Thiel 39, Ohio Wesleyan 36

Sept. 10, 2005

Senior quarterback Ryan Sir Louis (Hinckley/Highland) set a school record with 5 touchdown passes, but Thiel's Steve Minton ran for 4 scores and the Tomcats held on to defeat Ohio Wesleyan in non-conference action on Saturday in Greenville, Pa.

The Tomcats took the opening kickoff and chewed up half the first quarter on the game's initial possession, eventually taking a 6-0 lead on Steve Minton's 3-yard scoring run. The score stayed at 6-0 when Sammy Koyl's point after try missed.

Ohio Wesleyan went 3-and-out on its first possession of the game, but the Bishops caught a break when Thiel's Tom McEntire fumbled the punt and freshman defensive back Preston Osborn (Edgerton) recovered at the Tomcat 20. The Bishops took advantage of the opportunity 5 plays later when Sir Louis connected with freshman tight end Terrance Raeford (Brookline, Mass./Chesire Academy) for 5 yards and a score. Senior Jason Whitcomb (Wauseon) converted the PAT kick for a 7-6 Bishop lead.

Thiel struck quickly, assembling a 5-play, 59-yard drive that featured 4 carries by Minton. Minton's 11-yard gallop gave the Tomcats a 12-7 lead, and the score stayed there when a Thiel 2-point conversion try failed.

Just like a thunderclap, though, the Bishops had re-taken the lead. On the second play from scrimmage, Sir Louis connected with Raeford for a 59-yard scoring play and a 13-12 Ohio Wesleyan lead with :09 left in the first quarter, but the score stayed at that point when freshman Chris Kras (Aurora) missed a PAT kick.

Thiel's Zjaque Douglas put an exclamation point on an electrifying first quarter by returning the ensuing kickoff 77 yards to the Ohio Wesleyan 11-yard line. Four plays later, Minton went over from 1 yard out and Thiel had a 19-13 lead after Koyl's conversion kick.

This time, it was the Bishops who slowed things down. Behind the running of freshman fullback Calvin Willis (Hanford, Calif./West) and a pair of third-down completions from Sir Louis to senior split end Rick Rodgers (Medina/Parma), Ohio Wesleyan pieced together a lengthy 13-play drive. Faced with a fourth-and-9 from the Thiel 14, Sir Louis hooked up with sophomore split end Zach Dennis (Jefferson) for a 14-yard touchdown that tied the game. Whitcomb's PAT gave Ohio Wesleyan a 20-19 lead with 5:20 left in the first half.

The Tomcats took the lead in the last minute of the half as Darrell Satterfield connected with Darious Thompson for a 21-yard touchdown that gave Thiel a 26-20 lead going into the locker room.

Ohio Wesleyan wasted no time erasing that deficit in the second half as Sir Louis found Dennis for a 72-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. Kras' PAT gave the Bishops a 27-26 lead.

After the teams traded punts, Thiel put together a 72-yard, 12-play drive that saw Satterfield convert a pair of third-down situations. Ohio Wesleyan had stopped the drive with a third-down interception at the Bishop 10-yard line, but a pass interference penalty wiped out the interception and give the Tomcats a first-and-goal from the OWU 5. From there, Minton carried the ball twice, going over from 1 yard out on the second play and giving Thiel a 32-27 lead. Koyl's PAT kick failed, keeping the score 32-27 with 2:19 left in the third quarter.

Steve Boyle intercepted a Sir Louis pass on the first play of the Bishops' next possession, and on the first play of the fourth quarter, Satterfield connected with Justin Kaban for a 6-yard touchdown. Koyl's PAT increased the Tomcat lead to 39-27.

Sophomore linebacker Chad Ellis (Dublin/Scioto) picked off a Satterfield pass midway through the quarter, giving Ohio Wesleyan a first down at the Thiel 21-yard line. The Bishops picked up one first down, moving to a first-and-goal at the Tomcat 8, but the drive stalled at the 3 and Sir Louis' fourth-down pass for Dennis fell incomplete.

The field position eventually helped the Bishops, though, when Thiel was forced to punt and sophomore end Patrick Trenor (Urbana) blasted through to block Koyl's punt for a safety that brought the Bishops within 39-29 with 2:29 to play.

Given new life, the Bishops marched downfield, with Willis reeling off a 10-yard gain before Sir Louis hit Dennis for 15 yards and then ran for 8 more. Sir Louis then connected with Dennis for another 11 yards before finding freshman halfback Joey Riley (Grove City) for a 12-yard TD pass that made it 39-35. Whitcomb's PAT made the score 39-36 with 1:24 to go.

Thiel recovered the ensuing onside kick, and Satterfield and Minton picked up enough yards for a first down, allowing the Tomcats to run out the clock.

Sir Louis completed 18 of 30 passes for 262 yards and 5 touchdowns. The 5 TD passes broke the school record of 4 accomplished by 8 players, most recently Mike Jonesco vs. Allegheny on Nov. 10, 2001. Sir Louis also rushed 7 times for 25 yards.

Willis led the Bishops with 39 yards in 8 rushes. Dennis caught 8 passes for 139 yards and 2 TDs, while Raeford had 3 catches for 71 yards and 2 TDs. Junior halfback Nick Rice (Dublin/Scioto) had 3 receptions for 23 yards.

Satterfield completed 18 of 26 passes for 208 yards and 2 TDs, while Minton led all rushers with 144 yards and 4 TDs in 25 carries. Tom McEntire caught 6 passes for 60 yards and Brandon Chamber had 5 catches for 62 yards.

Defensive standouts for the Bishops included junior end Owen Case (Marion/River Valley), who had a team-high 9 stops, including 1 for loss; sophomore cornerback Josh Wheeler (Columbus/Dublin Scioto), who made 8 stops; Ellis, who had 7 tackles, including 1 for loss; senior safety Jeff King (Sidney/Piqua), who had 7 tackles, including 1 for loss; and sophomore linebacker Bo Mayer (Hilliard/Davidson), who made 6 stops and broke up 2 passes.

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