The Wesleyan Cardinals football team improved its record to 3-1 this past weekend with a win over Bates, prevailing 21-14 over the Bobcats. The win marks Wesleyan’s second in a row, as the Cardinals now stand at third place in the NESCAC behind undefeated rivals Trinity and Amherst. Bates, Bowdoin, Williams, and Hamilton are all behind the Cardinals in fourth place, each tied with a record of 2-2. Middlebury sits in eighth place at 1-3, and Tufts and Colby are tied for ninth, with winless records thus far.

Freshman LaDarius Drew was instrumental in the Cardinals’ victory over the Bobcats. Drew ran the ball 26 times for 162 yards, and scored all three Wesleyan touchdowns on the day. Drew is currently ranked second in the NESCAC in rushing yards per game and is also ranked among the rushing leaders in all of NCAA Division III football. Drew received NESCAC Player of the Week honors for his performance against Bates.

Fellow freshman Josh Hurwitz also received Player of the Week honors for special teams as he punted eight times for the Cardinals, averaging 37.6 yards a boot with a long kick of 48. Two of his punts landed inside Bates’ 20-yard line to put the Bobcats in a poor offensive position.

Wesleyan’s first strike came early in the third quarter. Colin Hartwig ’12 set up the Wesleyan drive by batting down a pass for an interception to put the Cardinals on their own 47-yard line. Quarterback Matt Coyne ’12 found Jay Fabien ’15 open for a 27-yard pass play while Drew picked up 26 yards on five carries on the ensuing drive. Fabien finished the game with six catches for a total of 94 yards.

Wesleyan would take advantage of another Bates turnover when the Bobcats failed to control a Cardinal punt in the final minute of the third quarter. Wesleyan took control of the ball on Bates’ 42-yard line. Coyne then found Fabien again for a 25-yard reception to put the Cardinals in good scoring position, and Drew finished the drive with a five-yard touchdown rush to put the Cardinals on top 14-0 with 12:44 left in the fourth quarter.

Bates failed to respond to the second Cardinal touchdown, but put the Cardinals on their own 10-yard line with a well-placed punt. Drew, however, brought the Cardinals out of dangerous territory on the first play of the drive, as he shot up the middle and down the right sideline for a 90-yard touchdown run. The Cardinals claimed a 21-0 lead over the Bobcats with just under 11 minutes to go.

Bates finally found some traction in the last minutes of the game, scoring two touchdowns in the last five minutes, the second stemming from good field position off a well-executed onside kick. The back-to-back touchdown effort was fruitless, however, as the effort was just too little, too late. This is the sixth year in a row that the Cardinals have beaten the Bobcats, and their all-time record against Bates is now 26-4. The Cards next face top contender and perennial rival Amherst this Saturday, Oct. 22, in Amherst.

About Drew Hudson

Drew Hudson grew up in the heart of basketball country, Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a huge basketball and football fan, but also loves golf, tennis, and the occasional baseball or hockey game. Drew also loves poetry, Cocoa Puffs, walks on the beach, rap music, and reading a good book in his Snuggie. His sports idols are Tyler Hansbrough, Steve Smith, Sean May, Baron Davis, and Julius Peppers. Drew one day hopes to write for the sports section of a major newspaper or sports network.