Football team loses a heartbreaker to Adrian, 37-31, in double overtime

The Olivet College football team lost a 37-31 double overtime heartbreaker to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Adrian College today before 4,653 fans at Maple Stadium in Adrian.

The Comets (2-4, 1-2 MIAA) scored on their first possession of the game. Sophomore Rod Sanders (Detroit/H.W. Notre Dame) caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from senior Chris Quackenbush (Waterford/Mott). The PAT try was no good. Senior Justin Hunwick (Sterling Heights/Stevenson) nailed a 24-yard field goal with 9:38 left in the second quarter. The Bulldogs (5-1, 2-1 MIAA) trimmed their deficit to 9-7 at the 6:41 mark with a three-yard touchdown run by Chris Clay.

Olivet answered with a touchdown, as freshman Erik Jackson (Romulus/Truman) scampered into the endzone from 30 yards out with 4:17 left in the second stanza. The score was 16-10 at halftime after Adrian made a 27-yard field goal with 45 seconds left before halftime.

The Bulldogs took the lead for the first time, 17-16, on a one-yard touchdown run by quarterback Randy Hutchison at the 1:49 mark of the third quarter. The Comets gained the lead back, 24-17, on a drive that spanned the final 1:49 of the third and first 1:18 of the fourth quarter. Freshman Lonnie Jones (Niles) scored the touchdown and Quackenbush threw to Sanders for the two-point conversion.

Adrian forced overtime by scoring a touchdown with eight minutes left. Olivet had two more possessions and the Bulldogs had one possession in the final eight minutes.

At the start of the first overtime, Adrian won the toss and elected to go on defense first. Jackson scored from nine yards out and Hunwick made the PAT kick. The Bulldogs scored to send the game to a second overtime. Adrian had the ball first and scored on two plays. The PAT kick attempt was missed. On the Comets' possession, they were stopped on a fourth down play.

Olivet outgained Adrian, 418-380 in yards of total offense, including 306-166 in rushing yards. The Comets also had a 26-18 edge in first downs. Jones led the ground attack with 12 carries for 99 yards. Jackson had 15 rushes for 86 yards and two touchdowns. Quackenbush completed 11-of-20 passes for 112 yards. Junior Chris Smith (Dimondale/Holt) caught four passes for 37 yards.

Defensively, sophomore Marc Miller (Sunfield/Lake Odessa) recorded 10 tackles. Junior Cliff Sims (Reed City) finished with nine tackles, six solo stops, and a pass break-up. Freshman Joe Cleveland (St. Joseph) and senior Steve Critchlow (Marshall/Olivet) were next with seven tackles apiece.

Clay topped the Bulldogs ground game with 24 carries for 125 yards. Hutchison completed 18-of-34 passes for 214 yards. DJ Howard was the leading receiver with 66 yards on four catches. Joel Musielewicz had six receptions for 57 yards. Taz Wallace led the defense with 16 tackles.

Olivet returns to the field Saturday, Oct. 22, when it hosts Tri-State (Ind.) University. Kickoff from the Cutler Athletic Complex is 1 p.m.