Football team loses to Elmhurst (Ill.), 42-14

The Olivet College football team wrapped-up the non-conference portion of its schedule with a 42-14 loss this afternoon at Elmhurst College.

The Bluejays (3-0) scored the first touchdown of the game on a 11-yard run by Lex Cisler. Tyler Lomnicki made the PAT kick for a 7-0 Elmhurst lead with 11:55 left in the first quarter. Olivet (0-3) got on the scoreboard at the 3:01 mark of the first quarter when senior quarterback Rob White (Caledonia/South Christian) connected with Chris Smith (Dimondale/Holt) for a 53-yard touchdown pass. Junior Kyle Zabel (Sturgis) booted the PAT kick to tie the game at 7-7.

Elmhurst scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter to take a 28-7 lead into the locker rooms at halftime. In the quarter, David Wilharm had two rushing touchdowns and Chris Dudyba tossed a touchdown pass to Ryan Freund. Lomnicki made all three PAT kicks.

The Bluejays scored a touchdown on its first possession of the second half when Kudyba ran the ball in from two yards out. On its ensuing possession, Olivet drove down to the Elmhurst 5, but a 96-yard interception return for a touchdown by John Scardullo put six more points on the scoreboard for the Bluejays. The Comets closed the scoring by scoring on their final series of the game. Sophomore Willie Jones (Detroit/River Rouge) scampered into the endzone from three yards out and Zabel converted the PAT kick.

For the game, Elmhurst out-gained Olivet, 431-333, in yards of total offense. Freshman Aaron Jackson (Waterford/Mott) led the Comet ground game with 16 carries for 76 yards. White threw for 164 yards on 16-of-25 passing. Calvin McNamara (Gaylord) was 11-of-18 for 103 yards. The leading receiver was junior Carl Mulder (Battle Creek/Lakeview), who had 10 catches for 105 yards. Defensively, freshman Willie Hayes (Lansing/Everett) and senior DeRan Thomas (Detroit/H.W. Notre Dame) each had nine total tackles. Thomas topped the team with seven solo stops.

For the Bluejays, Mark Gones carried the ball 11 times for 96 yards. Kudyba completed 22-of-32 passes for 233 yards. Blake Veldhuis caught six passes fo 47 yards, while Ryan Geirke and Mitch Holmer each had 57 receiving yards. Ryan Keeton led the defense with nine total tackles.

Olivet will open Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play next Saturday, Sept. 29, when it hosts Wisconsin Lutheran College. Kickoff from the Cutler Athletic Complex is noon.