BEREA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University football team won its first game of the 2023 season as it defeated Wilmington College by a final score of 61-25 in an Ohio Athletic Conference and Hall of Fame game on Tressel Field inside the George Finnie Stadium.
BW (1-1, 1-0 OAC) improved to 21-3 in the all-time series with Wilmington (1-1, 0-1 OAC), including winning the last 14 contests.
Between the first and second quarters, the eight newest members of the Athletics Alumni Hall of Fame were introduced to the Finnie Stadium crowds.
Offensively for the Yellow Jackets, senior quarterback Joey Marousek (North Royalton) completed 12-of-22 passes for 179 yards with five touchdowns. Freshman running back George Linberger (Barberton/St. Vincent-St. Mary) rushed for a game-high 102 yards on 19 carries. Senior wide receiver Darius Stokes (Canton/GlenOak) caught two passes for 59 yards with a 47-yard touchdown. Defensively, senior All-OAC linebacker Mason Levasseur (Panama City, Fla./South Walton) had seven tackles.
Offensively for the Quakers, senior quarterback Derek Larimer completed 11-of-21 passes for 276 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Sophomore running back Nehemiah Jenkins rushed for 71 yards on 16 carries. Senior wide out Lathan Jones caught eight passes for 239 yards with three touchdowns. Defensively, senior linebacker Joey Weikel had a game-high 11 tackles.
1st Quarter (Tied 6-6)
- 12:46 Jones 22-yard pass from Larimer (2-point conversion failed)
- 7:06 Sophomore wideout Tim Conwell (Avon) 7-yard pass from Marousek (Freshman kicker Joseph Evans kick no good)
2nd Quarter (BW, 27-6)
- 12:30 Senior tight end Jonah Schrock (Howell, Mich.) 4-yard pass from Marousek (Evans kick good)
- 9:45 Senior wide receiver Jake Nanosky 3-yard pass from Marousek (Evans kick is good)
- 5:45 Junior running back Victor Ford, Jr. (Cleveland/Shaker Heights) 1-yard run (Evans kick is good)
3rd Quarter (BW, 37-19)
- 14:49 Junior wide receiver Mikel Love (Fort Pierce, Fla./Westwood) 67-yard pass from Marousek (Evans kick good)
- 12:03 Jones 11-yard pass from Larimer (Seth Best kick good)
- 6:13 Evans 26-yard field goal
- 4:23 Larimer 6-yard run (Best kick no good)
4th Quarter (BW, 61-25)
- 14:20 Stokes 47-yard pass from Marousek (Evans kick good)
- 11:42 Sophomore defensive lineman Hasim Rashid (Shaker Heights) 47-yard fumble recovery
- 7:44 Evans 18-yard field goal
- 5:32 Jones 78-yard pass from Larimer (Best kick no good)
- 3:54 Freshman running back Tyrone Singleton (Willoughby/South) 4-yard run (Freshman Owen Vlk (Cortland/Lakeview) kick good)
BW is back in action on Saturday, September 16 when it hosts an OAC and 35th Battle for the Cuyahoga Gold Bowl Trophy game against crosstown rival John Carroll University 1:30 p.m.
