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Kenyon College Athletics

Andrew Schnarre
Sejin Kim
34
Winner Benedictine (IL) BENF 1-0
31
Kenyon KENF 0-1
Winner
Benedictine (IL) BENF
1-0
34
Final
31
Kenyon KENF
0-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT F
BENF Benedictine (IL) 3 7 14 7 3 34
KENF Kenyon 3 0 14 14 0 31

Game Recap: Football |

Kenyon comes up short in overtime thriller

GAMBIER, Ohio -- The new-look Kenyon College football team was impressive, especially on the offensive end, but it couldn't cap off Saturday's season-opening game with a win. Instead, the visiting Benedictine University Eagles booted a 33-yard field goal to steal a 34-31 overtime victory.

Trailing 24-17 entering the fourth quarter, the Lords took to the air in a hurry. On the first play of the final frame of regulation, quarterback A.J. Allen connected with James Scotto on a 67-yard pass and catch that put the Lords on the Eagles' three-yard line. Two plays later, Allen faked a hand-off, tucked the ball away and crossed the goal line from a yard out. A Rocco Danese extra point then knotted the game at 24-24.

Benedictine took the ball the other way, but the Kenyon defense halted the Eagles deep in Lords territory. The big play came from Jimi Bello who stopped Nathan Rillo on fourth-and-one at the Kenyon one-yard line.

Unfortunately, that stop lost some of its luster when the Kenyon offense fumbled, giving the ball back to Benedictine on the Kenyon three-yard line. Three plays later Eagles quarterback Tyler Jarnagin hit Nick Shleton for a two-yard touchdown pass and Benedictine moved ahead 31-24.

Again, Kenyon had an answer. Starting at their own 39-yard line with 9:31 left on the clock, the Lords drove 61 yards in six plays to tie things back up at 31-31. The big play in the drive was the last one, a 27-yard touchdown pass from Allen to Andrew Schnarre.

Allen finished the game 18-of-28 for 272 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 28 yards and another touchdown. In the air, Allen's favorite target was Schnarre, who had just four receptions, but carried them for 131 yards and two scores.

The Kenyon offense wasn't quite done, yet. With its final possession in regulation, the Lords worked the clock and drove down to the Eagles' 19-yard line with 29 seconds left on the clock. Danese set up for a game-winning 36-yard field goal attempt, but Benedictine's Denzel Simmon blocked it at the line of scrimmage.

That sent the game to overtime, where things started to unravel for Kenyon. The Lords got the ball first, but an incomplete pass was followed by a one-yard run and then a nine-yard sack. Facing a fourth-and-20 situation, another Kenyon incomplete pass followed and the ball was turned over to Benedicitne.

The Eagles needed just one good play--a nine-yard pass--on their overtime drive to set up the game-winning field goal, which Tanner Mateus booted through from 33 yards out to seal the victory.

Kenyon (0-1) finished the game with 81 rushing yards, 272 passing yards and 353 total yards. Benedictine (1-0) racked up 170 rushing yards, 309 passing yards and 479 total yards.
 
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