Football team falls to Albion, 35-19, in season-finale

ALBION, Mich. – The Olivet College football team fell to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Albion College, 35-19, in the season-finale for both teams today at Sprankle-Sprandel Stadium in Albion.

Final score: Albion 35, Olivet 19
Location: Sprankle-Sprandel Stadium; Albion, Mich.
Records: Olivet 6-4 overall, 4-3 MIAA; Albion 7-3 overall, 4-3 MIAA

• The Britons led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter behind a 13-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Thomas to Brian Blanzy.
• The Comets got on the scoreboard with 12:12 left in the second quarter when sophomore Matthew Ellis scampered into the end zone from 15 yards out. The two-point conversion attempt failed to make the score 7-6.
• Albion answered on its ensuing possession to go up 14-6. Thomas threw a seven-yard touchdown to Collin Poore for the touchdown.
• Olivet closed the gap to 14-13 at halftime when senior Jamaul Martin rushed into the end zone from one yard out. On the drive, senior Chris Talbott caught a pair of passes for 55 yards.
• The Britons scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to take a 28-13 lead.
• Albion stretched its lead to 35-13 on a 93-yard touchdown pass from Thomas to Blanzy.
• The Comets scored their final touchdown on a six-yard run by Martin.
• Olivet recovered an on-side kick and marched down the field but turned the ball over on downs.

• Olivet totaled 399 yards of offense.
• Martin finished the game with 87 rushing yards.
• Ellis had 80 rushing yards to go along with four catches for 42 yards.
• Senior Lane Porter completed 18-of-36 passes for 228 yards.
• Senior Jacob Jodway hauled in seven passes for 97 yards.
• Talbott snared five passes for 78 yards.
• Sophomore John Adams III and senior Coleton Swims each had eight tackles. Seven of the tackles for Adams III were solo stops.
• Senior Chase Cavric tallied seven tackles.

• Albion recorded 532 yards of offense, 293 through the air and 239 on the ground.
• Markell McCoy rushed 19 times for 81 yards.
• Doug Freeman had 15 carries for 72 yards.
• Thomas was 16-of-28 for the 293 yards and four touchdowns.
• Blanzy had three receptions for 118 yards.
• Poore caught eight passes for 73 yards.
• Ke-Mauri Heard, Jr. tallied a team-best eight tackles.

• Ellis finished the season with 1,075 rushing yards, the fourth-most in a season for Olivet. Martin had 1,054 rushing yards, the fifth-most yards in a season. That feat marks the first time in school history Olivet had two running backs surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
• Martin ended the year with 13 rushing touchdowns, tying for third-most in a season.
• Jodway completes his Comet career fourth all-time with 1,753 receiving yards. His 14 receiving touchdowns ties for second all-time.