MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois football gave its Homecoming crowd a win to celebrate Saturday, taking down UT Martin 55-24 at Hanson Field. The Leathernecks found the end zone throughout the afternoon, came up with key turnovers on defense and pulled away in the second half to earn a convincing victory over the Skyhawks.
First Half
Western Illinois opened its matchup against UT Martin with a strong offensive drive and carried that momentum throughout the first half, building a 21-10 lead at the break. The Leathernecks struck first with a 14-play, 80-yard drive capped by Kennedy McGill's one-yard touchdown run.
WIU added to its lead in the second quarter when Malik McKinzie intercepted UT Martin quarterback Tate Surber, setting up a 24-yard touchdown pass from McGill to David Hargro. The touchdown extended Western's advantage to 14-0.
UT Martin answered with a touchdown drive to cut the deficit to 14-10, but the Leathernecks quickly responded on special teams. Ihson Jackson-Anderson returned the ensuing kickoff 71 yards to the UT Martin 25-yard line, setting up McGill for another score on the next play. McGill broke through for a 25-yard touchdown run, giving Western a 21-10 advantage heading into halftime.
Second Half
Western Illinois continued to build on its first-half performance after the break, opening the third quarter with another explosive play. McGill broke free for a 56-yard touchdown run just 1:44 into the second half, extending the Leathernecks' lead to 28-10.
UT Martin responded with a touchdown, but Western answered again as Christian Anaya connected with Israel Hiraldo for a 64-yard touchdown pass. The scoring play pushed the Leathernecks' advantage to 35-17. Western added to its lead later in the third quarter when Ronan Culkin connected on a 28-yard field goal, while the defense continued to make plays as Nick Reinicke intercepted a UT Martin pass to halt a Skyhawks drive.
UT Martin found the end zone early in the fourth quarter to cut Western's lead to 38-24, but the Leathernecks maintained control down the stretch. Culkin connected on a 51-yard field goal to extend the advantage before Western's rushing attack delivered two more touchdowns. Hargro scored on a nine-yard run with 4:13 remaining, and Ethan Bryce capped the scoring with a 53-yard touchdown run with 1:51 left to secure the 55-24 victory.
The Leathernecks' defense added one final takeaway late in the contest, recovering a fumble through Anthony Stribling as Western closed out the win. After taking a 21-10 lead into halftime, Western Illinois outscored UT Martin 34-14 in the second half to finish with a 31-point victory.
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