Lebanon, IL - The McKendree University Football team (1-3, 1-1 GLVC) delivered a statement performance on Saturday afternoon at Leemon Field, defeating the William Jewell Cardinals (2-2, 0-2 GLVC) 40-24 in their GLVC home opener. Running back
Eddie Clark ignited the offense with explosive players both on the ground and through the air, quarterback
Ty Michael commanded the passing game with timely deep strikes, and kicker
Chase Reeves was perfect in the kicking game to give McKendree points on nearly every opportunity. Defensively,
Dameion Hatten set the tone in the trenches with multiple tackles for loss and sacks, helping the Bearcats limit the Cardinals' rushing attack and secure their first conference win of the season.
QUICK STRIKE TO OPEN THE AFTERNOON
McKendree wasted no time setting the tone. On the opening drive, Clark broek through the line and sprinted 56 yards into the end zone, putting the Bearcats on the board less than two minutes into the contest.
William Jewell answered with a short touchdown pass, but McKendree countered immediately. Reeves connected on a 24-yard field goal late in the first quarter to reclaim the lead.
OFFENSIVE FIREWORKS CONTINUE
The momentum carried into the second quarter, where Clark provided another spark. On just the second play of a drive, he caught a short pass from Michael and outran the Cardinal defense for a 73-yard score that brought the home crowd to its feet.
McKendree later marched 70 yards in the final two minutes of the half, finishing off the drive with a short touchdown to push the advantage to 24-10. Even with a late Cardinal response before halftime, the Bearcats entered the locker room with the upper hand at 24-17.
Early in the third quarter, Reeves drilled a 50-yard field goal, the longest of his season, to extend the lead. The kick came just shy of breaking the program's longest field goal record and highlighted his consistency on the afternoon. With that make, and three others on the day, Reeves tied the McKendree single-game record for most field goals made.
Moments later, Michael connected with
Daryle Jones Jr. on a 45-yard touchdown strike. By the time Reeves added two more field goals in the fourth quarter, McKendree had built a 40-17 lead that proved insurmountable.
DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS DELIVER
While William Jewell moved the ball through the air, the Bearcats' defense tightened when it mattered most. McKendree's front applied pressure, forcing hurried throws and bottling up the run game to just 38 net yards.
The Bearcats also capitalized on turnovers, with
Cyris Davis and
Julian Juszczyk each recording interceptions to halt Cardinal drives. In the trenches, McKendree's defensive line combined for multiple sacks and double-digit tackles for loss, keeping William Jewell's offense from finding rhythm on the ground.
Reeves' perfect day rounded out the complete effort. He finished 4-for-4 on field goals and flawless on extra points, providing steady production in the kicking game while also helping McKendree flip the field with his punting and kickoff duties.
BEARCAT STATISTICAL LEADERS
Offensive Notables
Eddie Clark | 18 rushes, 107 yards, 2 receptions, 94 yards, 2 touchdowns
Ty Michael | 17-31 passing, 396 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions
Defensive Notables
Dameion Hatten | 6 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks
Khalid Stewart | 7 tackles, 1 pass breakup
Special Teams Notables
Chase Reeves | 4-4 field goals, 4-4 PATs
Quincy Hall Jr. | 3 kick returns, 116 yards, 1 punt return, 29 yards
WHAT'S UP NEXT FOR THE BEARCATS
@ Quincy Hawks (3-1, 1-0 GLVC)
Saturday, October 4th - 3:00 PM
at QU Stadium - Quincy, Illinois
Watch Live ($) (GLVCSN)
Listen Live (105.1 FM WGEM)
Live Stats (SidearmSports)
Important Ticket Note for 10/4: Tickets are
CASH ONLY and thus, can not be purchased online
. Fans can pay $15 for a chairback seat, or $10 for a bleacher seat.
