GREENVILLE, Ill. – The Westminster football team was defeated by Greenville 36-0 on Saturday. The Blue Jays fall to 1-4 on the season and 1-2 in UMAC play.
The Panthers scored on their first play of the game on a 65-yard touchdown pass. Both teams went three-and-out on their next possession. When the Blue Jays got the ball back Wyatt Ellis connected with Matt Huffman for a 20 yard gain and a first down. However, Westminster could not pick up another first down and was forced to punt. Greenville scored with 3:03 left in the first quarter on a 23-yard touchdown rush that capped off a 4-play, 36-yard drive. Westminster punted on their next possession but got the ball back with 23 seconds left in the quarter when Beau Thompson picked off the Greenville quarterback. Ellis was sacked by the Panther defense on the next play and the quarter ended with Westminster trailing 14-0.
The Blue Jays punted a few plays later and then each team saw their next drive end in a punt. After Westminster punted the ball away, Greenville started their drive on the Westminster 47 and looked to move the ball into the redzone. After an incomplete pass, the Panthers recorded back-to-back four-yard rushes to bring up 4th down and two. The Panthers went for it and Kobe Kaminski stopped the ball carrier for a loss to give the Blue Jays a turnover on downs. Late in the second quarter, the Panthers again threatened by completing four passes to move the ball near midfield. With eight seconds remaining in the half, Travion Mosby recorded his first career interception to give the ball back to the Blue Jays. Westminster went into the locker room down 14-0.
Westminster opened the third quarter with a three-and-out. After Tim Branneky punted for the Blue Jays, Greenville drove down the field into Westminster territory. The Panthers moved the ball to the Westminster 26 before Mosby picked off the Greenville quarterback for the second time.
Greenville recorded a safety on the following possession off of a blocked punt and scored on a 30-yard touchdown pass to take a 23-0 lead. The Blue Jays picked up a first down on their next drive on a 12-yard pass from Ellis to Mosby. Westminster ultimately turned the ball over on downs when a pass from Ellis fell incomplete on fourth down. The Panthers responded with a touchdown to increase their lead to 30-0. Greenville scored again in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter and won 36-0.
The Panthers totaled 492 yards of total offense while Westminster recorded just 98 yards of offense. Ben Heimann led Westminster with 10 tackles while Dakota Jakoubek, Ben Holt and Kaminski each recorded a sack. DeQuintin Smith carried the ball nine times for 28 yards and Alec Fleetwood recorded four catches for 23 yards.
The Blue Jays play their next game at home against MacMurray on Saturday at 1 p.m
