Tigers close out home slate with win over Kenyon

DePauw totaled season highs of 438 total yards and 315 passing yards on the way to a 38-6 North Coast Athletic Conference win over Kenyon in the season’s final game at Blackstock Stadium.

DePauw moved to 4-5 overall and 4-4 in NCAC play, while the Lords dropped to 0-9 overall and 0-8 in the NCAC.

The Tigers grabbed a 3-0 lead on the first series of the game as Jake Tanner booted a 20-yard field goal. They tacked on seven more after Chase Andries connected with Andy Hunt for a 28-yard score with 6:14 left in the opening stanza.

Kenyon drove to the DePauw 33 on the next possession, but a pair of penalties pushed the Lords back and they were forced to punt. DePauw took over on its own 15 and needed just seven plays to reach paydirt as Andries connected with Evan Whigham for 19 yards and then with Will Harris for a 38-yard scoring play to make it 17-0 with 14:00 remaining in the first half.

Matt Labus, who sustained an injury late in the first half of the season opener, returned to the field on DePauw’s next possession. The teams exchanged punts before Labus tossed a 39-yard scoring pass to Jackson Hamersly for his first collegiate score to push the DePauw lead to 24-0 with 6:59 left in the half. Later in the half, Tanner missed a 37-yard field goal try and the Tigers took a 24-point lead into the intermission.

DePauw linebacker Brody Gude picked off Kenyon quarterback Thomas Merkle at the Kenyon 39 on the third play of the second half and returned it to the 20. Five plays later, Andries again connected with Hunt for a 6-yard score to make it 31-0.

After the Tigers’ defense forced another three-and-out, DePauw took over on the Kenyon 45. Andries completed a 44-yard pass to Whigham on second down before James Deaton rushed in from the 4 for the Tigers’ final score.

Kenyon’s only score came late in the third after Merkle completed a 21-yard pass to Ian Robertson on second down and then Robertson reached the end zone on a 48-yard pass play from Merkle.

DePauw outgained Kenyon 438-293 and held the Lords to just five rushing yards on 24 attempts. Ramon Lopez paced DePauw with 44 yards on 10 carries.

Andries completed 16 of 21 passes for 220 yards with three touchdowns, while Labus was 5 of 12 for 91 yards and a score. Hunt led the Tigers with nine catches for 116 yards and two scores, while Whigham had four grabs for 78 yards.

Merkle completed 28 of 46 passes for Kenyon for 288 yards with one score.

Hunter Sego and Nathan Seifert each had seven tackles, while the Tigers recorded five sacks including one each from Seifert, Matt Crupi, Keivan Rahimi and Noah Boyd.

Sam Dickey led Kenyon with 10 tackles and the team’s only sack.

DePauw wraps up the 2018 season on Saturday when it travels to Crawfordsville for the 125th gridiron meeting with Wabash and the 87th for possession of the Monon Bell. Kickoff is set for 1:07 p.m.

NCAC standings

Saturday’s results

DePauw 38, Kenyon 6

Oberlin 47, Hiram 44 (2OT)

Wabash 54, Alleghany 17

Wittenberg 42, Ohio Wesleyan 13

Denison 66, Wooster 18

This week’s games

DePauw at Wabash

Oberlin at Allegheny

Denison at Kenyon

Hiram at Ohio Wesleyan

Wittenberg at Wooster