SALINA, Kan. — Southwestern College's Flag Football team suffered a 12-38 defeat against Kansas Wesleyan University on Wednesday evening at the Kansas Wesleyan University field. Despite a strong performance from Mary Jones and notable contributions from Olivia Manfre and Andrea Moon, the Builders could not overcome the Coyotes' powerful offense.

Kansas Wesleyan (4-2, 2-1) jumped out to an early lead, scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter, including a 6-yard pass from Chihiro Iwata to Angel Roman and a 12-yard touchdown pass from Iwata to Sydney White. The Coyotes extended their lead in the second quarter, taking a 25-0 advantage into halftime after another touchdown by Iwata.

The Builders (0-2,0-2) showed some fight in the second half, with Jones catching a 61-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kennedi Hayes in the third quarter to put Southwestern on the scoreboard, cutting the lead to 32-6. Hayes, who passed for 198 yards on 17 completions, also found Olivia Manfre for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Manfre's 27-yard reception helped bring the Builders to 12 points, but Kansas Wesleyan responded with another touchdown to finish the game with a 38-12 victory.

On defense, Andrea Moon led Southwestern with seven tackles, including a sack for an 8-yard loss. Moon's relentless pressure was critical, though it wasn't enough to slow down the Coyotes' effective passing game. Kansas Wesleyan quarterback Iwata threw for 299 yards and five touchdowns, leading her team to a dominant offensive performance.

Despite the loss, Southwestern College showed resilience. Jones was a standout performer, totaling 95 yards and a touchdown on three receptions, while Manfre's fourth-quarter score provided a bright spot for the team. Southwestern's next game will be another challenging road contest against Graceland University Saturday March 8, 2025 at 1:00PM in Lamoni, Iowa