The Wayland Baptist football team looks to have better luck in Plainview than it did in Pineville four years ago when the Pioneers host the Louisiana College Wildcats this weekend.
In the first and only gridiron meeting between the schools, the Pioneers travelled to Pineville, La., to open the 2017 season and fell, 59-20. Saturday's rematch will be the first meeting between Wayland (2-4, 2-3 SAC) and Louisiana College (1-5, 1-3) since the Wildcats joined the Sooner Athletic Conference in football prior to this season.
"Louisiana College is a very talented, very athletic football team. It looks like to me they've kind of of been asleep and are trying to wake up," Wayland coach
Butch Henderson said.
Kickoff at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium is 2 p.m. Saturday. Tickets, available at the gate, are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Both the Pioneers and Wildcats are coming off home games against Oklahoma-Panhandle State. Wayland fell to the Aggies in a tight battle last Saturday, 20-13, while the Wildcats prevailed over OPSU on Oct. 2, 41-35. That marked Louisiana College's first win in NAIA after previous seasons as an NCAA Division III program.
The Wildcats are in their second season under former Louisiana College player Drew Maddox. Maddox led LC to a 2-3 record during the pandemic-abbreviated 2020 season. Prior to their victory over OPSU, among the Wildcats' losses were 20-13 to Southwestern Assemblies of God University, 35-22 to No. 22 Arizona Christian and 49-19 to No. 16 Ottawa. LC also lost to NCAA Division I FCS Abilene Christian, 62-7, and to North American University, 42-41.
"Unfortunately (for Wayland), it seems that they're just now starting to develop," Henderson said. "They have a very talented team."
The Wildcats are paced on offense by a pair of quarterbacks in junior James Powell and sophomore Sal Palermo, both of whom are 6-foot-2 and right at 200 pounds. Powell has completed 35-of-77 passes for 515 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions, while Palermo has completed 24-of-58 for 414 yards, four TDs and two picks. Their top target has been senior Micah Dunn, who has averaged 25 yards for each of his 14 catches, including six scores.
On the ground, the Wildcats look to Devin Briscoe, a second-team all-American last season who this season averages 67 yards a game and 3.6 steps a carry. Powell is a capable runner under center, averaging 33 yards a contest.
"Against OPSU they finally got their offense (cranked up) and scored three touchdowns on long, well-thrown balls to receivers who are very fast," Henderson said.
Louisiana College's defense really impresses the Wayland coach.
"They are tougher than nails up front. People are struggling to move the ball on the ground on them," said Henderson, who singled out tackles Kelan Bourgere, a 6-1, 282-pound sophomore, and Wilbert Robertson, a 6-1, 346-pound junior. "Those guys are big and strong inside and they're going to keep you off their two backers so they can make the stop."
One of those linebackers is Earnest Simon (6-3, 225), who leads the Wildcats with 45 tackles. Henderson said defensive back D'Mario Weathersby, who is second in tackles with 40, "compliments (Simon) from the outside edge." End Micah Latin (6-3, 230) was all-region last season for LC. "He tackles hard and runs well," Henderson said.
Against those defenders, the Pioneers must figure out a way to get their offense rolling.
"We have to start getting points on the board and take advantage of opportunities we have. We have to make the plays at the right time," he said. "I've been pleased with us defensively. (Last week) we gave up a few more third-and-longs than we have in the past, but still were in position to do some things. We had a missed extra-point and field goal, which are pieces of the puzzle that you put together."
Henderson also pointed out a penalty last week that wiped out a long kick return inside the OPSU 5-yard line. "Little mistakes like that…end up being big things that cost you."
The bottom line, the coach said, is Wayland needs a win.
"We have to find a way to win. My concern is not as much about Louisiana College but about Wayland Baptist and getting our offense up to the ability I think they have."
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