Football team celebrates Homecoming with 21-17 win over Adrian

OLIVET, Mich. – Sophomore Anthony Merriman intercepted a pass at the one-yard line to help the Olivet College football team defeat Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Adrian College, 21-17, on Homecoming this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

Final score: Olivet 21, Adrian 17
Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Michigan
Records: Olivet 5-0 overall, 2-0 MIAA; Adrian 2-3 overall, 1-1 MIAA

• Olivet marched down the field on its first drive of the game to take a 7-0 lead. Freshman Kaleb Jarrett threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to senior Spencer Mort for the touchdown.
• The Comets had to punt on their second possession and the Bulldogs took over at midfield. Adrian got to the Olivet 15 before settling for a 31-yard field goal by Cooper West to make the score 7-3.
• A 23-yard return on a blocked punt allowed the Bulldogs to take over at the Olivet 7. Jack Wurzer tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Colton Randle to make the score 10-7 with 14:56 left before halftime.
• There was no more scoring and Adrian led 10-7 at the intermission.
• The Bulldogs got the ball to start the third quarter but they did not gain a first down and had to punt the ball to the Comets.
• Olivet put together a 9-play, 50-yard drive to take the lead back, 14-10. Sophomore Jake Trujillo capped the drive with a 6-yard with a touchdown run at the 9:03 mark.
• Adrian went ahead 17-14 on a 52-yard touchdown pass from Wurzer to Clarence Madison with 2:53 left in the third quarter.
• The Comets responded immediately on their next possession.
• On the first play of the fourth stanza, Jarrett used his feet to get two yards and keep the driving alive by getting a first down. Senior Noah McMinn ran nine yards on first down and then got free for a 34-yard touchdown run on the second play. Junior Tyler Peck's PAT kick with 13:46 left in the game to put the Comets up 21-17.
• Olivet's defense allowed one first down before forcing Adrian to punt the ball back at the 11:37 mark.
• On the third play of the ensuing drive, McMinn busted loose for a 63-yard run. The Adrian defender wrestled the ball away from McMinn and another Bulldog recovered the fumble.
• The Comets' defense forced another three-and-out for Adrian. Instead of punting the ball back to the Bulldogs, Olivet went for it and was stopped on fourth down at the Adrian 48.
• Adrian used two big pass plays to get inside the 10-yard line. On first and goal from the 5, the Bulldog running back was tackled for a one-yard loss. Adrian ran a pass play on the next play. The ball was tipped by the receiver and into the hands of Merriman who ran the interception back 34 yards to the Olivet 35.
• The Comets were able to get three first downs. After the last one, a 16-yard rush for McMinn on 2nd and 11, the Comets knelt into victory formation twice to end the game.

• For the game, Olivet had 468 total yards compared to 278 for the Bulldogs.
• McMinn had 30 carries for 237 yards. He also had two receptions for 21 yards.
• Jarrett completed 14-of-26 passes for 210 yards.
• Mort, senior Tyler Bandy and freshman Zameer Wallace each caught three passes for 74, 56, and 29 yards respectively.
• Defensively, sophomore Andrew Campbell tallied seven tackles, including six solo stops.
• Senior Kolby Williams and junior Jeylin Rogers each had six tackles.

• Adrian's 278 yards included 66 rushing yards.
• Randle rushed 15 times for 48 yards.
• Wurzer threw for 212 yards on 16-of-31 passing.
• Madison hauled in six passes for 87 yards.
• Brandon Kwiatkowski recorded 11 tackles.

• The Comets go on the road to play defending MIAA champion Trine (Ind.) University next Saturday, Oct. 19. Kick-off at Fred Zollner Athletic Stadium is 1 p.m.