Box Score (LIBERTY, Mo., Sept. 21)—The McKendree University football team squandered a 20-point first-half lead but rallied for a 29-24 win at William Jewell College on Saturday evening in Liberty, Mo.
 
Sophomore quarterback Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to sophomore running back Jeruel Taylor (University Park, IL/Marian Catholic) with 7:11 remaining to give the Bearcats the lead for good. McKendree sealed the win when sophomore defensive lineman Brett Pearman (Granite City, IL/Granite City) sacked William Jewell quarterback at the goal line and knocked the football out of the back of the end zone for a safety with 1:18 remaining.
 
McKendree won its league opener for the first time as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Bearcats are now 2-1 on the year and 1-0 in GLVC play. McKendree will enjoy an open date next week before hosting the University of Findlay on Oct. 5 at Leemon Field. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
 
Fisher completed 17-of 24 pass attempts for 229 yards and a pair of scores. Junior running back Ryan Herring (Fairview Heights, IL/Belleville East) rushed for a team-leading 104 yards and added two first-half touchdown runs for the Bearcats.
 
Fisher got McKendree out to a 7-0 lead when he connected with sophomore wide receiver Cameron James (Edwardsville, IL/Edwardsville) on a 63-yard scoring pass midway through the first quarter. Freshman kicker Steven O'Block (Libertyville, IL/Carmel Catholic) added the extra point to give the Bearcats an early 7-0 lead.
 
After the defense forced a William Jewell turnover at the Bearcats' five yard line, McKendree marched 95 yards to open up a 13-0 advantage. Herring capped the drive with a five-yard TD run. Herring later added a two-yard scoring plunge in the later stages of the second quarter to extend the margin to 20-0.
 
William Jewell (1-2, 0-1 GLVC) scored with 0.9 seconds left until halftime on a one-yard quarterback keeper by Shelton to bring the Cardinals within 20-7 at the intermission. The Cardinals then executed a successful onside kick to start the second half and scored on the ensuing drive to pull within 20-14. A 36-yard field goal by Warren Frevert trimmed the William Jewell deficit to 20-17.
 
After taking over deep in McKendree territory on the first play of the fourth quarter following a bad snap on a punt, William Jewell took its only lead of the night when Shelton threw a 23-yard TD pass to Nate Egharevba to put the Cardinals on top 24-20.
 
McKendree the embarked on its game-winning drive, capped by Fisher's TD pass to Taylor. William Jewell drove down to the Bearcats' 28-yard line, but consecutive sacks by freshman defensive end Lucky Baar (Chicago, IL/Morgan Park) and Pearman ended the drive.