WINFIELD, Kan.—What a difference a year made for the Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) football team.
After seven turnovers led to a 26-22 opening day loss to Southwestern (Kan.) College in 2013, the Bison posted a 47-17 win Sat., Aug. 30 to start the 2014 campaign against the Moundbuilders.
OBU turned the ball over just once, and that on a deep throw down the field late in the first half. The Bison got a Zack Bishop fumble recovery and three interceptions.
“We worked really hard for this, and we’ve come a long way, but we’re still not where we want to be,” said Bison Coach Chris Jensen. “At the first coaches’ meeting we said our two keys were ball security and tackling, and I think we did really well on those two points tonight.”
The 47 points is a school record for points on Opening Day. OBU had scored 39 points three times in season openers.
“We had a really good gameplan and we worked hard all week,” said starting quarterback Blake Woodard. “The offensive line blocked well and the running backs ran hard.”
Southwestern took the opening kick and scored a 42-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 11:23 left in the first quarter.
The Bison answered immediately with a nine-play, 83-yard drive capped by a six-yard scoring run by Jordan Barnes. Trey Tully tacked on the PAT for a 7-3 Bison lead with 8:41 left in the first quarter.
Tully added a 31-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead, capping a 14-play drive at the 3:09 mark of the first quarter.
Tully struck again from 31 yards out with 14:48 left in the half.
OBU got its first touchdown pass of the season when Blake Woodard got the ball to Derek Serowski for an 11-yard scoring play. Tully’s PAT made it 20-3 and that scored held up through halftime.
Dawson Myers scored from 12 yards out for a 27-3 lead with 10:42 left in the third quarter, scoring on the first possession. Jarrod Haynes had the PAT. Woodard scored on a six-yard run for a 34-3 lead with 3:29 left in the quarter.
Myers scored on a 36-yard run for a 40-3 Bison lead with 3:57 remaining in the third quarter.
OBU had interceptions by Eugene Estes, Nelson Mederios and Jake Smith in the third quarter.
Southwestern scored to make it 40-10 early in the fourth quarter on a three-yard run by Marcus Bradford, but the Bison answered with a 21-yard TD run by Frankie Edwards for the 47-10 lead.
The Moundbuilders scored with 7:04 on a 29-yard TD pass from Kaale McCulloch to Donny Ebanks to cut the lead to 47-17.
Edwards led the Bison with 80 yards rushing with Dawson Myers adding 72. Woodard finished with 187 yards passing and one touchdown.
Nyko Symonds and Derek Serowski were a dynamic duo receiving. Symonds had 12 catches for 96 yards while Serowski added seven catches for 88 yards.
Bryson Beattie led the Bison with six tackles. D’Ante Meeking, James Peoples and Bryndon Pitzer had one tackle for loss each.
OBU faced University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, Kan. on Sat., Sept. 6, which happened after publication date.
The Bison host Missouri Baptist College on Sat., Sept. 13 for their season home opener. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.
