Fullback Larry Woolard rushed six yards for the decisive TD, his second of the game, with 8:19 to play to cap a Wesleyan comeback, leading Wesleyan to a 28-21 victory over Middlebury here this afternoon in the season opener for both teams. Woolard's run capped a 15-yard drive set up when Derrick Bantley scooped up a Middlebury fumble at the Middlebury 42 and returned it 27 yards. Middlebury halfback Bryan Sanchez had caught the ball with 10 minutes to play in the game and made a sizeable gain before Wesleyan defensive lineman Noel Pena knocked the ball from Sanchez to cause the fumble.
Wesleyan had just tied the score at 10:13 of the period on a one-yard run by QB Jake Fay, completing a 50-yard march on nine plays. Middlebury scored all three of its TDs through the air, including a halfback option pass by Sanchez just four minutes into the contest, that going to Devon O'Neil for 35 yards on a 4th-and-1 play. Middlebury QB John Wenner, who completed 15 of 22 passes for 186 yards, threw TD passes of 10 and 16 yards. Sanchez finished the game with 20 carries for 74 yards and three receptions for 39 yards.
Fay completed 16 of 34 passes for 230 yards, seven going to Matt Perceval, who caught a 33-yard TD in the first quarter. He ended the game with 124 receiving yards. Woolard had 15 carries for 46 yards while Wesleyan's ground game was led by Rahsaan Wareham, who picked up 73 yards on 10 rushes.
SCORING SUMMARY
at Middletown, CT
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
-
Total
Middlebury (0-1)
7
7
7
0
-
21
Wesleyan (1-0)
6
8
0
14
-
28
1st Quarter Middlebury - Devon O'Neil 35 pass from Bryan Sanchez (Nils Hegstad kick) 11:05
Wesleyan - Matt Perceval 33 pass from Jake Fay (kick blocked) 6:56
2nd Quarter Wesleyan - Larry Woolard 3 run (Jake Fay pass to George Thompson) 3:14
Middlebury - Zac Campbell 10 pass from John Wenner (Nils Hegstad kick) 0:46
3rd Quarter Middlebury - John Dickie 16 pass from John Wenner (Nils Hegstad kick) 10:09
4th Quarter Wesleyan - Jake Fay 1 run (Curt Younkin kick) 10:13
Wesleyan - Larry Woolard 6 run (Curt Younkin kick) 8:19