Football: Olivet outlasts Alma, 34-21

OLIVET, Mich. – Sophomore Damorria Lilly rushed for 144 yards and junior Braden Black threw for 146 yards to lead the Olivet College football team to a 34-21 win over Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Alma College today in its season-finale at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. With his 144 yards, Lilly finishes the 2014 season with 1,023 yards to be the first Olivet running back since 2005 to top 1,000 yards.

Lilly needed 34 carries to get his 144 yards. Black completed 13-of-25 passes for his 146 yards, while throwing three touchdowns to break his own single-season school record. Juniors Jason Barbosa and Kyle Bryson each caught four passes. Barbosa had one touchdown and 55 yards, while Bryson had two touchdowns and 49 yards.

Defensively, junior Curtis French recorded a team-leading eight tackles. Junior Chance Nightingale and sophomore Javon Moore each registered seven tackles.

The Scots were led by quarterback Dylan Zaborowski. He threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns on 17-of-29 passing, and ran the ball 17 times for 50 yards. Tommie Dawson had 12 rushes for 55 yards. Tyler Watters was the leading receiver with 11 catches for 167 yards. Sam Young topped the defense with 10 tackles.

The Comets got on the scoreboard first with 3:42 left in the opening quarter when Black threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Barbosa. The PAT kick was blocked and Olivet led 6-0. Alma quickly answered. On the second play from scrimmage on its ensuing drive, Zaborowski tossed a 61-yard touchdown pass to Watters. The PAT kick was good and the Scots led 7-6 after one quarter of play.

The Comets put together a 9-play, 75-yard drive, which wrapped around the end of the first quarter and start of the second quarter, to take a 13-7 lead. The drive was capped with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Black to Bryson.

Alma responded with a 6-yard touchdown run by Zaborowski to regain a 14-13 lead with 10:42 left before halftime. Olivet came back with a 12-play, 66-yard scoring drive, ending with a 9-yard touchdown pass to make from Black to Bryson to make the score 20-14.

The Scots drove deep into Olivet territory before Nightingale stepped in front of a Zaborowski pass and returned the interception down to Alma 6-yard line with 29 seconds left before halftime. On the second play, Lilly rushed into the end zone to put the Comets up 27-14 at halftime.

The Scots scored a touchdown on their second series of the second half to cut their deficit down to six points, 27-21. Turnovers then plagued both teams later in the third quarter. Zaborowski fumbled before Black threw an interception and then Zaborowski threw his own interception, giving the ball back to Olivet at its own 42 with 4:54 left in the quarter.

Black was then picked off in the end zone on the sixth play of the fourth quarter. Even before the dust settled from the Comet turnover, the Scot running back fumbled the ball over to Olivet on Alma's first play. The Comets used the short field and Black scored on a 2-yard quarterback sneak to help the Comets take a 34-21 lead.

Alma had to punt the ball back on its next series after Olivet sacked Zaborowski twice. Olivet punted the ball back to the Scots. Alma moved down to the Comet 38-yard line before a halfback pass was intercepted. Olivet got three first downs to seal its win.