JOURNAL SPORTS
BATESVILLE, Ark. – A game-ending goalline stand and superior execution in rainy weather Saturday secured Centenary’s first win of its second intercollegiate football season this century.
The visiting Gents went to overtime where Zane Wyss’ 21-yard field goal combined with that goalline stand allowed them to prevail 23-20 over the Lyon Scots in a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference game on Saturday at Bad Boy Mowers Stadium.
The Gents improved to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in SCAC play while the Scots fell to 1-4 and 0-2 in the SCAC.
Centenary scored a defensive two-point conversion on a blocked PAT return by Jay Scott to build a 20-13 lead early in the third quarter, but a storm forced a 90-minute stoppage. It was still raining hard when play resumed, and both offenses struggled before Lyon drove 61 yards and forged a tie with 4:11 left.
The Scots threatened to win on their last shot in regulation, reaching the Gents’ 8 in the closing seconds, but a short field goal try went awry on miscues on the snap and hold, and kicker Jesus Romero-Castillo was tackled.
In OT, led by former Calvary Baptist quarterback Abram Wardell and sparked by a 14-yard run from Obadiah Butler, Centenary moved 18 yards on eight plays but had to settle for the Wyss field goal, moving the visitors on top.
Lyon quickly reached first-and-goal at the 2, but two runs were repelled by Jirus Guy Jr. and Rhema Getter just shy of ending the game. On third down, the Scots fumbled the shotgun snap and recovered back at the 11.
Again, Lyon’s field goal unit was unable to execute, the ball popped loose, and the kicker was hauled down by Getter at the 7 to seal the outcome.
Centenary bolted to a quick 6-0 lead on a 70-yard Butler dash less than 90 seconds into action. Lyon popped on top five minutes later, but the Gents took charge with a pair of scores late in the first period: a 47-yard pass from Zin’Tavious Smith to Theo Dunn, and another long run, an 80-yarder, by Butler. He finished with a career-best 234 yards on 17 carries.
Lyon drew within 18-13 by taking the second-half kickoff and driving 12 plays, but the weather conditions hampered both teams until the Scots managed their late march to the tying points, including a successful PAT from Romero-Castillo.
Centenary’s offense had its best day of 2025 with 531 yards, 304 passing. Lyon threw for 313 of its 426 yards. Smith, in his first start this season in place of apparently injured QB Vance Feuerbacher, went 15 of 27 for 226 yards and the TD before evidently being hurt himself midway through the fourth quarter. Wardell got his first collegiate action and went 3 for 6 for a net of 1 yard.
Centenary got 18 tackles by Getter and 11 apiece from Dwayne Mills Jr. and Gideon Bowman.
The Gents are back home next Saturday to face McMurry in a conference contest.