RIVERSIDE, Mo. - Kansas Wesleyan Flag Football fell in a double overtime instant classic thriller on Wednesday in the quarterfinals of the NAIA Flag Football Finals at the KC Current Training Center.
It was the fifth time this season that Ottawa and KWU have played, the last coming two and a half weeks ago in the KCAC Championship also held at the same facility.
With both teams so familiar with one another, it was a low scoring affair.
Wesleyan was on the board first. The Coyotes took over after a punt by Ottawa and went 46 yards in 11 plays, the Coyotes getting a pair of big plays as Chihiro Iwata found Ciaran DeCuir for seven yards to convert a third down and later on the drive hit Aliyah Wood for 12 yard play to the Ottawa 14.
Iwata finished the drive finding Jazmine Whitfield for a four-yard touchdown and the PAT was good to put the Coyotes up 7-0.
Ottawa came right back and scored going 66 yards in nine plays, but the PAT was no good and KWU held a 7-6 lead.
A Coyote turnover gave the Braves the ball at the KWU 19 and four plays later, Ottawa was in the endzone and the PAT conversion made it 13-7 in favor of the Braves in the second quarter.
The score stayed stuck there until late in the fourth. The Coyotes got the ball back after stopping Ottawa at the KWU-6 yard line on fourth down and immediately headed the other direction. A pass to Wood converted a third down and later on the drive Iwata again found Whitfield for a 21-yard play that gave the Coyotes first down at the Ottawa 25.
The Coyotes would tie it up with just 46 seconds left in the game as Iwata hit Wood for a 13-yard touchdown pass on fourth and goal, but the Coyotes would miss the extra point try and the game would head to overtime.
Ottawa had first possession in the overtime session. The Braves would score on fourth down at the KWU 8, but would not convert the PAT try making it 19-13.
Then it was Wesleyan's turn. It took only two plays for Iwata to find Whitfield for the touchdown, but the PAT would be ruled no good and it was tied 19-19 heading to a second extra session.
KWU had the ball first in the second overtime, and the Coyotes would convert as Iwata hit Angel Roman for the touchdown. KWU would miss the PAT though leading 25-19.
Ottawa had the ball next. It took two plays for the Braves to score to tie it and then converted the PAT to win in 26-25.
Iwata was 27 of 44 passing for the Coyotes for 202 yards and four touchdowns. Whitfield and eight catches for 69 yards and two scores. Wood had eight catches for 50 yards and one score.
HOW THE COYOTES GOT TO THE QUARTERFINALS
On Tuesday, the Coyotes played two games in Pool Play, first meeting KCAC opponent Midland, and coming away with a 26-21 win. The Coyotes trailed 14-0 at one point and came back to outscore Midland 26-7 the rest of the way.
KWU then faced a very strong Thomas (Ga.) squad that had only been allowing an averaging of five points per game. Needing the hold the Night Hawks in check, the Coyote defense stepped up and held Thomas well below its season scoring average, and scoring a touchdown in a 14-6 loss.