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DOVER, Delaware - Coming into the 2014 season, the Louisiana College Wildcats knew they were facing a daunting schedule, and with Saturday's 56-21 loss to Wesley College in Dover, Delaware, that schedule has so far gotten the better of them.
 
The Wildcats, now 2-3 on the season, were simply outclassed by the No. 4 team in NCAA Division III, and that is not something that has happened very often in the recent years of Dennis Dunn's nine-year run at LC.
 
"Here's where we find out in adversity who we are," Dunn told his team after the game. "We've got conference starting in two weeks. Here's what we have to find out – will we leave a legacy of fighting? I haven't had a Wildcat team in my nine years quit yet."
 
Wesley quarterback Joe Callahan threw for three touchdowns in the game's first 16 minutes, as the Wolverines, now 5-0, jumped out to a 28-0 lead and never really saw themselves threatened after that. Wesley's victory came on its homecoming before a crowd of 2,511 fans on a picture-perfect Fall day in Dover.
 
Callahan's five touchdowns on 26 of 41 for 362 yards passing were coupled with his 60 yards and one touchdown rushing. The LC defense was torched for 561 yards, including 199 yards on the ground.  
 
"That's a really good team," LC senior receiver Kyle Galyon said. "From top to bottom, they're really well coached. They don't make a lot of mistakes. And, from playing them two years ago, you can tell they've improved a lot. They played four quarters better than we did."
 
Galyon was among the few bright spots the Wildcats had on their first-ever road trip taken by airplane. The senior was sophomore quarterback Easton Melancon's top target, as he finished with 10 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown. Melancon was a respectable 33 of 59 for 389 yards and three scores, but he also threw two interceptions. Junior receiver Ladarius Gardner also had a big game with 151 yards on nine catches and two touchdowns. But, the LC passing game was also forced to carry the full load as the rushing game was held to just 28 yards on 28 carries.
 
"It's rough because our offense, we love to throw it, but we have to get a run game established for it to work," Galyon said. "We just have to go and find out what works and keep using it."
 
Dunn had challenged his team to start fast in the game, and the Wildcats appeared set to do that after taking the opening kickoff 11 plays and 59 yards to the Wesley 21. But, a big illegal blocking penalty stalled the drive, and LC was forced to punt.
 
With the ensuing drive starting at their own 20-yard line, the Wolverines would go 80 yards on 13 pays, capped by Callahan hitting Beau James with a pass from two yards out to make the score 7-0, Wesley, with 5:21 left in the first quarter.
 
For the rest of the quarter, the Wildcat offense stalled – running just eight plays. Meanwhile, Callahan engineered two more scoring drives. The first was capped by running back Jamar Baynard's 4-yard score, and the second was capped by Callahan's 27-yard pass to Bryce Shade to put Wesley up 21-0 after the first quarter.
 
In the second quarter, the Wildcats did a better job of controlling the football and compiling yards, they just couldn't get the points to show for it. When Melancon was sacked by Wesley's Aamir Petrose with 5:01 left in the first half, Melancon fumbled, and the ball was recovered by the Wolverines' Dan Laguerre. Callahan made the Wildcats pay for that mistake when he hit tight end Kyle George with a pass over the middle, and the big tight end rumbled 50 yards for his team's fourth score of the day to make it 28-0.
 
LC showed that it wouldn't quit, however, when, on their next possession, the Wildcats broke onto the scoreboard in big-play fashion. Melancon found Gardner streaking up the left side of the field and then hit the receiver in stride. Gardner did the rest, taking the ball 77 yards for the Wildcats' first score of the game to cut Wesley's lead to 28-7 with 3:15 left in the half.
 
"We always look for a spark – wherever we can get it – and with Ladarius getting that long touchdown, it really brought everyone's heads up because we were down by a couple of touchdowns," Galyon said. "We're always looking for someone to make a play and get that momentum going and to get our whole sideline pumped up."
 
But, aided by a huge pass interference call against the Wildcats on the ensuing drive, Callahan drove the Wolverines 80 yards on 11 plays for a final first-half score. Callahan capped that drive, himself, with a 2-yard run to give Wesley a 35-7 lead at the break. LC never would recover.
 
The Wildcats fell behind 42-7 in the third quarter when Callahan hit running back Jamar Baynard for a 68-yard pass play. LC responded with Melancon hitting Gardner from five yards out to make the score 42-14 heading to the fourth.
 
The Wolverines added two more scores early in the fourth quarter – including Callahan's final touchdown throw of the day, five yards to Xavier Allen. The Wildcats ended the scoring when Melancon hit Galyon from 23 yards out to make the score 56-21. Of note, the Wildcats ran the same play for that score as they did when Galyon scored his first varsity touchdown. That game nearly two years ago, on Sept. 22, 2012, was the game where Wesley topped the Wildcats 25-22.
 
"That's a good team," Gaylon said after the game. "They capitalized on our mistakes. That's what they're really good at.
 
"But, we haven't even started conference yet. Nobody likes to lose, we're pretty upset about it, but our playoff dream is still alive. We just have to win out. We have to prepare for Mary Hardin-Baylor in two weeks. We can't get down. We just have to finish the season out strong."
 
The Wildcats will enjoy a bye week next weekend, perhaps a well-timed bye. As Galyon referred to, the Wildcats will head to Belton, Texas on Oct. 18 to face the No. 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders.
 
Following the loss at Wesley, Dunn challenged his team, especially his seniors to not quit despite their latest loss.