Field goal in overtime lifts C-SC football team to its first victory of season

CANTON, Mo. — Ethan Boulanger gave the Culver-Stockton College football team the lead twice late in Saturday’s game.

The second time was for good.

The Wildcats’ junior kicker booted a 33-yard field goal with 5 minutes, 21 seconds remaining in regulation for a 30-27 lead, only to see the advantage erased when Missouri Baptist’s Jonah Cox converted a 19-yard field goal as time expired in regulation.

In overtime, the kicking duel continued. First, C-SC stonewalled Missouri Baptist on its possession, and Cox’s 36-yard field goal attempt was blocked by the Wildcats’ Sonny Jackson. C-SC couldn’t punch in a touchdown on its overtime possession, but Boulanger booted a 25-yard field goal for a 33-30 victory at Ellison Poulton Stadium.

It is the first victory of the season for C-SC and snaps a three-game skid, which included a pair of one-possession setbacks.

The Wildcats trailed 17-14 at halftime but surged to a 27-17 lead after Freddy Edwards caught a pair of touchdown passes from Brock Nellor — the first from 36 yards and the second from 23 yards. The Spartans answered with a 3-yard TD run and a 25-yard Cox field goal to tie the game.

Boulanger’s first go-ahead field goal hit the left upright, but fell through. The Spartans drove 73 yards, but couldn’t score from the 2-yard line and settled for Cox’s game-tying field that forced overtime.

Nellor completed 17 of 19 passes for 198 yards and the two scores, while also rushing for two first-half touchdowns. Slayton Ochoa hauled in seven catches for 52 yards for the Wildcats, while Tyler Danzey had 112 yards rushing on 24 carries.