Football team claims outright MIAA title with 44-27 win over Trine

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College football team claimed an outright Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) title with a 44-27 win over Trine (Ind.) University this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. The outright title is the first in school history since 1974. Combined with last year's championship, the Comets have won back-to-back MIAA titles for the first time since 1913 and 1914.

THE BASICS          
Final score: Olivet 44, Trine 27
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Mich.
Records: Olivet 9-1 overall, 6-0 MIAA; Trine 6-4 overall, 3-3 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Trine received the ball to start the game and took a 7-0 lead on a 10-yard touchdown run by Mark Wilson.
• Olivet closed the game to 7-6 on an 11-yard touchdown pass from senior Braden Black to sophomore Trenton Monroe with 5:18 left in the opening quarter.
• The Thunder extended their lead to 14-6 when Frank Vuocolo rushed four yards for a touchdown.
• Trine added to its lead to 20-6 with 10:43 remaining in the second quarter on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Rooze to Jeffery Barnett.
• Olivet scored 17 unanswered points to take a 23-20 halftime lead.
• The first seven points came on a fourth and seven play when Black threw a 35-yard touchdown strike to senior Mitchell Bailey. On the play, Bailey broke Olivet's single-season record for pass receptions and receiving yards.
• The Comets then blocked a Thunder punt, and the ball went out of the back of the end zone for a safety to make the score 20-15.
• Olivet then scored the go-ahead touchdown on its ensuing drove. Black tossed his third touchdown of the half, this one for 34 yards to junior Kornelius Saxton. The two-point conversion pass from Black to Monroe was good.
• Trine forced the Comets to a three and out to start the third quarter. The Thunder blocked the punt and returned the ball for a touchdown to make the score 27-23.
• The Comets took the lead back, 30-27, at the 6:33 mark of the third stanza when senior Damorria Lilly broke loose for an 11-yard touchdown run.
• On a drive spanning the end of the third period and start of the fourth quarter, Olivet stretched its lead to 37-27 on a two-yard touchdown run by Lilly.
• Sophomore Chase Cavric intercepted a Rooze pass with 3:51 left in the game. The Comets capped their victory when Lilly scampered 15 yards for the touchdown.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet totaled 21 first down and 452 yards – 277 on the ground and 175 through the air.
• Lilly had 37 carries for 203 yards and three touchdowns.
• Sophomore Andre Houston had 45 rushing yards on four carries.
• Black was 9-of-16 for 175 yards and three touchdowns.
• Saxton caught three passes for 78 yards.
• Bailey hauled in two passes for 63 yards.
• Defensively, senior Chanler Carmer had 11 tackles.
• Cavric recorded eight tackles, including one and one-half stops for loss.

FOR THE TRINE

• The Thunder had 18 first downs 371 yards – 84 rushing and 287 passing.
• Evan Wyse led the ground game with seven rushes for 42 yards.
• Mark Wilson had six carries for 17 yards.
• Rooze completed 22-of-35 passes for 257 yards.
• Barnett was the leading receiver with 10 catches for 187 yards.

UP NEXT

• Olivet will learn its opponent for the first round of the 2016 NCAA DIII National Championships tomorrow night. The pairings will be announced in an online selection show at www.ncaa.com at 6 p.m.