Football team ends season with 27-7 loss to Hope

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College football team celebrated Senior Day and ended its season with a 27-7 loss to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Hope College today at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

After a scoreless first quarter, Hope scored its first touchdown with 5:17 left in the second stanza. Brian Lynn capped a 4-play, 39-yard drive with a two-yard run into the end zone. The scoring drive was set-up on a short punt by Olivet. There was no more scoring in the second quarter, and the score stayed 7-0 at halftime.

The Comets got the ball to start the second half. They were driving down the field and was down to the Hope 11 when Santino DiCesare intercepted a pass in the end zone and ran it all the way back 100 yards for a touchdown.

The Flying Dutchmen forced a three and out for the Comets on their next possession, and they took over at the Olivet 46. Hope needed just five plays to score a touchdown, with Shawn Jackson going the final nine yards to make the score 20-0 with 4:18 left in the third quarter. Evan Finch's PAT kick split the uprights.

The Comets took advantage of a short punt by Hope to score a touchdown on their first series of the final quarter. Junior Edric Miller (Battle Creek/Central) finished the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run. Junior Blake Iobe (Marshall) made the PAT kick to cut Olivet's deficit down to 21-7.

Hope closed the scoring on the ensuing possession with a 6-play, 54-yard drive. Fluarry Jackson rushed five yards into the end zone for the touchdown.

The Comets finished the game with 16 first downs and 254 yards of offense. Senior Mike Martin (Caledonia/Wayland Union) topped the ground game with 20 carries for 59 yards, while Miller had 10 carries for 41 yards. Freshman Daniel Bolster (Dundee) was 19-of-36 for 179 yards. Junior Keegan Clark (Battle Creek/Pennfield) caught six passes for 64 yards, and senior James Williams (Battle Creek/Central) had five catches for 37 yards.

Defensively, senior Ryan Reurink (Wayland/Union) had a game-high 11 tackles. Sophomore De'Marko Reed (Battle Creek/Central) was next with nine tackles, including team-leading six solo stops. Senior Travis Farris (Hastings/Thornapple Kellogg) had two quarterback sacks for minus 16 yards.

The Flying Dutchmen recorded 14 first downs and 302 yards. Shawn Jackson carried the ball 16 times for 154 yards. Michael Atwell completed 10-of-22 passes for 144 yards. Three receivers each caught two passes, with Connor Parcell having a team-high 39 yards. DiCesare and Mark Caram finished with eight tackles apiece.