Box Score PHOENIX – Wayland Baptist was hurt by five turnovers and nine penalties as the 22nd-ranked Pioneers suffered their first Central States Football League loss to Arizona Christian on Saturday night at Shadow Mountain High School, 45-35.
"We just didn't make plays where we had been making them all year," Wayland coach Butch Henderson said. "We had opportunities. It could have easily ended up our way, but they made plays and we didn't."
Now, defending CSFL champion Arizona Christian (6-3, 5-0 CSFL), ranked the equivalent of 26th, can repeat with a home win next week over Bacone (2-7, 2-3). The Pioneers (7-2, 4-1) must hope ACU loses while WBU wins its regular-season finale at home over No. 25 Langston (6-2, 4-1) in order to share the crown with the Firestorm. Langston won at home over Lyon (Ark.) on Saturday, 40-12.
In the NAIA Game of the Week, Wayland was hoping to record its seventh straight win and move a step closer to claiming the conference title. But the Firestorm jumped out to a 21-0 lead then fought off a determined WBU comeback attempt the rest of the game, which ended just after midnight Central time.
"When you're playing for a conference championship you need to make plays early and grab that momentum and roll with it like we have been all year," Henderson said. "We came back and made plays left and right in the second half, but we were fighting from behind when we could have been on top of it."
Wayland uncharacteristically lost three fumbles and threw three interceptions against ACU while the Pioneers managed just two takeaways. WBU went into the game plus-12 in turnovers.
The Pioneers produced 686 yards of total offense compared to ACU's 502 and had 30 first downs versus the Firestorm's 24.
WBU quarterback Mitchell Parsley (34-of-62) threw for a school-record 512 yards and four touchdowns: 11 and 67 yards to Devonte Hayden, and 9 and 20 yards to Preston Woodard. Parsley's 512 yards broke the WBU record of 430 set in 2012 by Anthony Campuzano against Austin College.
Ben Owen finished with five receptions for 146 yards while Hayden got six for 113 and Woodard a school-record nine for 94.
De'Sean Johnson finished with 133 rushing yards on just 13 carries, including a 66-yard touchdown. Johnson also had three catches for 28 yards.
Brian Johnson led Wayland's defense with 10 tackles, followed by Richard Parham with eight. Alden Mann, the NAIA's tackles leader averaging 19 a game, ended with five. Brandon Sheppard had an interception.
Henderson said ACU played an excellent game.
"They played real well. They didn't turn the ball over like they had been and we turned it over more than we have been.
"The positive side is the kids never stopped playing.
"Our goal now is to put that one behind us, regroup, and come back and beat Langston. We want to finish the season with the best record we can: 8-2."
