(9) Football closes out regular season with record-breaking performance over William Woods

FULTON, Mo. – Benedictine Football closed out the regular season with a record-breaking performance against William Woods University on Saturday.

The No. 9-ranked Ravens set records for single-game points as well as rushing yards allowed en route to an 86-0 win over the Owls. 

The previous record for points was 84 and was set during the 2018 season in a home win over Graceland. The Ravens held the Owls to minus-61 yards rushing, breaking a 24-year-old record previously set at minus-58 yards against Graceland during the 2000 season.

The Ravens jumped out to a 17-0 lead after the first quarter. Harry Balke connected on a pair of field goals – 35 yards and 28 yards – while the Ravens scored 4 points off 2 safeties before Joseph Lagafuiana returned the second free kick for a 98-yard return to make it 17-0.

Benedictine exploded for 41 points in the second quarter and Jackson Dooley went to the air, connecting on 5 touchdown passes to break the Ravens single-season passing record. He connected on a 10-yard pass to Matthew Sanford, a 35-yard pass to Jacob Gathright, and an 8-yard pass to Lagafuiana to tie the record at 33 passing touchdowns. He broke the record on a 46-yard pass to Lagafuiana and then added to his record with a 5-yard pass to Kameron Dover.

Special Teams capped off the first-half scoring after Dylan Witherspoon blocked a punt at the William Woods 30-yard line that found its way to the end zone where it was recovered by Trey Williams for a touchdown to send the Ravens into halftime leading 58-0.

Three more touchdowns put the Ravens on the cusp of the scoring record in the third quarter on a touchdown pass from Kaden Austin to Sanford for 8-yards. That was followed up by a 7-yard rushing touchdown from Jonah Roberts and a 7-yard rushing touchdown from Robbie Sharp to make it 79-0 headed into the fourth quarter.

Austin hit Callahan Huston on a pass that Huston broke loose for 60 yards to give the Ravens the new scoring record and end the scoring for the game.

Benedictine finished with 514 yards of offense as their rushing and passing yards were nearly identical at 281 yards rushing and 284 yards passing.

Dooley finished with 136 yards on 10 of 18 passing with 5 touchdowns while Austin went 3 of 5 with 2 touchdowns. JJ Jackson led the Ravens with 68 yards on 12 carries, followed by Sharp with 56 yards, Xavier Ugorji with 45, Roberts with 32, and Dalton Witherspoon with 34. Lagafuiana finished with 54 yards receiving on 2 catches while Jacob Gathright added 36 yards on 2 catches.

Defensively, Benedictine finished with 5 sacks for a loss of 56 yards, 8 tackles for a loss of 72 yards, four forced fumbles with two fumble recoveries, and 3 interceptions.

Cole Johnson, Heath Baker, and Joseph Burke finished with a sack each while Kenny Lithium and Benjamin Sylvain combined for a sack. Sylvain added 1.5 tackles for a loss with Isaiah Hasten, Cole Johnson, Matthew Etzel, Baker and Burke added a tackle for a loss each. Kyle Roland, Josh Boone, and Zach LaCombe recorded the third interceptions while Jackson Hoskins and Abram Phillips recovered fumbles.

With the win, Benedictine has secured a share of the Heart South Championship. The 2024 NAIA Football Championship Selection Show is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sunday where the Ravens will learn their postseason seeding for the FCS.

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