GAMBIER, Ohio -- A record-setting day from the Wabash College Little Giants found the Kenyon College football team on the wrong side of a 67-18 loss. The Owls fell to 1-6 overall and 1-4 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), while Wabash improved to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the NCAC.
Kenyon was going against Wabash quarterback Liam Thompson, one the best quarterbacks in Division III football, and the two-time NCAC Offensive Player of the Year had a big game. Thompson, who recently set the conference record for total offensive yards, threw for 354 more with four passing touchdowns and a rushing score. On the day, the Little Giants compiled a program-record 776 total yards as the visitors averaged 10.6 yards per play and only punted once.
Wabash took control early and led 12-0 at the end of the first quarter after two missed extra points. The lead swelled to 40 in the second quarter as Thompson delivered a plethora of accurate passes while he scrambled around in the pocket.
Still, Kenyon's offense came alive before the end of the half when first-year quarterback Henry Wendorf launched a beautiful 37-yard pass to Dylan Carlquist, who lept up and made a contested catch. Wendorf completed another first-down pass to Carlquist to bring the ball to the 15-yard line, and he capped the drive with a touchdown pass to Charlie Taylor to put Kenyon on the board heading into halftime.
The Owls also put together another good drive at the end of the third quarter when Wendorf completed two straight first-down passes to Taylor and Carlquist. Wendorf connected with Carlquist again for a 23-yard touchdown pass to give the Owls their second touchdown. Carlquist continued to serve as Kenyon's leading receiver, pushing his season total to 304 yards and three touchdowns.
Kenyon scored their third and final touchdown in the fourth quarter via Jordon Benjamin on a six-yard rush. Benjamin, the Owls' leading rusher, finished the day with 68 yards on 18 attempts.
After a big run down to the two-yard line in the fourth quarter, Wabash kicked a field goal on first down to bring the score to 67-18, where it remained for the final six minutes of the game.
Wendorf finished the day with 190 passing yards and two touchdowns in his best outing this year. His two touchdowns tied for a season-high, and his yardage is his second-most this season. Among Owls receivers, Carlquist led the way with 90 yards while Taylor had 60, with both catching six passes and scoring a touchdown.
On the defensive side, Jaylen Cardoso, Dominic Simpson, and Jared Hancock led the Owls with nine tackles apiece. The Wabash defense finished with two interceptions and one sack.
Ultimately, the young Owls offense showed signs of promise, which they will look to build on heading into their next matchup on the road against league-leading DePauw University (8-0, 6-0 NCAC) next Saturday, October 28, at noon in Greencastle, Indiana.
