LAKE WALES, Fla. – In one of the most exciting games in all of college football this year, Warner University defeated Kentucky Wesleyan College on a 50-yard Hail Mary as time expired. Darrin Davis, Jr. heaved it through the air and Jayvon Young made the catch in the end zone giving the Royals a 48-45 win in dramatic fashion. The Royals are now 4-2 on the season and have won their last three games. The NCAA-II Panthers fall to 3-3 with the loss.
On a day in which the Royals broke the school record for points in a game among other offensive records, the Panthers held a 7-0 lead after one quarter of play. The Panthers took their opening possession 75 yards in five plays to go ahead early on the Royals.
Offensively, the Royals offense was slow to start with three-and-outs on three of their first four possessions in the first quarter. Beginning in the second quarter however, the Royals’ offense came to life scoring touchdowns on seven of their next 11 possessions.
Leslie Young scored on a one-yard touchdown run to cap off the Royals’ first drive of the second quarter. On their next possession, Darrin Davis, Jr. connected with Roger Allen for a 68 yard touchdown pass. Allen made the catch in traffic then ran away from the Panthers defense for his first touchdown of the season.
On the ensuing Panthers possession the Royals defense forced a three-and-out. The Panthers opted for a fake punt attempt on fourth down and Warner’s Marlin Pierre was not fooled, coming up with the big stop to give the Royals excellent field position. Bryant Benton took the handoff on the first play from scrimmage and scampered 26 yards untouched for the touchdown.
Despite their offensive explosion in the third quarter, the Royals only led by four at halftime, 21-17.
Each team scored once in the third quarter as the back and forth contest heated up. Leslie Young scored his second touchdown of the game on a two-yard run to put Warner back in front 28-24 with 3:21 left in the quarter.
Things really got cranked up in the fourth quarter as the two teams combined for 41 total points. The Panthers retook the lead to start the quarter but, the Royals answered right back with the legs of Darrin Davis, Jr. carrying the ball for a 59 yard touchdown run.
After the Panthers scored with 2:38 left in the game, the Royals took over on offense with the ball on their own 31 yard line trailing 38-35. Four plays later, Lester Lewis made an incredible catch down the near sideline that went for a 57 yard touchdown.
An unsportsmanlike penalty following the touchdown backed the Royals up on the ensuing kickoff and the Panthers were able to return it inside Warner territory at the 46 yard line with 1:29 left in the game. The short field and hot Panthers offense were a bad combination for the Royals; the Panthers went 46 yards in six plays leaving just 10 seconds on the clock after David White scored on a four yard rush.
The Panthers squibbed the kickoff after the touchdown and Brandon Tillman returned it to midfield taking five seconds off the clock. On the final play of the game, Darrin Davis, Jr. stepped up in the pocket and tossed up a prayer towards the end zone and in traffic, Jayvon Young made the play of the game coming down with the ball to set off a frenzy on the Royals’ side of the field.
By the Numbers:
· It is the first win in program history for the Royals over a NCAA opponent.
· The 93 total points by both teams is the most in a single game in school history and the 48 points by the Royals breaks the school record as well (37 vs. Point University – 10/14/14).
· The Royals had 557 total yards of offense against the Panthers, their most in a game in school history. Their 269 rushing yards and 288 passing yards are also new program highs.
· Darrin Davis, Jr. finished 13-of-21 through the air for 288 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed the ball a team-high 13 yards for 163 yards and one touchdown.
· Roger Allen had the first 100-yard receiving game of his career with three catches for 109 yards.
· Loronza Smith set a new school record with 19 total tackles. Smith had one sack in the game and three tackles for loss.
The Royals take to the road next week and will be in Philippi, W. Va. to take on Alderson-Broaddus University. The kickoff for that game has been moved back to 1:30 p.m.