A 53-yard touchdown pass with 1:11 left to play proved to be the difference as St. Ambrose fell at William Penn 33-28 in SAU's Heart Conference opener Saturday afternoon in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

It capped a heart-breaking end to a game the Bees seemingly had won.

SAU, nursing a 28-27 lead, had a first-and-goal from the WPU 6-yard line after Tomele Staples connected with Braden Downs for a 17-yard completion on a fourth-and-7 play with just over two minutes left. A three-yard Jaedyn Price carry followed by back-to-back one-yard runs from Staples put the Bees in a fourth-and-goal from the one situation with 1:50 remaining.

With a chance to increase the lead, Staples was stuffed shy of the goal line, giving the ball to the Statesmen.

And William Penn (2-3, 1-0 Heart) capitalized.

Three completions plus a 15-yard face mask penalty gave the Statesmen the ball at their own 47-yard line. Then, with 1:11 on the clock, WPU connected on a 53-yard touchdown pass down the sideline. The ensuing two-point try failed but William Penn led 33-28.

St. Ambrose (2-4, 0-1 Heart) put a short drive together but ultimately turned the ball over on downs and WPU was able to escape with the win.

It was a back-and-forth affair from the start as the teams exchanged touchdowns throughout the contest.

A 63-yard touchdown gave WPU a 7-0 lead minutes into the game. SAU counted with a four-yard Maximo Vasquez touchdown run to tie the score. A 33-yard TD pass put the Statesmen back in front 13-7 late in the first quarter.

Vasquez scored on a six-yard pass from Staples to give the Bees their first lead at 14-13. William Penn scored in the final minute of the half to take a 20-14 lead into the break.

Staples hit Kameron Bohnsack on a 67-yard scoring pass to give St. Ambrose a 21-20 lead 51 seconds into the third quarter. But another long pass play, this time a 52-yarder, put WPU back in front 27-21. Midway through the third quarter, Staples scored from six yards out to give SAU its final lead at 28-27. Neither team would score again until the final touchdown.

Staples finished 17-of-21 for 221 yards and two touchdowns. Jake Ackman completed his only attempt.

Jalen Coleman caught seven passes for 51 yards. Downs also had 51 yards receiving on four receptions. Bohnsack finished with three catches for 87 yards. AK Agee, Vasquez and Brady Piper each caught one pass.

Vasquez rushed for 89 yards and the one touchdown on 29 carries. Staples ran for 57 yards and Price added 45 yards.

Rolando Sepulveda led the defense with 13 total tackles, including two tackles for loss. Colin Gudella was in on eight tackles. Brock Mason was credited with six tackles while Nolan Obert, CJ Resto and Joe Reinhart each had five. Mason and Resto each had an interception in the loss.

St. Ambrose is off next week before returning home to host Culver-Stockton on Oct. 19 as part of Homecoming Weekend.