LIBERTY, Mo. – The Davenport defense was their signature self in a 17-7 win at William Jewell on Saturday afternoon in the team's final non-conference game of the season. The script on the road has been the same in all three wins as the offense scores in the first half and the defense holds the opponent off in the second half. Davenport scored three points in the first quarter, 14 points in the second quarter, and managed just 10 yards of total offense in the final 30 minutes.
 
Brandon Gielow got Davenport on the board on their second possession with a 33-yard field goal with 4:59 left in the opening quarter. Davenport took their opening drive 73 yards in 11 plays, but Myren Harris coughed it up on third-and-goal from the two-yard line. Davenport had 105 total yards in the first quarter on 19 plays.
 
The Cardinals had success moving the ball in the second quarter and got to the DU 12-yard line where they attempted a 29-yard field goal. The kick was blocked by Geemontae Peck to keep the Cardinals off the board. The Panthers used that momentum on special teams to their first touchdown drive. DU went 80 yards in nine plays and Harris capped it off with a 27-yard run with 7:45 left until halftime. The Panthers took over with 2:22 left and scored their other touchdown. In six plays, the offense moved 40 yards and capitalized with D'Wan Mathis scoring his first Panther touchdown on a one-yard run with 1:08 to go in the half and a 17-0 lead.
 
While the offense could not sustain any success in the second half, it was the defense who allowed just seven points. William Jewell had a 5:50 drive which covered 73 yards in 13 plays as Tucker Griffin found AJ Austene on a five-yard touchdown with 5:14 left in the third quarter.
 
The Cardinals got inside the DU 25-yard line on three drives in the fourth quarter and came away empty. Griffin completed a three-yard pass on fourth-and-goal from the DU 17-yard line, but Phillip Starks made the tackle for the turnover on downs. WJC started their next drive with 8:24 remaining and marched 63 yards down to the DU 4-yard line. On second-and-goal, Griffin was picked by Cameren Grodhaus in the end zone and returned it to the one-yard line. The final drive for the Cardinals started with 1:48 to play and on the second play, it was former Cardinal Kian Betancourt with an interception against his former team at the DU 15-yard line.
 
Harris finished with 102 rushing yards on 20 carries and caught six passes for 61 yards. Mike O'Horo completed 11-of-20 passes for 114 yards, but was sacked three times. Mathis finished 8-for-13 for 71 yards. The defense held the NCAA Division II leading rusher heading into the game, Keaundre McCullough, to 90 yards on 22 carries. Griffin finished 25-for-45 through the air for 238 yards and DU sacked him six times. Reed Snitker had a pair of sacks for a loss of 12 yards. Peck recorded a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss as part of his six total tackles. Justin White, the Michigan State transfer, led the defense with nine tackles (six solo) and also had a half tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Latrell Scott finished with nine tackles, three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. Grodhaus finished with seven tackles and a half tackle for loss.
 
Next up for the Panthers (3-1) is their GLIAC opener at home against No. 2 Grand Valley State (4-0). The kickoff is set for noon at Farmers Insurance Athletic Complex. The Lakers are fresh off a 31-7 win at home today against No. 20 West Florida.