SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – A 10-10 tie at the end of the first quarter of Saturday's football game quickly got out of hand for the Kenyon College Lords, who witnessed the host and No. 22-ranked Wittenberg University Tigers score 38 consecutive points en route to a 64-17 North Coast Athletic Conference victory.

Wittenberg (8-1 overall, 7-1 NCAC) blew the game wide open by outscoring Kenyon 28-0 in the second quarter. A Deshawn Sarley 58-yard run set up a five-yard scoring scamper from quarterback Jake Kennedy, who gave the Tigers a 17-10 lead. Kennedy then ran one in from 11-yards out on the Tigers' next possession. Following that, a Kenyon turnover led to a 29-yard touchdown run from Sarley. And finally, to cap off the quarter, Jeff Tiffner returned a Kenyon punt 75 yards for seven more Wittenberg points and a 38-10 halftime lead.

The lopsided 15 minutes included 207 yards of total offense for the Tigers and 78 yards for the Lords.

While Wittenberg's offense was rolling, its defense was forcing Kenyon quarterback Thomas Merkle into making some mistakes. Merkle, who is having one of the best freshman seasons in Kenyon history, ended up completing 34 of his 57 passes for 276 yards, but he also tossed three interceptions.

Merkle's top target, senior receiver Brian Hunca, continued to post impressive numbers. He hauled in 16 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. The score, a 37-yard toss from Merkle, came in the third quarter and temporarily ended the Tigers' scoring spree. With one game still left in the season, Hunca's output of 1,242 receiving yards currently ranks as Kenyon's third-best, single-season total.  

In addition to Hunca's numbers, the Lords got 10 catches and 70 yards from junior Ian Bell. On the ground, freshman Nat Henry covered 63 yards on three carries and sophomore Rob Meagher went 48 yards on 11 carries.

Kenyon's other points were scored in the first quarter and were tallied on a 28-yard Szabi Simo field goal and a 17-yard blocked punt return from senior Jamal Perkins. Fellow senior Saxon Justice was credited with blocking the Wittenberg punt.

The Tigers tacked on 26 more points in the second half and ended up out-gaining the Lords, 556-382, for the game. Those final 26 points came on a 58-yard scoring strike from Kennedy to Jair Knox and then a 28-yard field goal from Will Gingery. Tanner Clark and Nick Kendall followed up with rushing touchdowns of two and 24 yards, respectively, and a safety with three minutes left in the game put a lid on all scoring.

Kennedy completed passes to eight different receivers and was 19-of-27 for 235 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. On the ground, Wittenberg piled up 302 yards and was led by 140 yards from Sarley and 116 yards from Kendall.

Kenyon (3-6 overall, 2-6 NCAC) will finish the 2016 season next Saturday at McBride Field, where it will host rival Denison University at 1 p.m.