No. 17 Baker Delivers Season-Opening Rout of St. Ambrose with 52-0 Victory

BALDWIN CITY – On a day where their defense and special teams spotted them 21 points, No. 17 Baker opened up the 2024 season by drubbing Heart North newcomer St. Ambrose, 52-0 on Saturday afternoon in Baldwin City.

The Wildcats scored on a blocked punt, a punt return, and a pick-six plus three touchdown passes from quarterback Truman Juelsgaard and a Seth Simpson field goal all in the first half to take a 45-0 lead into halftime.

Baker completed the shutout with a ho-hum second half that saw the defense come away with another turnover on a strip sack by Austin Hollins and force four more SAU punts.

With a 24-0 lead courtesy of the defense and special teams, Juelsgaard and the BU offense didn't need to do much to ensure a victory, but the junior gunslinger still threw for nearly 300 yards after completing 18 of his 23 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns.

Adrion Seals, a freshman from Eudora, Kan., was Juelsgaard's top target in the game with five catches for 80 yards and a pair of touchdown grabs. Gavin Greenwood had over 80 yards receiving as well with three receptions for 87 yards.

BU's first points of the season came from returning all-conference kicker Seth Simpson, who nailed a 24-yard chip shot to give Baker a quick 3-0 lead.

After forcing a three-and-out on the ensuing SAU possession, it was Manowa Ngenzirabona who shot the gap and blocked the Fighting Bees' punt for teammate Adrian Tamayo to pounce on it in the end zone.

It was another spectacular tag-team play from the defense that led to the Wildcats' next score as Ngenzirabona was on the receiving end this time. Defensive end Eli'Sha Malveaux drilled the SAU quarterback on his release and Ngenzirabona was right there to collect the wobbly pass and take it 44 yards for a defensive touchdown.

Recording a pick-six was an appropriate way to start the season for the Wildcats after they led the NAIA in both interceptions (25) and defensive touchdowns (6) last year.

Finally getting a chance to put a drive together, the Baker offense capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive with Juelsgaard dumping a pass off to freshman wideout Maveryk Becker, who sliced his way for BU's first offensive touchdown of the game.

Juelsgaard linked up with another newcomer in Seals for his next touchdown, floating a beautiful, back-shoulder throw to Seals to make it a 31-0 lead for the Wildcats.

The Fighting Bees had more special teams disasters come late in the second quarter with PJ McCallop Jr. taking a punt all the way back for a touchdown for the first time in his collegiate career.

In the final minute before halftime, Juelsgaard found his third straight freshman pass catcher in the end zone with Noah Hastert slipping behind the defense for a seven-yard score in his BU debut.

After the Wildcats scored six touchdowns in the first half to go into halftime with a 45-0 lead, the action settled down in the latter 30 minutes with a scoreless third quarter.

Then, in the fourth quarter, Seals tallied his second touchdown catch of the afternoon with this one coming from backup quarterback Sam Heggemann to cap the scoring at 52-0.

With the result, the Wildcats earned their 14th straight season-opening victory and improved on their mark as the NAIA's winningest program with now 647 all-time wins.

Baker will head out for its first road test with a matchup at William Penn set for Sept. 14 at 11:30 a.m. in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

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