The public-address announcer told the story of the first quarter between Delta and Muncie Central Friday:
“Touchdown Wesley Stitt.”
“Touchdown Wesley Stitt.”
“Touchdown Wesley Stitt.”
On Delta’s first play of the game, Brady Hunt connected with Stitt for a 67-yard score. The Eagles’ second play saw Stitt break loose for a 44-yard touchdown run. He scored a third time the next possession, punching the ball in from the goal line to give the Eagles a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
“The earliest [I scored three times that early] before now was probably when I was in fifth or sixth grade, and I don’t think that counts,” Stitt said with a laugh.
Delta head coach Chris Overholt said he wasn’t surprised by Stitt’s offensive explosion after quietly having a solid season the year before. Stitt also ran a 4.5-second 40-yard dash at a Ball State camp and once held Delta’s school record in the long jump.
“They didn’t talk about him all week, so we kind of used that to our benefit to motivate Wesley,” Overholt said. “He’s an explosive individual with a big personality, and he’s a team-first guy. When you have a guy like that tip of the sword leading the way, it’s exciting."
Delta running back Wesley Stitt runs for his second touchdown during the Eagles' season opener against the Muncie Central Bearcats Aug. 23. The Eagles beat the Bearcats, 42-0. Jacob Musselman, DN
Delta found the end zone three more times in the second half with touchdown runs from Malachi Silmon, who had two, and JaVaughn Whitfield. While the offense did its job, scoring 42 points, Stitt said the defense played the most important role, finishing the game with a shutout.
“One of our top goals is to be one of the top-50 defenses in the state this year,” Stitt said. “We think we have the squad to be able to do it, and I think it really sends a message to the rest of the teams on our schedule.”
This is Overholt’s fourth season as Delta’s head coach, and Friday was the first time in his tenure the defense shut out an opponent.
“We talk about competitive stamina, and it’s hard to be competitive for a whole game,” Overholt said. “To really play your best and not give an inch all game — it’s got to be a mentality, and I think this defense has that.”
The win gives Delta a 1-0 record to start the season. Next up for the Eagles will be Eastbrook at home Aug. 30 at 7 p.m.
Contact Zach Piatt with any comments at zapiatt@bsu.edu or on Twitter @zachpiatt13.
Read More
Victims and survivors of sexual assault share their stories at ‘Take Back the Night’ event
By Maya Kim / 6 hours agoThe ‘Take Back the Night’ event provided information about the history of sexual assault and what resources are available to Ball State students.
Wes-Del baseball defeats Wapahani in conference rivalry game
By David Moore / 7 hours ago“Right now our focus is being back and ready to play tomorrow,” Wes-Del head coach Daniel Hanson said. “We try not to look at the big picture, not look at the rankings, to the end of the year, none of that. Just getting in and getting better at focusing on what we can control.”
'We didn’t bring it today:' Ball State softball falls to Purdue in final non-MAC contest of 2024
By Zach Carter / 8 hours agoIn the loss to the Boilermakers, the Cardinals only recorded one hit, which was a solo home run from senior Kaitlyn Mathews. Ball State finished its 2024 non-conference season with a 13-14 record.
