Football team beats Kalamazoo, 51-0

The Olivet College football team scored 38 points in the second quarter en route to a 51-0 shutout victory over Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Kalamazoo College this afternoon in Olivet. Coupled with Adrian's 30-21 win over Alma, the Comets have secured the MIAA's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Playoffs. Olivet, who tied Hope for first-place in the league standings, gains a share of its first MIAA football title since 1974.

For the game, the Comets outgained the Hornets in yards of total offense, 529-138, including a 305-24 edge on the ground. Sophomore Pat Clasgens (Livonia/Stevenson) led the ground game with 13 carries for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Willie Jones (Detroit/River Rouge) had 10 carries for 96 yards with one touchdown, threw an 85-yard touchdown pass and caught a 41-yard pass for a touchdown.

Senior Rob White (Caledonia/South Christian) completed 7-of-11 passes for 139 yards. The leading receiver was senior Chris Smith (Dimondale/Holt), who caught four passes for 129 yards. He now has 783 receiving yards to break Olivet's single-season record. The previous record was 773 by Kevin Staniszewski during the 1990 season.

Defensively, junior Michael Terranova (Lansing/Lansing Catholic) had a team-leading nine tackles and two pass break-ups. Senior Jerry Fields (Mount Morris) and junior Jesse Myers (Three Rivers) each finished with seven tackles. Seniors Nate Hughes (Marshall) and DeRan Thomas (Detroit/H.W. Notre Dame) recorded six tackles a piece.

Stephen Johnston led the Kalamazoo ground game with 12 rushes for 63 yards. Brandon Luczak was 17-of-43 for 114 yards. Mike Benson caught five passes for 15 yards, while Jimmy Semelsberger had four receptions for a team-high 44 yards.

Olivet scored on its first possession of the game when Clasgens scored from 22 yards out. The PAT attempt was missed. The score remained 6-0 after one quarter of play. On the first play of the second quarter, Jones threw the 85-yards touchdown pass to Smith. The two-point conversion attempt was good, as White completed the throw to sophomore Sean Misko (Casco/Richmond).

The Comets added four more touchdowns in the second stanza. Junior Kyle Zabel's (Sturgis) PAT kick split the uprights after each touchdown. The touchdowns were a 10-yard run by Jones, a four-yard run by Clasgens, a 41-yard reception from White to Jones and a 34-yard reception from White to senior tight end Rod Sanders (Detroit/H.W. Notre Dame). Olivet closed the first half scoring with a safety after a bad snap by the Kalamazoo center.

There was no scoring in the third quarter. The first play of the final quarter saw senior quarterback Calvin McNamara (Gaylord) rush two yards into end zone. Zabel nailed the PAT kick.

UPDATED 11/11: The Comets will travel to play Central (Iowa) College Saturday, Nov. 17, in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs. Kickoff from Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium in Pella is noon CT.