BABSON PARK, Fla. – The Webber International University football team delivered when it mattered most, battling Bethel University (Tenn.) to a 28-27 overtime thriller Saturday afternoon to remain undefeated on Warrior Turf Field.
With the game tied at 21-21 after regulation, the Warriors needed just one play to find the end zone in overtime.
Quarterback
Trent Grotjan connected with
Quinton Moore on a 21-yard touchdown pass to put Webber ahead 28-21. Bethel answered with a touchdown of its own, but the Wildcats' two-point conversion attempt fell incomplete, sending the Warriors into celebration with the one-point victory.
The win moves Webber to 2-2 on the season and 2-0 at home, giving the Warriors their second consecutive home victory to open the 2026 campaign.
Webber jumped on the scoreboard first, putting together an 83-yard scoring drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown run from
D'Markus Mathis with 4:40 remaining in the opening quarter.
Tyler Sapp added the extra point to give the Warriors a 7-0 advantage.
The Warriors extended their lead in the second quarter when Grotjan found Moore for a 46-yard touchdown strike, putting Webber ahead 14-0 with 8:36 remaining in the half.
Bethel answered before halftime with a 23-yard touchdown pass from Jaylan Brown to Micah Jones, cutting the deficit to 14-7.
The Wildcats pulled even in the third quarter following a 97-yard fumble recovery touchdown, but Webber responded in the fourth.
Grotjan engineered an 81-yard, 13-play scoring drive that consumed 8:44 off the clock before finding
Kendall Johnson for a 28-yard touchdown. Sapp's extra point put Webber back in front, 21-13, with 10:17 remaining.
Bethel refused to go quietly, scoring on a two-yard touchdown run with 4:15 remaining and converting a two-point attempt to tie the game at 21-21.
Neither team could break the deadlock in the final minutes, sending the game to overtime.
That's when the Warriors delivered the decisive blow.
Grotjan finished the afternoon 17-of-27 passing for 277 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 51 yards. Moore led the receiving corps with 101 yards and two touchdowns on four catches, while Johnson hauled in six passes for 109 yards and a score.
Mathis paced the Webber rushing attack with 83 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, while
Tommy Tipton added 36 yards on eight attempts.
Defensively,
Omar Goosby led the Warriors with seven total tackles and two sacks.
Ian Mooney added six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, while
James Moore recorded 1.5 sacks.
As a team, Webber finished with 442 yards of total offense, 24 first downs and nearly 40 minutes of possession.
UP NEXT
The Warriors now turn their attention to Sun Conference play, returning to action on Saturday, October 3, when Webber faces Warner University as the away team on the Warriors home turf.
