Football team falls to North Park 46-21 in home-opener

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College football team fell to North Park (Ill.) University, 46-21, in its home-opener today at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

The two teams combined to score 33 points in the first quarter, with the Vikings jumping out to the 26-7 lead. North Park scored on its first possession on a 29-yard run by Tyler Krebs. The Vikings took advantage of an Olivet interception to add three more points on the scoreboard when Tony Kebede nailed a 38-yard field goal.

On the Comets' next possession, the snap sailed over the punter's head on fourth down, resulting in a safety. After the free kick, North Park scored on its second play, a 53-yard touchdown pass from Krebs to Marcell Dawkins. Olivet was held to another three and out. The Vikings scored their final touchdown on a 4-yard run by Krebs.

The Comets got on the scoreboard with 25 seconds left in the quarter. Senior quarterback Tony Phillips (Lansing/Waverly) threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to freshman Jason Barbosa (Trenton). Senior Blake Iobe (Marshall) made the PAT kick.

North Park added another touchdown on a drive spanning the end of the first period and the first six minutes of the second quarter. The drive ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Krebs to Bryan Lorman. Olivet used a short field after a high snap on a punt attempt to score in the closing seconds of the half. A 5-play, 18-yard drive was capped by a 7-yard touchdown pass from Phillips to senior Edric Miller (Battle Creek/Central).

The Vikings added to their lead with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns. The Comets closed out the scoring in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard touchdown run by freshman Chance Nightingale (Colon/Mendon). Iobe made his third PAT kick of the game.

Offensively, Olivet was held to 177 net yards of offense. Freshman Rayshad Anderson (Jackson) led the ground game with nine carries for 23 yards. Phillips threw for 99 yards on 6-of-18 passing. In a back-up role, freshman Braden Black (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) was 4-for-7 for 53 yards. Four different receivers each caught two passes. Freshman Nate Roberts (Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Central) topped the defense with 13 total tackles.

North Park had 434 yards of offense, including 242 on the ground. Krebs rushed 18 times for 159 yards and completed 11-of-13 passes for 167 yards. Zach Bates had four receptions for 26 yards, while Dawkins had two catches for 69 yards. Talaave Meyers recorded a team-high six tackles.

Olivet will celebrate Homecoming next Saturday when Alma College visits the Cutler Athletic Complex for a 2 p.m. game, which will also be the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association opener for both schools.