The streak is over! Football team celebrates Homecoming with 14-10 win over Kalamazoo

OLIVET, Mich. – The streak is over! The Olivet College football team celebrated Homecoming with a 14-10 win over Kalamazoo College today in front of 2,785 fans at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. With the win, the Comets snap their 32-game losing streak.

The game was a tale of two halves, as Kalamazoo scored its 10 points in the first half, and the Comets scored their 14 points in the second half. The Hornets put the first seven points on the scoreboard when Dimeko Price caught a screen pass from Aaron McGuire and raced 60 yards down the right sideline for the touchdown. Travis Braun made the PAT kick with 4:16 left in the opening quarter. Braun then nailed a 27-yard field at the 9:05 mark of the second stanza to make the score 10-0.

Each team was stopped on its first three possessions of the second half. Olivet started its fourth series on its own 35-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, senior Mike Martin (Caledonia/Wayland Union) broke through for a 65-yard touchdown run. Junior Blake Iobe (Marshall) converted the PAT kick. The score stayed 10-7 at the end of the third quarter.

After the Hornets stopped Olivet on fourth down early in the fourth quarter, they took over at their 33-yard line. On an option toss, the ball came loose and the Comet defense recovered it at the Kalamazoo 39.

The Comets got a first down on the ensuing drive on a 15-yard pass completion from freshman quarterback Daniel Bolster (Dundee) to senior James Williams (Battle Creek/Central). On a third play, the Hornets were called for a pass interference penalty in the end zone, and Olivet was given a first down at the three-yard line. The next play, Martin followed the block of his linemen and got into the end zone. Iobe's PAT kick made the score 14-10 with 11:09 remaining.

On their final two possessions of the game, the Hornets turned the ball over on downs at the Olivet 24.  After getting stopped the final time with 2:58 left in the game, the Comets were able to run out the clock when junior Edric Miller (Battle Creek/Central) bulled his way for nine yards and a first down on a third and six play.

Olivet recorded 243 yards of total offense, including 198 on the ground. Martin carried the ball 28 times for 134 yards. He also caught a pass for 26 yards. Miller had 12 rushes for 59 yards. Defensively, senior Ryan Reurink (Wayland/Wayland Union) had a team-leading 11 tackles, including six solo stops. Freshman Jake Olson (Jackson/Napoleon) and sophomore De'Marko Reed (Battle Creek/Central) posted nine tackles and quarterback sack apiece.

The Hornets finished the game with 331 yards, including only 95 in the second half. Price had 22 carries for 102 yards, and McGuire also had 22 carries for 68 yards. McGuire completed 12-of-28 passes for 162 yards. Jimmy Frye was the leading receiver with four catches for 33 yards. Alan Mencer recorded 11 total tackles.

The Comets will travel to play Albion College next Saturday, Oct. 22. Game time is 1 p.m.