Box Score

GAMBIER, Ohio – The Oberlin College rushing attack, coupled with several missed offensive opportunities for Kenyon, spoiled Homecoming Weekend for the Lords football team and their fans on Saturday afternoon at McBride Field. Oberlin piled up 288 rushing yards and used two Kenyon turnovers, as well as seven Kenyon penalties, to hang a 47-28 defeat on the Lords.

Oberlin (1-1, 1-0 NCAC) went right to work, taking its opening possession 70 yards in eight plays.  Justin Williams capped off the drive with a nine-yard touchdown run. Kenyon countered with a 14-play, 53-yard drive. That drive, however, stalled at the Oberlin four-yard line and started a string of misfortunes for the Lords.

When Oberlin punted away its next possession, the Lords fumbled the ball back to the Yeomen, who then used a pass interference call to move down the field and eventually into the end zone once more.

Kenyon (0-2, 0-1 NCAC) responded early in the second quarter, scoring on a 20-yard pass from quarterback Jake Bates to Jake Genachowski. When the Lords thought they were back in it, Williams went back to work for the Yeomen. Carrying the ball four times for 27 yards, he moved his Oberlin squad back down to the Kenyon 14-yard line, where quarterback Lucas Poggiali ran in another Yeomen touchdown to push the lead to 21-7. Poggiali then connected with Justin Cruz on the Yeomen's next drive, giving Oberlin a comfortable 28-7 advantage at the half.

When the Lords tried to change their fortunes in the second half, Oberlin refused to cooperate. Buried deep in its own territory, Kenyon saw Bates flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone, resulting in a safety and two more points for Oberlin. The Yeomen got the ball back after the safety and scored once again, opening up a 37-7 lead.

Kenyon did not throw in the towel. Bates fought back with a 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Greg McIntosh. When it looked like momentum might finally be on their side, the Lords then yielded a 74-yard touchdown pass on Oberlin's very next play.

In the fourth quarter, Kenyon got a couple more touchdowns, but it was too little, too late. Blake Calcei scored the first of those two touchdowns on a 21-yard run and Brian Hunca scored on six-yard run. The Lords were a few feet away from one more touchdown, but a fumble on the three-yard line nullified that chance.

Bates finished the game 24-of-36 with 246 passing yards and two touchdowns. Genachowski led the Lords receiving corps with four catches for 78 yards and a touchdown. Hunca and Ian Bell both added six catches. Hunca took his for 46 yards and Bell took his for 53 yards.

On the ground, Kenyon posted 148 yards. Calcei carried the ball ten times for 55 yards, while Brandon January ran for 40 yards in 11 carries.

Oberlin ended up generating 288 yards on the ground. Williams finished with 58 yards, but is was Blake Buckhannon who did most of the damage, tearing off 127 yards on 13 carries.  In the air, Poggiali was 13-of-23 for 181 yards and four touchdowns.