20 left in the game. A Wakley rush on 3rd down gained just one yard before Eric Williams was stuffed for no gain on fourth down giving the ball back to Southwestern.
Both teams would earn a possession punting the ball away before the final two drives resulted in scores for each team. Zach Myers and Clayton Uber rallied for a sack on first down, while the next three passes fell incomplete for the Builders giving the ball back to the Valor for a kneel down in victory formation.
Wakley was outstanding through the air connecting with seven different receivers. Both Hester and Lyle went over the 100-yard mark as Hester finished with 8 catches for 118 and a score. Lyle caught five passes for 130 yards and the game-winning touchdown as well.
UP NEXT
Evangel returns to Eagle Stadium next Saturday to host Bethel at 1 p.m. for senior day. A win for Evangel would lock up the KCAC Kessinger Division title and the league’s automatic bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series playoffs.
