Late Comeback Falls Just Short vs. No. 13 Benedictine on Saturday

ATCHISON, Kan. – Picking up their first loss of the 2024 season, the No. 16 Baker football comeback fell just short against No. 13 Benedictine on Saturday, as the Wildcats loss 27-24.

Baker completed 13 passes in the game with seven completions coming from Sam Heggemann, while Truman Juelsgaard connected on six passes. Heggemann threw for a team-high 90 yards and rushed for 71, while Juelsgaard added 65 yards through the air and a team-high 76 on the ground.

Adrion Seals was the top receiver for Baker with five catches for 66 yards and Gaige Warren picked up 45 yards receiving on four catches. Defensively, the Wildcats put together a strong effort, as Zac Kramer led the 'Cats with 10 tackles. Kramer and Cameron Penny each picked up a sack in the game, while Kramer and PJ McCallop each also had an interception.

After Baker went three-and-out on their first drive of the game, Benedictine went 69 yards in just six plays to put the first points on the scoreboard and take a 7-0 lead. On Baker's very next possession, the Wildcats threw an interception, and the Ravens were able to capitalize as they tacked on a field goal to hold a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.

Baker then caught some momentum in their next drive. With first and 10 from the Benedictine 14-yard line, Juelsgaard connected with Gaige Warren on consecutive plays and then Juelsgaard ran it in for three yards to get Baker on the board and cut the lead to 10-7 with 12:27 left to play in the half.

On Benedictine's next drive, PJ McCallop came up with his third interception in four games and Baker was able to capitalize in just two plays on a 34-yard connection from Juelsgaard to Warren for the touchdown, giving Baker their first lead of the game, 14-10.

The Ravens then answered on their next drive, going 75 yards in three plays to score a touchdown and regain the lead, 17-14 with 9:17 until halftime. Both teams punted in their next two possessions, but with Baker almost at midfield, the Ravens added to their lead with a pick-six, stretching the lad to 24-14. Late in the half with Benedictine driving once again, Kramer came up with a huge interception at the six-yard line to hold Benedictine out of the endzone and keep the lead at 24-14 heading into halftime.

Both defenses made some adjustments in the second half, and it paid off as the Wildcats got stops in the first four Benedictine drives of the second half, but were held to punts in their first three drives of the half. After the Raven's fourth punt of the quarter, Sam Heggemann entered the game at quarterback and Baker got the second half scoring going with a 22-yard field goal from Seth Simpson to stay perfect on the year on field goals for his sixth of the year.

Benedictine got a field goal on their next drive, to make it 27-17 with 6:09 to play in the game. Heggemann then took the Wildcats down the field in 10 plays that ended with a wild touchdown where Gaige Warren took the ball from Baker's running back and crossed the goal line to bring the game within three, 27-24.

After the Baker defense held strong and got the stop they were looking for, the Baker offense took over with 57 seconds remaining. Baker got two quick 11-yard completions to Billy Brooks and Adrion Seals, but four straight incompletions turned the ball over on downs and gave Baker their first loss of the season, 27-24.

No. 16 Baker moves to 3-1 on the season and 0-1 in Heart of America South Division play. They will be back at Don Parker Field and Liston Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 5, when they host Missouri Valley at 1:00 p.m., for John Frangoulis Day.

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