Football team defeats Alma, 28-24

The Olivet College football team defeated Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Alma College, 28-24, today at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. With the win, the Comets beat the Scots for the first time since Oct. 12, 1996.

Olivet (5-3, 4-1 MIAA) forced the Scots to punt on their opening possession of the game. The Comets marched down the field and scored a touchdown. On the 10th rushing play of the drive, sophomore Lonnie Jones (Niles) found the endzone from 16 yards out. Sophomore Kyle Zabel (Sturgis) made the PAT kick. There was no more scoring in the first quarter.

In a drive spanning the end of the first and beginning of the second quarter, Olivet took a 14-0 lead when sophomore Thomas Pratt (Gaylord) scored from a 17 yards out. Zabel's PAT kick was good. Alma (4-4, 3-2 MIAA) answered when Josh Brehm connected with Nate Jervey for a 34-yard touchdown with 8:58 left before halftime. Stephen Lux made the PAT kick.

Senior DeShaun Warren (Detroit/Denby) returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards and just past midfield. The Comets used the short field and scored a touchdown with 5:18 remaining in the second quarter. The eight-play, 49-yard drive was capped off by a 27-yard run by freshman Pat Clasgens (Livonia/Stevenson). Zabel made the PAT kick.

Alma quickly responded with a touchdown as Brehm found Joe Cline in the endzone for an 11-yard scoring strike. Lux's PAT kick was good. After forcing Olivet to punt, the Scots took over at their own 43-yard line with 1:25 left until halftime. Alma went down the field and cut its deficit to four points at halftime when Dan Seals made a 35-yard field goal.

The Scots took their first lead of the game, 24-21, at the 1:58 mark of the third quarter. Brehm completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to Cline and Lux nailed the PAT kick. Olivet answered by scoring the winning touchdown with 14:06 remaining in the game. The seven-play, 61-yard drive was completed when Jones scampered one-yard for the score. Zabel made his fourth PAT kick of the game. The Comet defense held Alma without a touchdown in its three possessions of the final quarter.

For the game, Olivet had 334 yards of total offense, including 279 on the ground. Clasgens led all ball carriers with 103 yards on 20 carries. Jones had 22 rushes for 83 yards, while Pratt finished with 12 carries for 66 yards. Junior Rob White (Caledonia/South Christian) completed his for pass attempts for 55 yards. Ryan Boone (Muskegon/Catholic Central) and Carl Mulder (Battle Creek/Lakeview) each caught two passes for 17 and 38 yards, respectively.

Defensively, junior Marc Miller (Sunfield/Lake Odessa) had a game-high 11 tackles, including seven solo stops. Warren and sophomore Michael Terranova (Lansing/Lansing Catholic) each had nine tackles.

Brehm completed 38-of-58 passes for 363 yards. He also led the Scots with five carries for eight yards. Cline was the leading receiver with 15 catches for 153 yards. Jeremy Stephens caught 10 passes for 70 yards.

Olivet continues its pursuit of a MIAA championship next Saturday, Nov. 4, when it hosts Hope College at 1 p.m. Last year, the Comets beat the Flying Dutchmen, 31-24, in Olivet.