SALISBURY, Md. – Wesley College's fourth-ranked football team left little in doubt as it defeated Salisbury University, 43-5, on a rainy Saturday night at Sea Gull Stadium. The Wolverines now stand at 2-0 while the Maroon & Gold fall to 1-1.
In its most lopsided victory over its Route 13 rival since 2005, Wesley held Salisbury to just 179 yards of total offense (six yards passing) and five first downs while forcing three turnovers. It was also the first time that the Wolverines did not allow Salisbury to score a touchdown in 25 all-time meetings (Wesley leads, 18-7).
The Wolverines offense kept the chains moving all night through the air on the ground as Joe Callahan had the most accurate game of his career, completing 24-of-30 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns. Jamar Baynard also ran for a game-high 87 yards and three scores on 23 carries.
Steve Koudossou, Wesley's all-time leading receiver, and Bryce Shade were Callahan's most frequent targets with Koudossou going for a team-high 117 yards and a touchdown on seven grabs with Shade hauling in a career-high eight balls for 85 yards. Andrew Monaghan also caught his first career touchdown pass with two grabs for 39 yards and Matt Bundy's four receptions turned into 34 yards.
Aside from Baynard who accounting for just over half of the Wolverines' rushing yards, Brandon Wright also found the end zone while carrying the load eight times for 38 yards.
Forcing a three-and-out as Salisbury received the opening kickoff, Wesley march 53 yards for a touchdown after Sean Hopkins put the Navy & White in good field position with a 15-yard punt return. Baynard took the Wolverines' first play from scrimmage seven yards passes to Koudossou for nine and 19 yards eventually got Wesley to the one-yard line before Baynard punched in his first score.
After the teams traded possessions without a score, De'Vaughn Trader intercepted a pass from John Dunbar and returned it 24 yards to the Salisbury 35-yardline. After three-straight runs by Baynard netted 13 yards, Wright went for a 15-yard run before scampering for a seven-yard touchdown to give the Wolverines a 13-0 lead with 1:43 left in the first quarter.
Salisbury responded with a field goal on its ensuing possession to cut the score to ten with 14:46 left in the first half but that was as close as the Sea Gulls would get as Wesley found the endzone twice more before halftime, starting with a 59-yard touchdown pass to Koudossou and followed by another goalline touchdown by Baynard.
Wesley forced two more three-and-outs prior to halftime and another on Salisbury's first drive in the third before Baynard ran one out from 14 yards to increase Wesley's lead to 34-3 with 8:00 minutes left in the third.
Sosthene Kapepula, who led the Navy & White with eight tackles, forced a fumble which was recovered by Zane Campbell on Salisbury's next play from scrimmage before Callahan led Wesley on a time consuming drive for a touchdown that sealed the game. The Wolverines embarked on a 12 play, 79 yard drive that ate up five minutes and 43 seconds which was capped off by Callahan's 31-yard touchdown strike to Monaghan.
Aside from Kapepula, only Matt Capetola and Julian Jones recorded at least five tackles but Capetola also was credited with a sack and the Wolverines tallied seven stops behind the line of scrimmage. For the second-straight game, both of Aamir Petrose's tackles went for a loss. Wesley put constant pressure on Dunbar with seven quarterback hurries, forcing him to just 1-of-8 passing for six yards.
Aarron Moore led Salisbury with 51 yards on eight carries and Dunbar ran for 5 yards on 11 attempts.
Wesley returns to Scott D. Miller Stadium for its first of three-straight home games when its hosts Rowan on Saturday, September 20, at 1 pm. The Profs, who defeated Wesley in Glassboro, N.J., last season, evened its record at 1-1 with a 31-21 victory at Framingham State early Saturday afternoon.