In a game that featured more than two hours of lightning delays, the Central Methodist football team won a nail-biter over William Penn University by a score of 28-27 Saturday afternoon at Davis Field. 

With the win, the Eagles improve to 4-2 overall, while the Statesmen fall to 1-5.

Central opened up the scoring midway through the first quarter, as the Eagles drove 87 yards in eight plays. Central capped the drive with a 30-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Paxton DeLaurent to senior wide receiver Trayvon Hards. 

After a lengthy lightning delay at the 5:46 mark of the first quarter, the Statesmen reemerged from the locker room and matched CMU on the following possession with a scoring drive of their own. The teams would end the first period deadlocked at 7-7. 

The Eagles’ offense continued to drive down the field early in the second quarter on 74 yards in 10 plays. DeLaurent put Central back out front with a two-yard touchdown rush on a quarterback keeper. 

William Penn, however, would respond with 14 unanswered points to take a 21-14 lead into the locker room at halftime. 

Both teams remained scoreless through the first 10 minutes of the third, but CMU broke the deadlock at the 5:43 mark when DeLaurent found junior Koale Schroeder on a 37-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 21-21. William Penn quickly regained the lead with just seconds remaining in the quarter on a 53-yard touchdown run but failed to convert the extra point.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the touchdown pinned the Statesmen's kickoff team at their own 20-yard line, giving Central excellent field position. 

Returning the ball to their 44-yard line, the Eagles needed only two plays to find the end zone. After a seven-yard pass to get on the Statesmen's side of the field, DeLaurent fired his third touchdown pass of the day, once again to Schroeder from 49-yards out. Kicker Samuel Petrin would convert the extra point, giving CMU a narrow 28-27 lead. 

Both sides were in a defensive stalemate for the rest of the quarter. However, after CMU came up just short on a fourth-down conversion looking to run the clock out, the Statesmen were in position to drive down the field for a game-winning field goal.

William Penn managed to get to the Eagle 21-yard line and set up for a 38-yard field goal to go back out in front. At the snap, the Eagles, led by junior Joseph Slattery, bull-rushed the line. Slattery was able to block the kick and send Central home with its fourth win of 2021.

DeLaurent finished the afternoon leading CMU through both the air and ground attack. The sophomore completed 12 passes and racked up 258 passing yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 73 yards on 14 attempts including a rushing TD.

Schroeder led the receivers with three catches for 92 yards including two touchdowns. Senior Kooper Wilson followed with 58 yards receiving on four receptions. 

Overall, Central finished the afternoon with 401 yards of total offense on 25:24 of total possession. 

On the defensive side of the ball, senior London Chambers racked up 11 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, and a sack. Senior Khari Henley followed with nine tackles while senior classmates Michael Mexicano and Will Miles each collected eight. Seniors Davion Stockard and Darian Bell also recorded a sack apiece. 

The win puts Central Methodist tied for second place in the Heart of America Athletic Conference South Division with Benedictine at 4-2 and behind 5-1 Baker. 

Central and Benedictine will both take a week off by having open dates on October 9. The two teams will then face off against each one another in Fayette at 1 p.m. on October 16 at Davis Field.