IW football returns with nail-biting loss

GREENVILLE, Ill. - The Iowa Wesleyan football team made good on new head coach MD Daniels' promise to air it out this football season. The Tigers threw for 434 yards in Saturday's opener, but it wasn't quite enough to open the year with a win.

Greenville University scored the game-winning touchdown in the final nine minutes of the game, and the Tigers came up empty on their last offensive drive to fall 28-25.

Iowa Wesleyan started the year with a bang, scoring on their first drive of the season. After stopping Greenville on its first drive, the Tigers drew first blood when freshman quarterback Gavin Esquivel found Jaden Harris on a 41-yard touchdown pass. The kick from Leo Olivera was good, and it was 7-0 Iowa Wesleyan with 11:22 showing in the first quarter.

Unfortunately for the Tigers, Greenville would score the next 21 points.

The Panthers scored twice in the second quarter, both on rushing touchdowns by Paul Garrett. They led 14-7 at halftime, and added on to that with a 12-yard pick-six in the third quarter. Greenville's lead was 21-7 with 9:58 remaining in the third.

Iowa Wesleyan wasn't going down without a fight. The Tigers would rally to score the next three touchdowns of the ballgame.

The Tigers marched downfield on the ensuing drive to score on a 5-yard pass from Esquivel to Bradin Ross, which cut the lead to 21-13 after the missed extra point. Esquivel then found Damian Tanelus on a 31-yard touchdown pass, but the point after was missed again, and the Tigers trailed by two, at 21-19.

After the Iowa Wesleyan defense forced a Greenville three-and-out to start the fourth period, the Tigers got the ball back and marched 75 yards to the end zone. Hezekia Hunter capped off that drive with a 3-yard touchdown run with 10:22 remaining in the game. The conversion failed but Iowa Wesleyan led 25-21.

Greenville scored a back-breaker with just under nine minutes remaining. On fourth-and-one from their own 39, the Panthers took the lead back on a 61-yard touchdown rush by Garrett. Greenville was back in front, 28-25.

Iowa Wesleyan took over from their own 41-yard line with 8:33 remaining. The Tigers marched all the way down to the 18, but Esquivel was intercepted in the end zone on a potential go-ahead score.

On Greenville's next possession, the Panthers ran the remaining 6:42 off the clock, moving from their own 20 to Iowa Wesleyan's 12 before kneeling out the clock.

The Tigers threw the ball nearly 60 times in the season opener. Esquivel finished the day 29-for-58 for 434 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Shomari Wilson led the Tiger receiving core. He caught four passes for 117 yards. Jerry Carbajal caught five passes for 79 yards. Ross finished with seven catches for 76 yards and one touchdown. Harris had four catches for 55 yards and a score, and Tanelus finished with two catches for 34 yards and a touchdown.

Kam Cole rushed five times for 43 yards to lead the ground game.

Chance Colby had a big day on the defensive side of the ball. He led the Tigers with 13 tackles, and also jumped on one fumble. Grequence Coger had 12 tackles. Deaco Steadman finished with 11 tackles. Joseph Pace had 10 tackles, and Chase Tennant forced one fumble.

The Iowa Wesleyan football team is now 1-0. They will host Westminster College on Saturday in their home opener.