GEORGETOWN, Ky. — The Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats' football season came to an end with a 31-21 loss to Georgetown in the NAIA quarterfinals Saturday afternoon.
The Wildcats, in just their sixth season of existence, finished with an 11-2 record and the program's second consecutive NAIA playoff berth.
Indiana Wesleyan entered the quarterfinals on the heels of a narrow victory over Morningside in the second round of the NAIA playoffs. Meanwhile, the Georgetown Tigers out of Kentucky entered with just a bit more momentum, having advanced with a 42-21 drubbing of Baker University out of Kansas. The Tigers also boasted a 10-1 record, the same as IWU, prior to the game's start.
Georgetown shut out the Wildcats in the first half. The Tigers scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter, six of which came off a 43-yard interception return from Davon Starks.
The Wildcats scored their first touchdown of the game roughly four minutes into the second half when Isaac Smith ran for a 3-yard score.
Following a quick field goal by the Tigers, Wildcats quarterback Xander Stokes threw his second pick-six of the game to Davon Starks, who returned it for a 33-yard touchdown.
On the ensuing kickoff, Indiana Wesleyan quickly responded. Dederrian Williams returned the kick for a 92-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats their second touchdown of the game. However, IWU still trailed 31-14 at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter did not see a Wildcats comeback. It was not until the final minutes that Indiana Wesleyan scored another touchdown. Stokes completed a 22-yard pass to Smith for the Wildcats' final touchdown of the game.
Stokes finished 21 for 35 passing for 240 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions and was sacked four times by the Tigers' defense.
Dederrian Williams rushed twelve times for 51 yards. Isaac Smith caught nine passes, including one touchdown, for 111 yards.
While the game will go down as a season-ending loss, the Wildcats again proved the future is bright for the team. With last year's semifinal berth and this year's quarterfinals run, the upcoming seasons could see the Wildcats in contention for future NAIA FCS championships.
