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Kenyon College Athletics

Weaver_Kendall_1FB23
Sejin Kim
10
Oberlin OBEF 1-9 , 0-8
38
Winner Kenyon KENF 2-8 , 2-6
Oberlin OBEF
1-9 , 0-8
10
Final
38
Kenyon KENF
2-8 , 2-6
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
OBEF Oberlin 3 7 0 0 10
KENF Kenyon 7 14 14 3 38

Game Recap: Football |

Kenyon tops Oberlin to end the season

GAMBIER, Ohio – The Kenyon College Owls football team (2-8) hosted the Oberlin College Yeomen (1-9) at McBride Field for the final game of the 2023 season on Saturday afternoon. In a game that saw standout plays from all three units, the Owls were victorious 38-10 to close out this year's campaign. 

Kenyon celebrated 12 seniors before the game, as it was the last time that this flock of Owls got to suit up in front of their home crowd. The graduating class consisted of Jaylen Cardoso, Sam Bouchard, Adam Mendes, Tommy Iannuzzi, Nate Stuart, Cole Kirol, Nate Braus, Chris Zaiser, Max Bryer, Cole Garrison, Dan Kowalczyk, and Sam Thompson. 

The offensive unit for the Owls got the ball to start the game and wasted no time in driving right down the field. On the first play from scrimmage, sophomore running back Jordon Benjamin ripped off a 32-yard run that immediately put Kenyon in enemy territory. After a Brendan Comerford 15-yard reception and an 11-yard Drake Lewis run to take the Owls down to the one, starting quarterback Park Penrod punched in the QB sneak to cap off a six-play 61-yard drive to give Kenyon a 7-0 lead early. 

Oberlin responded with a 12-play 59-yard drive that resulted in a field goal and after a Kenyon missed field goal on the ensuing drive, the Owls had to make a defensive stand to avoid giving up the early lead. The defense did just that, as a Yeomen three-play, negative one-yard drive highlighted by a key pass breakup by Jared Hancock gave Kenyon the football back in great field position. 

Kenyon's drive would extend into the second quarter, resulting in a Benjamin rushing touchdown, his team-high eighth of the season, as the ten-play 39-yard drive would give the Owls a 14-3 lead and all the momentum in the game's second quarter. 

After a Yeomen three-and-out sparked by a big hit provided courtesy of Dominic Simpson, the Owls got the ball back with 11:07 to play in the half. After a four-yard Lewis run, Penrod connected on a dart down the field to Charlie Taylor for a 40-yard pitch to put Kenyon in Oberlin's end. Three plays later, Penrod found Dylan Carlquist for a ten-yard score to send the Owls up 21-3. 

After both teams exchanged possessions, Oberlin would go on a seven-play, 73-yard touchdown drive to finish the half that ended in a 21-yard Drew Nye to Greg Lane passing play to cut the deficit to 21-10.

Coming out of the half, the Owls were determined to make a statement on the opening drive, and after a near safety on the first snap out of the break, Kendall Weaver made the play of the day, as he picked off Nye's pass and returned it 30-yards to the house for his first career interception and touchdown as the first-year's phenomenal athleticism extended Kenyon's advantage to 28-10. 

Kenyon's next score came after two great stops on defense, and two excellent throws by Penrod. The first was a 23-yard dot to Taylor for one of his team-high four receptions, and the other was a 25-yard strike to Luca Rumberg for his first career touchdown to put Kenyon up 35-10. 

The Owls' final score of the outing would come by way of a 26-yard Tyler Bell field goal after a 12-play 49-yard drive to put the score at 38-10. 

Determined to not let the Yeomen score again, the special teams unit had one more highlight-reel play to end the season on. After three great plays on defense, Oberlin was forced to punt from its own 36-yard line. As the ball was snapped, Nolan Dirks got a great jump on the ball and fought through the Yeomen line to block the kick and recover the ball, putting the finishing touches on a great win to end the season. 

Penrod finished the day 12-of-16 for 179 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 12 times for 52 yards and one score. In the air, Taylor led all players with four receptions for 70 yards. Comerford added two catches for 35 yards, while Carlquist and Rumberg tacked on three receptions for 31 yards and one reception for 25 yards, each scoring a touchdown. The Owls' ground attack was led by Benjamin, who had 10 touches for 80 yards and a score, while Lewis toted the rock 15 times for 33 yards. 

Defensively, Iannuzzi led the way for Kenyon with seven tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. Simpson was next with six total tackles and one for loss, while four Owls pitched in with five tackles apiece, highlighted by Cole Garrison's 3.5 tackles for loss with two sacks, and Luke Caress' similar stat line of 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. 

The win improves Kenyon's season record to 2-8 to end the 2023 season.

 
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