WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. – Trailing 28-14 with just under three minutes left in regulation, the Wesleyan football team staged an epic comeback, scoring twice to send the game into overtime. Then in that first extra session, Dean Sokaris '26 blocked the go-ahead field goal attempt and the Cardinals needed just two plays to score a walk-off touchdown in a 34-28 overtime win. The come-from-behind win secures the 2025 Little Three Championship for Wesleyan, marking the first time in the 115-year history of the Little Three that the Cardinals have won four consecutive titles.
 
Defenses dominated in the first quarter, with five straight drives ending in punts, only for the fifth one on that string featuring a miscue on the snap as Campbell Pang landed on the loose ball for Williams. Starting from the Wesleyan 25-yard line, the Ephs needed just four plays to score the opening touchdown as Drew Renzella completed a screen pass to Jon Oris who went untouched on his way to the end zone.
 
Williams made it 14-0 early in the second quarter, scoring on a second straight drive that started in Wesleyan territory. This time Renzella connected with Henry Machnik for a 27-year score through the air.
 
In need of an answer, the Cardinals picked up chunk yardage on a seven-play, 86-yard TD scoring drive on the next possession. Gains of 12, 18, 12 yards, including a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty, saw the Cardinals march deep into Ephs territory. On a 3^rd-and-3 play from the Williams 22, Matt Fitzsimons '27 looked to his right for Blake Newcomb '27 who tracked down a perfectly lofted pass to make it 14-7 Ephs.
 
Wesleyan looked likely to score again late in the second quarter with a 1^st-and-goal from the Williams 10-yard line, but on 3^rd-and-goal Fitzsimons rolled to his right and the ball was tipped in the end zone and intercepted by Brady Carroll.
 
The Ephs lost their starting quarterback on the next play as Renzella was hit hard in the backfield on a 1^st-and-10, as Renzella exited for Mustafa Mozawal who took over as the Ephs' signal caller for the remainder of the game.
 
The backup QB Mozawal led Williams on an 86-yard TD scoring drive on the first possession of the second half, making it 21-7 Ephs.
 
Now late in the third quarter, Fitzsimons uncorked a 56-yard bomb down the field for Sam Wien '28 who hauled in the catch and was tackled on the Williams 15-yard line. Faced with a 4^th-and-2 from the Williams 7, Fitzsimons ran for 3 yards to pick up a crucial first down. Then on 3^rd-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Angelo LaRose '27 took the handoff and barreled in for a score to make it 21-14 Williams.
 
The game took another turn when Luke Mangini intercepted Fitzsimons with 9:23 remaining, returning 40 yards to the Wesleyan 12-yard line. Just one play was all the Ephs needed as Oris scored a rushing TD to restore the 14-point lead.
 
With the clock winding under five minutes to go, Fitzsimons unleashed another deep ball, this time going to Sean Cannon '27 for a 47-yard pick up. Converting a 3^rd-and-1 play to set up 1^st-and-goal, Fitzsimons looked to Wien on his right on a slant route for the TD as the Cardinals trailed 28-21 with 2:46 left.
 
Armed with two timeouts, Wesleyan chose not to onside kick as Williams took over at their own 36-yard line needing just one first down to win the game. Oris ran for 3 yards on two straight carries and on 3^rd-and-4, Will Orso '26 stuffed Oris at the line of scrimmage to force an Ephs punt.
 
Taking the ball back at their own 32-yard line with 1:45 remaining and no timeouts, Fitzsimons went long once again, this time finding Newcomb 44 yards down the field for a crucial pickup. Then on 3^rd-and-10, Fitzsimons dropped in a perfect pass in the back left corner of the end zone that Cannon hauled in for a 24-yard game-tying TD score with 51 seconds left.
 
Williams made it to midfield in their last minute attempt at a game-winner, but Dylan Connors '26 intercepted Mozawal with eight seconds left to send the game into overtime.
 
The Ephs had the ball first and could not punch in a touchdown despite having 1^st-and-goal for the 10-yard line. On 4^th-and-goal from the 6, Williams chose to kick a field goal and Leonardo Maiuol's attempt was blocked by Dean Sokaris '26 to set up the Cardinals with a prime chance on offense.
 
Needing just a field goal to win the game, the Cardinals still went aggressive on their first play call and it paid off as Fitzsimons hit Cannon for 24 yards, setting up 1^st-and-goal from the 1-yard line. On the next play, Fitzsimons handed off to LaRose who did the rest, scoring the walk-off touchdown to secure a historic fourth straight Little Three title.
 
Fitzsimons had himself a game, throwing for a school record 458 yards, connecting on 29 of his 50 pass attempts with 3 TD. The 458 yards passes the previous record set by Zach Canter against Hamilton back in 2004.
 
Newcomb finished career-highs in both catches (10) and yards (161) while the junior wideout scored a touchdown for the fifth straight game. Wien went off for six catches for 113 yards and 1 TD. Cannon, who came in with one catch for 12 yards on the year, went for four catches for 105 yards and 1 TD.
 
Austin Baker '27 led the Cardinal defense with 12 tackles (six solo) and two tackles for loss. Sokaris had six tackles, two QB hurries, and the crucial blocked field goal in overtime. Connors racked up five tackles and had his second INT of the year.
 
The Cardinal defense did a masterful job on Williams' top wide receiver Zach Falls, who came in with three straight games with 138+ receiving yards in each but was held to just one catch for 39 yards in today's game.
 
The 2025 season finale features another Wesleyan vs. Trinity game that will determine the NESCAC Champion as the Bantams head into Corwin Stadium next Saturday for a Noon kickoff.