CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. - Kicking off a road back-to-back, the Ohio Dominican Panthers (5-4, 4-4 G-MAC) football team was locked in a 60-minute battle with the Thomas More Saints (0-10, 0-8) on Saturday (Nov. 8) afternoon. 

A late fourth quarter roller coaster went the way of the Panthers in a 31-29 win over the Saints at Republic Bank Field. A late ODU made field goal followed by a late TMU field goal miss put all fans in a state of anxiety in Kentucky. 

BOX SCORE NOTES

• Carson Parker passed for a career-best three touchdowns, part of a 16-of-30 day with 153 yards passing. He added 37 yards rushing on nine attempts. 
• Nathan Webster returned after missing last week's game and led the rushing unit with 47 yards on 12 tries. He has three catches for 19 yards with his second touchdown catch of the season. 
• Conner Campbell had four catches for 47 yards, including his second touchdown of the year. Jayden Cornell hauled in three catches of nine targets for 40 yards. Cornell has five touchdown catches after his catch on Saturday. 
• Kaden Holmes led the Panthers defense with eight tackles while Jace Schaefer followed with seven tackles. Both of them compiled 1.5 tackles for loss in the game. In the second quarter, Holmes and Schaefer combined on a blocked punt and subsequential scoop and score. 
• Cruz Mobley got the 12th interception of the season for the defense in the first quarter. 
• Gabe Pence added two sacks in the game. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

• On fourth and one for Thomas More on their first drive, Holmes deflected a pass that Mobley was able to snag for an interception. 
• Ten plays later, the Panthers were able to convert on a fourth down play for a touchdown. Parker connected with Webster for a 12-yard touchdown pass, giving ODU a 7-0 lead with 7:09 left in the first quarter. 
• Thomas More tied the game at seven with a 11-play, 67-yard drive with a one yard rushing touchdown before the first quarter expired. 
• The next Thomas More drive ended with a blocked punt by Holmes that Schaefer recovered at the Thomas More 44, returning it back to the end zone for a 44-yard touchdown. The Panthers led 14-7 five minutes into the second quarter. 
  • This was the first touchdown off of a blocked kick/punt that ODU scored on since September 29, 2018 vs. Alderson Broaddus (Aarin Smoot-Baker). 
• Deep in their own territory late in the half, Ohio Dominican saw deja vu from a week ago. The Panthers had a punt blocked that turned into a score for the opponent. An 11-yard scoop and score tied the game at 14 with three minutes to go before halftime. 
• The Panthers responded with a scoring drive to lead at the break. Parker ended the half with a 19-yard touchdown to Campbell as the lead was 21-14. 
• The Saints started the second half with a 35-yard field goal by Luke Iden, trimming the deficit to 21-17 with 10:52 on the clock in the third quarter. 
• Ohio Dominican pushed the lead to 28-17 with the third passing score of the day. Parker threw a deep ball to Cornell from 35 yards away, beating the defender for the touchdown with 3:27 left before the fourth quarter. 
• In the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter, Thomas More doubled up on scores, eventually taking the lead. On the first play of the fourth quarter, a nine-yard touchdown pass trimmed the lead to 28-23. The two-point try was intercepted, keeping it a five point game. 
• ODU went three-and-out and the Saints rallied once again. A 15-yard passing touchdown put TMU up 29-28 with 6:27 left. Another two-point try was no good. 
• A poised Panther offense put together a drive to take the lead late in the quarter. After an 11-play, 54-yard drive, Henry Vakerics nailed a 30-yard field goal to give the Panthers a 31-29 lead with 1:40 to go. 
• One more chance stood for the Saints as they drove into field goal range at the end. With eight seconds left, Iden lined up for a 33-yard field goal. The kick was no good and the Panthers will head home with a win. 

UP NEXT

• The final game of the season will take place next Saturday (Nov. 15) at Hillsdale.