Not that their first eight games were any cakewalk, but the Wayland Baptist football team could be facing its toughest two opponents as the Pioneers look to close out the 2021 season on a positive note. The first is 15
th-ranked Ottawa (Ariz.).
"They're one of the nation's top teams, especially offensively," Wayland coach
Butch Henderson said about the Spirit.
Kickoff between the Pioneers (2-6, 2-5 Sooner Athletic Conference) and Spirit (6-1, 6-1) is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium. Tickets, available at the gate, are $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Saturday's game will be Senior Day for nine Pioneers:
Joseph Colurciello,
Samuel Daily,
Jacoby Hunt, Marquell McFalls,
Brook Quinones,
Nick Quintero,
Brenden Strickland,
Dominque Taylor and
Kaleb Thornton.
"Some of these athletes will be able to return next year because of COVID eligibility rules, but this is a group that has done really, really well," Henderson said. "Four of these athletes will graduate with a 3.5 GPA or better, and combined their GPA averages 3.1. Kaleb was a 2020 Academic All-American, Sam will graduate with a perfect 4.0, and Brenden ran on two NAIA national relay teams in track.
"These guys have been with us from the beginning (of their college careers) and have helped us recruit other players from where they grew up because they had a good experience. It's a great group of young men and I hate to see them go."
Saturday's game will be the fourth all-time between Wayland and Ottawa, but the first in Plainview. All three previous matchups took place in Surprise, Ariz., with the Spirit winning all three. The closest outcome was last spring when Wayland fell behind No. 24 Ottawa 21-0 in the first half before outscoring the Spirit after intermission, 15-13.
The Spirit is coming off its first loss of the season, a 44-41 nail-biter to No. 18 Langston two weeks ago in Arizona. Ottawa, which was ranked No. 9 before seeing its 10-game winning streak snapped, was off last weekend (when Langston subsequently lost its first game to Louisiana College, 31-24.)
Henderson said one of the things Langston did well in knocking off the Spirit was keeping Ottawa's high-powered offense off the field. The 41 points against the Lions are the lowest total for the Spirit all season.
"Langston kept the ball away from them some," Henderson said. "We have to move the ball consistently on offense. That way our defense doesn't have to stay on the field all afternoon."
Ottawa's offense is led by quarterback Austin McCullough (6-2, 200), a grad student from California who in seven games averages 312 yards passing with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 56 percent of his throws. Seven receivers have double-digit catches, led by Brandon McLaughlin who averages almost 100 receiving yards a game and Jermaine Trotman Jr. with 19 catches for 362 yards and seven scores.
"Our kids are doing a good job of keeping receivers in front of them not giving up big plays, and we're battling with people running-wise up front," Henderson said.
On the ground, the Spirit like to hand it to Marcelous Chester-Riley, who averages 106 yards and has nine touchdowns. Shamar Moreland is good for 70 steps a game and eight total TDs.
Henderson knows his team faces a tough task Saturday, but knows the Pioneers can win if they play up to their abilities.
"We're playing well at times and playing hard, but I want us to start playing at the level I feel like we can. We made strides toward that last week. When we play at the level we're capable of then I can say we've done everything we want to do. I just don't feel like we've done that yet."
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