Canton, OH (Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium) - The Hanover College Panthers played in the inaugural game of the Opendorse Forever Lawn Bowl against the Wabash Little Giants today in Canton, OH at the NFL Hall of Fame. The Panthers, lead by head coach Matt Theobald, finished the regular season with an 8-2 record overall and 5-1 in conference play. Hanover is now the first HCAC team to compete in an NCAA bowl game, and the first bowl game champions in the league as well.

HC won the coin toss for today's match-up and elected to receive the ball first. With brisk winds and a gray sky both teams struggled to get their offenses flowing early. The Little Giants would eventually find the only points of the quarter as they scored the first touchdown of the night. On their next trip to the red-zone however, Wabash played right into the defensive scheme of the Panthers, and Hanover came ended the first quater with an interception by sophomore defensive back Saadiq Pasha in the end-zone.

The second quater was another test of defensive-fortitude for both sides. Hanover and Wabash both went scoreless until the final fifty-three seconds of the half, when sophomore kicker Clint Hearne drilled his 40-yard field-goal attempt, cutting the Wabash lead to just 4 heading into half-time.

After the half-time break the Panthers defense was able to put together another shut-out quater, lead by senior defensive lineman Noah Casswell, who finished the game with 12 total tackles.
 
The fourth quater naturally held the bulk of the excitement, and the bulk of Hanover's offensive scoring-production. Wabash was able to go up 10-7 by converting a 25-yard field-goal attempt early in the quater. However, less than two minutes later, senior running back Austin Oppel broke-off a 45-yard run down the sideline with a diving finish to get across the pylon for six. Hearne was able to convert the extra-point attempt, tying the game up at 10-10.

With just under eleven minutes left to go in regulation the tensions were rising as the claim to the first ever Opendorse Forever Lawn Bowl trophy was just within reach for both sides. Of course, it wouldn't be a bowl game if it didn't come down to a fourth-down red-zone opportunity in the final quarter. The Little Giants, on fourth and two, were stood up and held in place by the relentless defensive unit of the Panthers once again. Now with one minute and twelve seconds left on the clock, sophomore quarterback Eian Roudebush aimed to string together the game-winning drive.

The sophomore QB executed the play calls surgically, driving the offense down the field with ease, and capping it off with a 9 yard completion on the sideline to his brother and senior wide-out Eric Roudebush. The final play of the game, with two seconds left on the clock, saw sophomore kicker Clint Hearne place a 37-yard kick in-between the uprights - EARNING THE PANTHERS THE WIN IN THE FIRST EVER OPENDORSE FOREVER LAWN BOWL GAME.

Statistical Stantouts for the Panthers from today's game include:
Quarterback, Eian Roudebush - 18/32 (comp./attm.) | 182 Yards | 40-yard longest-throw
Runningback, Austin Oppel - 7 Attm. | 80 Yards | 1 TD | 45-yard longest-run
Widereceiver, Eric Roudebush - 3 Catches | 53 Yards | 40-yard longest-catch
Defensive Line, Noah Caswell - 4 Solo | 8 Asst. | 12 Tot. Tackles
Linebacker, Jamey Deckard - 3 Solo | 7 Asst. | 1 Sack
Defensive-back, Saadiq Pasha - 2 Solo | 2 Tot. Tackle | 1 INT
Kicker, Clint Hearne - 2/3 Field Goals | 78 Tot. Yards Made | 113 Tot. Yards Attm.