SALINA, Kan. - In the second game of its inaugural season, William Woods University flag football (0-2, 0-2 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) lost 52-0 to formidable Kansas Wesleyan University (3-2, 1-1) Sunday at JRI Stadium (Graves Family Sports Complex).
"We played against an experienced and deep roster, and our youth was evident," William Woods flag football coach
Joe Schlager said. "This is Kansas Wesleyan's fifth season as a program; they have a lot of game experience and depth - this was our second game ever as a program. They're the same team that played the best team in college flag football to a one-score loss the day before."
The Coyotes scored 13 points in the first quarter, 19 in the second, six in the third and 14 in the fourth.
Addie Chilek guided the Owls' offense again, catching four passes for 27 receiving yards (longest reception was 18 yards), carrying it twice for 20 rushing yards (longest rush was 22 yards) and completing 3-5 passes for five yards.
On the defensive side, William Woods'
Evonne Bruestle,
Olivia Menard,
Madi Jones and
Olivia Perkins had a team-high two tackles.
For the game, the Owls tallied 90 yards of offense (80 passing yards and 10 rushing yards) and three penalties for six yards. Kansas Wesleyan had 250 yards of offense (202 passing yards and 48 rushing yards), intercepted three passes with 43 return yards, including a pick-six and three penalties for five yards.
Coyotes quarterback Chihiro Iwata, a Tokyo native who threw for 4,549 yards, 71 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 20 games last season, completed 16-of-25 passes for 182 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions.
"The KWU quarterback had a highly efficient day, seemingly making throw after throw regardless of windy conditions," Schlager said. "Their ability to do that, and our inability to progressively move the ball offensively and make a stop defensively was the difference in the game."
William Woods will face one of the top programs in the nation, Ottawa University (4-0, 1-0 KCAC), at 1 p.m. Saturday at AdventHealth Field in Ottawa, Kansas.
"It's a learning experience, and facing some of the toughest competition not only in the KCAC but at any level of college flag is all part of the growing pains a new program can experience facing experienced programs in Year 1," Schlager said.
