Ground Game, Special Teams Lifts Wildcats to 67-28 Win over Owls

FULTON, Mo. – In its first game out of the bye week, No. 19 Baker racked up a season-high 67 points to roll past William Woods, 67-28 on the road on Saturday, moving BU to a 5-1 record on the season.

The Wildcats scored 40 unanswered points in the first half and padded on 27 more points in the second to earn both their second win against Heart South opponent as well as their second road win of the year.

Baker got a big lift from its special teams with a pair of blocked punts in the first half, one that bounced out of the back of the end zone for a safety and the second one which fell right into the arms of Manowa Ngenzirabona for a touchdown.

Additionally, Seth Simpson, the reigning Heart Special Teams Player of the Week, drilled all three of his field goals in the game with his longest one coming on a 44-yarder late in the third quarter.

The Wildcats also had season-high production from their ground game, finishing with 326 yards and six touchdowns. Gabe Martin led the way with 20 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown, while Truman Juelsgaard took three of his seven carries in the game in for a score. Cole Fisher had 11 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Juelsgaard's first touchdown run came on a designed quarterback keeper on Baker's opening possession, busting it open for a 38-yard score to make it a quick 7-0 lead for BU.

After the two blocked punts and Simpson's first field goal, Juelsgaard and Fisher punched in back-to-back touchdowns in the second quarter before Juelsgaard capped the high-scoring first half with his third touchdown.

The Owls avoided a scoreless first half by scoring on the final play before halftime as the Wildcats took a 40-7 lead into the break.

Baker scored on its first possession of the second half as well with Sam Heggemann coming in and hitting Adrion Seals for a big 68-yard touchdown strike.

Back-to-back touchdowns from William Woods cut BU's lead to 47-21 before the Wildcats put up 17 straight points to push the lead back out to a comfortable margin. After a Simpson field goal, Martin and Heggemann each logged a rushing touchdown with Martin's coming on a 38-yard burst.

After an Owls touchdown, Simpson capped the scoring with his final field goal of the game, sealing a 67-28 victory for BU.

With the rushing attack rolling, Juelsgaard still managed to have an efficient day in the passing game, connecting on 11 of his 15 passes for 120 yards. Billy Brooks finished with a team-high five catches for 54 yards.

Ngenzirabona's touchdown on the blocked punt was his second of the year after he returned an interception for a touchdown against St. Ambrose in the season opener, a game in which he also had a blocked punt for BU.

For the fourth time this season, the Baker defense tallied multiple interceptions with Thad Metcalfe and Caden Donovan each picking off a pass in the same game for the second time in 2024. Both BU defensive backs had an interception in the Wildcats' 61-7 win against Culver-Stockton in September.

Baker will return home to take on Central Methodist on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 1 p.m. at Don Parker Field and Liston Stadium. The Wildcats will honor the 1986 football team as Baker's inaugural Team of Distinction.

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