Penrod picked as NCAC Athlete of the Week

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Kenyon College football team had a happy Homecoming Weekend, whipping up a win against The College of Wooster. Park Penrod played a big part in the victory, and the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) tabbed the Owls quarterback as the conference’s Offensive Athlete of the Week for football following his career game.

Penrod picked apart the Wooster defense on Saturday, compiling 370 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air, smashing his career-best in passing yards. The quarterback also showed off his dual-threat ability, adding 14 yards and a rushing touchdown to help the Owls orchestrate a 32-26 win at McBride Field. The victory boosted Kenyon’s record to 2-2 this season and evened the team’s mark in NCAC contests at 1-1. Additionally, the win marked the first time in 10 tries that Kenyon has beaten Wooster, a stretch that dates back over a decade to November 3, 2012, the last time Kenyon finished off the Fighting Scots.

Saturday could not have gotten off to a much better start for the Owls and the senior captain as Penrod completed 10 of his first 11 passes and helped Kenyon build an 18-0 advantage by halftime. The team captain started the scoring with a 16-yard, first-quarter touchdown run before closing the half with a touchdown pass. Penrod threw for another score in a fourth quarter that saw the teams combine for 33 points, and the signal caller helped lead the Owls on a game-winning drive with just 1:36 left to play. During the final drive, Penrod went 4-of-6 for 56 yards, as the drive’s last pass drew an interference call on Wooster that set the ball on the four-yard line. With just six seconds left in the game, fellow senior Drake Lewis took Penrod’s handoff and plowed into the endzone to clinch Kenyon’s comeback victory.

Up next, Penrod and the Owls will look to pick up where they left off and start a winning streak when they travel to face Oberlin College (0-4) at noon on Saturday, October 5.