Rams submit to Spirit in last seconds

Ashton Willis • November 11, 2018

The Rams lost their final game of the season Saturday at Farrington Field to Ottawa University Arizona 35-29 in the final seconds of the game.

Wesleyan finished the season with an overall record of 2-8 and 2-6 in Sooner Athletic Conference. This is definitely an improvement on the 2017 season, when the Rams were 1-10 overall and 1-7 in SAC play; their only win was a forfeit by Wayland Baptist University.

The Rams lose 35-29 against Ottawa University Arizona on Saturday.
Graphic by Hannah Onder

Ottawa Arizona struck first with a touchdown with 8:57 remaining in the first quarter. Austin McCullough threw a 61-yard pass to Brandon McLaughlin to put the Spirit up 7-0 after the extra point.

Just minutes later, the Rams evened up the score when Desmond Nisby scored on a two-yard run. With 5:24 left in the first quarter, the score was tied 7-7 after Kade Dixon added the extra point.

The remainder of the first quarter was a battle back and forth with neither team allowing any points.

With 9:49 left in the second quarter, the Spirit came back. McCullough found Brandon Jones and completed a five-yard pass to give Ottawa a 14-7 lead.

This would be the only touchdown scored during the second quarter.

Late in the third quarter, with 2:18 remaining, the Rams tied the score. Jermarcus Jones scored on a 21-yard run; with the extra point, the score was 14-14.

Less than two minutes later, the Spirit came back. McCullough threw an 87-yard pass to Jeremiah Greylock, and the Spirit led again 21-14.

Wesleyan got going again on a 31-yard run by Nisby, which put the Rams on Ottawa Arizona’s 16-yard line. With 11:26 remaining in the game, Trey Jackson scored on a 16-yard run; the extra point tied the game at 21-21.

The Spirit took the lead again with 10:13 left in the game, on a 42-yard pass from McCullough to McLaughlin to put Ottawa Arizona up 28-21.

After going on a long drive, and with 1:26 left in the game, Nisby scored a touchdown on a one-yard run to give the Rams a fighting chance. This put the Rams down by one with a score of 28-27.

Wesleyan decided to go for the two-point conversion. Donavan Isom’s pass to Tyler Pullig was successful and the Rams were up 29-28.

But on their final drive, the Spirit won the game on 21-yard pass from McCullough to McLaughlin.