Iowa Wesleyan football falls to Division II opponent

QUINCY, Ill. — The Iowa Wesleyan football team gave it the old college try on Saturday, going down to NCAA Division II Quincy University for a nonconference road game.

The Tigers traded punches for much of the first half, but in the end, a powerful Quincy offense was too much in the Tigers’ 59-27 loss.

The Hawks and Tigers lit up the scoreboard in the first half. The two squads combined for 63 points in the first two quarters alone.

Over that time, Iowa Wesleyan quarterback Gavin Esquivel hit both Jaden Harris and Braedin Ross on touchdown passes. Hezekiah Hunter found the end zone on a short run, and Maxwell Paskowitz hit a 25-yard field goal.

But as electric as the Tiger offense was in the first half, Quincy’s was even more so.

The Hawks scored on six of their nine first-half drives, including six touchdowns.

The Tigers trailed 42-21 at the half. Esquivel hit Damian Tanelus on a 69-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring in the third, but Quincy outscored Iowa Wesleyan 17-0 from that point forward.

Esquivel ended the game 24-for-40 for 393 yards and three touchdowns. Jaden Harris caught seven passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. Tanelus went for five catches, 146 yards and a touchdown.

Iowa Wesleyan is now 0-3. They are scheduled to return home on Saturday to play an 0-1 Trinity International University squad that has had both of its previous games get canceled due to COVID-19 protocols. That game is scheduled for a noon kickoff.