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DOVER, Del. – Jeremiah Howe came down with a 43-yard touchdown pass with 52 seconds left in the fourth quarter and Dyamond Ruffin intercepted a pass in the closing seconds to give the fifth-ranked Wesley College a 30-27 victory over Salisbury University on Saturday afternoon at Scott D. Miller Stadium.
The Hail Mary from Joe Callahan to Howe came on a fourth-and-21 as Callahan rolled right to escape pressure and launched a pass to the corner of the end zone. Both Howe and Matt Bundy were there for the Wolverines as were several Sea Gull defenders, but Howe, the smallest guy on the field, came down with the ball for the score.
Howe's final catch gave him seven catches for 133 yards on the day, both of which are career highs. Callahan finished 20-of-34 passing for 276 yards and a touchdown after hitting ten different receivers.
Wesley's ninth-straight win over Salisbury saw a lead that flip flopped several times as for the second-consecutive time, the Wolverines started from an early deficit. The Sea Gulls got ahead early on an 18-yard run by Lonnie Liggins, but Wesley answered back on a 1-yard run by Eugene Byrd.
The extra point by the Wolverines failed but Aamir Petrose intercepted a pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown with 1:49 left in the first quarter. Callahan then found Ishamar Malcolm to complete the two-point conversion, putting Wesley ahead, 14-7.
Salisbury scored ten unanswered points in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 7-14 lead.
Both teams traded possessions to start the second half but the Wolverines went back on top thanks to a two-yard run by Kennard Squirrell (ten carries, 31 yards) capping off a 14 play, 89-yard drive that last over six minutes. The Sea Gulls once again responded, this time with a 27-yard field goal by Jack Molloy, making the score 21-20 in favor of Wesley with 59 ticks left in the third.
After a 37-yard field goal by Jon Storck increased Wesley's advantage to four points with 9:26 left in the game, SU's Brandon Norwood put the Sea Gulls back on top for the final time with a 31-yard scamper.
Trailing by three, Wesley turned the ball over with 3:59 remaining but a sack by the duo of Dominique "Duke" Herald and Jordan Wescott forced a three-and-out. Sean Hopkins returned a punt 18 yards to the Salisbury 32-yard line.
Salisbury's David Handy was able to sack Callahan 11 yards back to the 43-yard line on second down. Wesley then called timeout and an incomplete pass forced the fourth down Hail Mary call.
Defensively, Jared Morris led the Wolverines with eight tackles while Wescott, Luke Maginnis and Herald had seven tackles apiece. Herald also produced 2.5 tackles for loss.
Next up for Wesley (2-0) is a trip to Belton, Texas, as the Wolverines travel to No. 3 Mary Hardin-Baylor for a 7 pm start on September 21.