OWNESBORO, Kentucky — Ashland finished a tough football season with a decisive defensive statement on Saturday at Kentucky Wesleyan.
The Eagles completed their first shutout in four years with a 17-0 road victory over the Panthers.
Coach Lee Owens saw his team take the lead with 6:28 left in the first quarter on a 20-yard touchdown run by freshman quarterback Cameron Blair. This was Blair’s second consecutive start.
Junior kicker Storm Elsesser drilled a 41-yard field goal in the second quarter to make it 10-0.
Sophomore tailback Eli Potts finished the scoring with a 10-yard run at the 1:30 mark in the third period.
Ashland completed the season with a 5-5 overall record, 4-3 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
This was AU’s first shutout since Oct. 14, 2017 when the Eagles recorded a 48-0 Homecoming pounding of Michigan Tech. The win also keeps Ashland’s streak of consecutive .500 or better finishes intact, now at 14 seasons in a row (2007-19 and 2021).
The Panthers are 3-8, 1-6.
The Ashland defense limited Kentucky Wesleyan to eight first downs and 136 total yards of offense.
Sophomore linebacker Jackson Myers had 10 total tackles (six solo), and the AU defensive unit collected two sacks, three pass breakups and seven tackles for loss.
