The 2022 Wayland Baptist football season came to a close with 20 seniors recognized prior to the Pioneers hosting Arizona Christian on Saturday afternoon at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium.
Despite five total turnovers, the Pioneers held their own against the No. 22 Firestorm until late in the third quarter when the visitors from Surprise, Ariz., began flexing, ultimately recording a 41-14 victory.
Wayland, which won two of its first four games, ended the season with a 2-8 record, including 2-7 in the Sooner Athletic Conference.
The Pioneers trailed ACU (8-2, 7-2) just 17-0 at halftime, giving up a touchdown after a short punt set up the Firestorm at the WBU 30-yard line.
A sack-fumble by ACU led to the Firestorm's first second-half score, a short pass play on 4
th-and-6 that turned into a 40-yard TD.
ACU led 27-0 entering the fourth but added seven more points on the first play of the period, a 24-yard pass.
Wayland scored its lone offensive touchdown on its next drive, marching 75 yards on five plays, the first a 27-yard scramble by quarterback
Bryan Ponder. The points came on a nine-yard run around right end by
Willie Phillips.
The Firestorm answered on their next possession, going 50 yards in just five plays.
WBU put together another nice drive, but it stalled at the ACU 13-yard line.
After the Pioneer defense forced a punt,
Kente Nichols scored the final touchdown of the game on a nifty 80-yard punt return.
Jeffery Lucido booted the PAT to cap the scoring with 1:46 left.
The Pioneers turned in a solid rushing performance with 225 yards, 102 of its from
Damon Ford on 18 carries. Phillips added 87 steps on 15 totes.
Seniors
Casey Buck and
Kevin White logged double-digit tackles with 12 (3 TFLs) and 10 (2 TFLs), respectively. White also was credited with 1½ sacks, a forced fumbled and a fumble recovery.
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