Football team beats Kalamazoo, 35-6, to stay unbeaten in MIAA play

OLIVET, Mich. – Senior Braden Black threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense allowed negative five rushing yards to help the Olivet College football team beat Kalamazoo College this afternoon before a capacity crowd of 6,175 fans at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

THE BASICS          
Final score: Olivet 35, Kalamazoo 6
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Olivet 4-1 overall, 2-0 MIAA; Kalamazoo 2-3 overall, 0-2 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Comet defense forced a three-and-out for the Hornets on the opening possession of the game. A short punt helped Olivet take over at the Kalamazoo 35-yard line. On the Comets' seventh play from scrimmage, senior Christopher Jones rushed into the end zone from a yard out. The PAT kick was good and Olivet led 7-0.
• Kalamazoo got two first downs on its next drive but was still forced to punt. The Comets took over at their own 20-yard line on the touchback. Olivet needed eight plays to cover the 80 yards to go ahead 14-0. Senior Damorria Lilly capped the drive with a nine-yard touchdown run.
• The Comets stretched their lead to 21-0 with 10:37 left in the second quarter on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Black to junior Kornelius Saxton. The drive was set-up by a blocked punt on the Hornets' first series of the second stanza.
• There was no more scoring in the first half, Olivet took a 21-0 lead into the locker room.
• The Hornets dented the scoreboard for the only time at the 9:42 mark of the third quarter.
• The Comets had a 66-yard touchdown pass called back because of a holding penalty on their next drive. Olivet was then forced to punt, and senior Ryan Anderson booted a 56-yard kick.
• On Kalamazoo's second play, sophomore Jaquan Short stepped in front of an Alex White pass and returned the interception 24 yards down the Kalamazoo 25.
• After a two-yard gain on first down, senior Mitchell Bailey caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Black.
• Neither team put any more points on the scoreboard in the third period.
• The Comets capped their scoring in the fourth quarter. On a third and 10 play, Black found sophomore Jacob Jodway wide open in the middle of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown pass. Junior Gunnar Aper made his fifth PAT kick.

FOR THE COMETS

• Offensively, Olivet rolled up 23 first down and 376 total yards of offense.
• Black completed his first 10 passes and finished the game 25-of-35 for 260 yards.
• On the ground, Lilly rushed for 58 yards on 14 carries.
• Bailey was the top receiver with eight catches for 97 yards.
• Saxton also had eight receptions for 76 yards.
• Anderson averaged 48 yards on six punts. 
• Defensively, senior Robert Cuba had six total tackles. Three and one-half of the tackles were for loss yards, with 1.5 quarterback sacks.
• Sophomore Ra'mal Wilson finished with five tackles, including four solo stops.

FOR THE HORNETS

• Offensively, Kalamazoo had 242 yards – 247 through the air and negative five on the ground.
• White was 17-of-44 for 218 yards.
• Zak Zagon and Seth Dexter each had four catches for 68 and 64 yards, respectively.
• Lorenzo Richmond led the ground game with six rushes for 10 net yards.
• Jakob Frederick topped the defese with 13 tackles. Clayton Meldrum had 12 tackles.

UP NEXT

• Olivet travels to play Albion College next Saturday, Oct. 15. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.