The Stetson football team cruised to victory on Saturday afternoon, defeating North Carolina Wesleyan 55-21 at Spec Martin Stadium in the Hatters' final non-conference game of the season.
 
The win improves the Hatters to 3-1 overall this year and, with a 3-0 record in non-league games, post their second straight undefeated non-conference slate. North Carolina Wesleyan is now 1-2 on the year.
 
Despite the lopsided win by Stetson, the Hatters' onslaught was slow to develop. The visiting Battling Bishops led 14-0 just over four minutes into the contest. Wesleyan opened the game on a four-play, sixty-five yard drive that ended in a 21-yard touchdown pass by senior quarterback Donielle Totten to sophomore receiver Tyler Roberts.

The Hatters lost the ball on a fumble in their own territory on their opening possession, leading to another Bishops' touchdown. Wesleyan needed just eight seconds on the clock when junior running back Jeff Black slipped by the Stetson secondary to score to make the early deficit 14-0.
 
But the Hatters took control from there, scoring the next 52 points over the next three quarters to win big.

Stetson got on the board when graduate quarterback Gaven DeFilippo scored on a 13-yard run. The Hatters edged closer near the end of the first quarter when redshirt junior kicker Jonny Messina connected on a career-long 46-yard field goal to make the score 14-10.

In the second quarter, Stetson scored four touchdowns to pull away. DeFilippo threw his first of three touchdown passes of the game, a four-yard strike to redshirt junior receiver Jeremiah Nails to put the Hatters ahead 17-14 with 12:48 to go.
 
Later in the quarter, a blocked punt by freshman defensive back Davion Maxwell was picked up by sophomore Conner Wilson, who ran it in from 12-yards out to extend the Hatter lead to 24-14.
 
Stetson rounded out the second quarter barrage with a pair of passes by DeFilippo. He tossed a 27-yard strike to junior receiver Justin Jordan to make the score 31-14. He then found redshirt freshman receiver Justin Curtis on a three-yard pass with just 11 seconds left before halftime to put Stetson ahead 38-14.
 
In the third quarter, DeFilippo scored his second rushing touchdown of the game when he scampered in from 19-yards out. Freshman running back Jalen Leary scored on a 10-yard run, to complete the 52-point onslaught.
 
Wesleyan scored again with 1:17 remaining in the third quarter to end the run, but the Hatters led 52-21 after three quarters. A Messina field goal from 36-yards capped off the Hatter scoring. It is the third time this season the Hatters have scored more than 50 points in a game.
 
Offensively, Stetson was led by DeFilippo, who completed 21-of-24 passes for 176 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran the ball five times for 51 yards and scored twice. The ground game was led by sophomore Jareem Westcott, who carried the ball eight times for 111 yards. Leary had 18 rushes for 98 yards, plus a touchdown.
 
The receiving core was led by graduate tight end Max Draper with six catches for 93 yards, while Jordan added five catches for 69 yards, plus a touchdown.
 
The defense was led by redshirt senior linebacker Colby Duncan with eight tackles. Senior defensive back Peter Katz added five.
 
For the third time this season, the Hatters amassed more than 500 yards of offense, gaining 524 on the day, including 271 rushing and 253 receiving.
 
North Carolina Wesleyan was led offensively by Totten, who completed 14-of-25 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore receiver Jai Irvin caught six passes for 93 yards, while senior running back Darian Curley ran the ball 15 times for 60 yards. The Battling Bishops' defense was led by senior linebacker Antonio Johnson with 12 tackles.
 
Stetson will now face Pioneer Football League competition the rest of the way. The Hatters, who are 0-1 in PFL play, will host Butler University next Saturday with a noon start time.
 
STETSON NOTES:

• Westcott eclipsed 1,000 career rushing yards, becoming just the third Hatter in the modern era to surpass that milestone, joining Cole Mazza (2013-16) and Ryan Tentler (2013-15).
• Duncan became just the sixth Hatter in the modern era to amass 200 career tackles, joining Davion Belk (2013-16), Jed Boudreaux (2013-17), David Lazear (2013-16) Donald Payne (2013-16) and Ryan Powers (2013-15).
• Wilson's 12-yard blocked punt return for a touchdown was the first Stetson special teams touchdown since JJ Henderson's 81-yard punt return against Davidson on October 14, 2017.
• Justin Jordan needs just five more catches for 100 in his career, it will make him the second Hatter in the modern era to accomplish it, joining Donald Parham (2015-18).