Fulton, MO, 10/16/21 – The Westminster College football team welcomed the Greenville University Panthers to Kent and Judith Mueller Stadium on Saturday afternoon for a key UMAC showdown. The Panthers came in the hottest team in the UMAC and they didn't slow down today. They busted out of a 7-7 first quarter tie to bolt to a 42-14 win over the Blue Jays. The loss dropped the Blue Jays to 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the UMAC. Greenville improved to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in the UMAC.
The Panthers got on the board first on a 12-yard touchdown pass on their first possession of the game with 7:20 to play in the first quarter to go up 7-0. The Blue Jays defense would help get them set up for their first score. Greenville had the ball at their own 23-yard line and on a second and eight play Blue Jay freshman defensive tackle Trevor Hamblin (Sullivan, MO / Sullivan) bust through the Panther offensive line and chased down their quarterback as he was bringing him down he stripped the ball away and recovered it for the Jays at the Greenville nine-yard line. The Blue Jay offense took over first and goal from the nine-yard line. Taylor Dobbins (Laurie, Mo. / Versailles) runs on first and second down netted three yards bringing up a third down and six to start the second quarter. Wyatt Ellis (Owensville, Mo. / Owensville) would step up in the pocket and deliver a rocket that was caught for a six-yard touchdown by freshman wide receiver Logen Walker (Mountain Home, AR / Mountain Home). The point after was good by Tim Branneky (St. Louis, Mo. / Lutheran High School North) and the score was tied 7-7.
The two teams would trade three and outs. Greenville would then start a drive on their own 42-yard line after a short punt. The first play of the drive saw Panther running back Paul Garrett take a hand off and run 58 yards for the go-ahead touchdown which along with the point after made the score 14-7.
The Blue Jays next possession saw freshman Eli Teal (Memphis, TN / Whitehaven) return the kickoff 22 yards to the 50-yard line. A Taylor Dobbins 28-yard run on first down got the Blue Jays to the Greenville 22-yard line. Ben Wallace (Chicago, Il. / Thornton Fractional South) would then rip off an eight-yard run on first down to get the ball to the Greenville 14. On second down and 2 disaster struck the Jays when Ellis was sacked for a 13-yard loss. An incomplete pass on third down brought up a fourth down. The Blue Jays would opt for the field goal attempt to try to cut the deficit to four. However, Branneky's 44-yard field goal attempt would sail just left of the upright and the score remained 14-7 in favor of the Panthers.
The Panthers would take the possession and march 73 yards in 13 plays that consumed 6:27. Garrett would cap the drive with a 19-yard touchdown that would stretch the Panther lead to 21-7. The Blue Jays next possession saw them throw three straight incompletions. The Panthers would take over with 1:29 to play before the half and they would take advantage and drove 57 yards in six plays taking :56 for a touchdown that made the score 28-7 Greenville at the half.
Greenville, who deferred to the second half, took the opening possession starting at their own 9-yard line. Pinned deep in their side of the field it looked good for the Blue Jays. Greenville's Garrett changed that script when on second and four from the Greenville University 15 he broke two tackles and then 85 yards later the Panthers were up 35-7. After another Blue Jay punt the Panthers would add their final score on a 63 yard touchdown pass that made it 42-7.
Early in the fourth quarter the Blue Jays would put together a 14 play 73-yard drive. The drive would be capped off when Ellis would find Ross Trittler (Hartsburg, Mo. / Southern Boone) for a six-yard touchdown to make the final score 42-14.
The Panthers outgained the Blue Jays 523 yards to 226. The Blue Jays did win the turnover battle with two fumble recoveries to the Panthers one. Ellis led the Blue Jays passing attack going 17-28 for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Dobbins led the Jays rushing corps with 79 yards on 17 carries. Logen Walker led the Blue Jay receivers with seven catches for 69 yards and one touchdown. Dawson Brandt (Eldon, MO / Eldon) led the defense with 16 total tackles and Garrett Burger (California, MO / California R-1) was next with nine total tackles. Hamblin had one sack for 14 yards and a forced fumble and the recovery.
The Blue Jays will be back in action when they travel to Northwestern (Minn.) next Saturday. The game is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. kick off.
