Rocky Mount, NC — North Carolina Wesleyan Football closed out its 2026 season with a hard-fought Senior Night battle Saturday evening at Stallings Field at Vernon T. Bradley Jr. Stadium, coming up just short in a 24-20 contest against Brevard. The Battling Bishops took the lead with just over a minute remaining and battled until the final seconds in a memorable season finale in front of the home crowd.
Before kickoff, North Carolina Wesleyan honored its senior class and recognized their contributions to the Battling Bishops football program. The group then took the field for one final game at home, helping Wesleyan go toe-to-toe with an eight-win Brevard team throughout the evening.
The Bishops put together a strong opening possession, moving from their own 25-yard line deep into Brevard territory. Wesleyan converted a fourth down when Braden Selvage connected with Tyson Resper for 19 yards to reach the Brevard nine-yard line before the Tornados eventually forced a turnover.
North Carolina Wesleyan's defense answered by keeping Brevard off the scoreboard. Zion Wright came up with a key stop on fourth-and-one, dropping the ball carrier for a loss and giving the Bishops possession back at their own 35-yard line.
The defense created another opportunity early in the second quarter. Michael Wallace forced a Brevard fumble, and Luke Wesolowski recovered it at the Tornados' 36-yard line. Wesleyan capitalized on the turnover with a six-play scoring drive. Jaylen Solomon carried the Bishops into the end zone with a 17-yard touchdown run, while Braxtyn Green added the extra point to put Wesleyan ahead 7-0 with 7:18 remaining in the half.
Brevard answered late in the second quarter to tie the contest at 7-7, sending the two teams into halftime even after a competitive opening 30 minutes.
North Carolina Wesleyan regained the momentum in the third quarter. After Brevard missed a 49-yard field goal, the Bishops put together an 11-play, 68-yard touchdown drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock. Selvage connected with Ethan Fay for a 49-yard gain to move Wesleyan deep into Brevard territory before Solomon finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run, giving the Bishops a 13-7 advantage.
Brevard responded with a touchdown later in the third quarter and added a field goal early in the fourth to take a 17-13 lead, setting up a dramatic finish on Senior Night.
The Bishops responded with their longest and most important drive of the evening. Beginning at their own 25-yard line with 10:45 remaining, Wesleyan marched 75 yards on 17 plays while taking more than nine minutes off the clock. The Bishops converted multiple key situations along the way, including a fourth-and-one run by Robert Wayne Trip III to keep the drive alive.
Selvage connected with Nicholas Crosby, Jalen Moore and Resper throughout the possession as Wesleyan continued to work its way down the field. Trip III eventually punched the ball across the goal line from two yards out, and Jorge Hernandez-Lara converted the extra point to give North Carolina Wesleyan a 20-17 lead with just 1:18 remaining.
Brevard answered with a touchdown in the final minute to regain the lead at 24-20. The Bishops received one final opportunity with 51 seconds remaining and continued fighting until the final possession before the comeback attempt ended on fourth down.
Solomon led the Wesleyan rushing attack with 62 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, scoring from 17 and two yards out. Trip III added 14 yards and the go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown.
Selvage completed 18 of 30 passes for 187 yards without an interception. Resper led the Bishops with seven receptions for 60 yards, while Fay caught five passes for a team-high 70 yards, including a 49-yard reception that helped set up Wesleyan's third-quarter touchdown. Crosby added three catches for 41 yards, while Moore recorded a 14-yard reception.
Defensively, Wright led North Carolina Wesleyan with six tackles and a tackle for loss. Justin Thompson, Mathias Winston, Quin'sier Waddell and Josiah Wiggins each finished with five tackles. Wallace recorded a forced fumble and a pass breakup, while Wesolowski recovered the fumble that helped set up Wesleyan's first touchdown.
North Carolina Wesleyan finished the night with 17 first downs and held the football for more than 30 minutes, including nearly 10 minutes in the fourth quarter. The Bishops also converted seven third downs and two fourth downs while scoring touchdowns on all three of their trips into the end zone.
Although the final result did not fall Wesleyan's way, the Battling Bishops gave their seniors one final competitive performance at home, taking a late fourth-quarter lead and battling until the final seconds. The night closed the 2026 season while providing an opportunity to celebrate a senior class that has left its mark on North Carolina Wesleyan Football.
