Football team defeats Alma, 47-29, to clinch share of MIAA title

Comets have nine wins in a season for the first time in school history 

ALMA, Mich. – The Olivet College football team defeated Alma College, 47-29, this afternoon at Bahlke Field to clinch a share of the 2015 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) title. With a 5-1 MIAA record, the Comets tie Albion for first-place in the conference standings. The Britons receive the MIAA's automatic bid to the 2015 NCAA DIII National Championships by virtue of its head-to-head win; however, with a 9-1 overall record, Olivet could still receive an at-large bid to the national championships.

In today's game, the Comets scored on their first four possessions to take a 26-7 lead at halftime. Olivet got the ball to start the game and put together an 11-play, 75-yard drive, capped by 5-yard touchdown run by sophomore Jerome Washington.

After forcing the Scots to punt, the Comets took over at their own 12-yard line. On the 13th play of the drive, junior Damorria Lilly scampered a yard into the end zone to make the score 12-0. Alma scored on a 69-yard pass play to cut its deficit to 12-7.

Lilly added another one-yard plunge into the end zone, followed by a two-point conversion pass from junior Braden Black to senior Dominik Givens to put Olivet head 20-7 with 12:07 left in the second quarter. The Comet defense forced a three and out for the Scots, and senior Kyle Bryson blocked the punt. It was the 11th blocked punt for Olivet this season.

On their next drive, Lilly had a pair of six-yard runs, including the last one into the end zone to make the score 26-7 at the 10:28 mark of the second stanza. Neither team was able to generate any more points in the first half.

Alma received the ball to start the second half. On a fourth down play, the Scots' punter was tackled for a 14-yard loss, giving the ball to the Comets at the Alma 22-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Lilly rumbled 22 yards for the touchdown.

The teams traded punts before the Scots scored a touchdown on a 13-yard run by Nick Sullivan. Olivet wasted no time in getting those points back. On the fourth play of the drive, Black completed a 55-yard touchdown pass to junior Mitchell Bailey for a 40-14 Comet lead.

Alma took advantage of an Olivet turnover to score seven more points on a 14-yard touchdown pass from Dylan Zaborowski to Sean McDonald. The Comets put their final seven points on the scoreboard with 6:38 left in the game. On the eighth rushing play of a drive, Washington scored from 10 yards out. Alma closed the scoring out with 1:14 remaining in the game on a 51-yard touchdown pass from Brett Luplow to Erik Hines.

For the game, Olivet totaled 492 yards of offense compared to 373 for the Scots. The Comets rushed for 333 yards, while the Scots were held to 66. Lilly led the ground game with 39 carries for 210 yards and four touchdowns. Washington finished with 65 yards on 15 rushes. Black completed 10-of-14 passes for 159 yards. Four Olivet receivers each caught two passes, with Bailey hauling in a team-high 61 yards. Defensively, junior Zechariah Jenkins registered a team-high eight tackles.

Nick Sullivan topped Alma with 67 rushing yards. Zaborowski was 12-of-28 for 171 yards. Hines had seven receptions for 162 yards. Chris Johnson led the defense with 16 total tackles.

The NCAA will announce the 32-team field for the NCAA Division III Football Championships tomorrow evening at 6 p.m.