Football team falls to Alma, 35-14

The Olivet College football team fell to defending Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion Alma College, 35-14, today before 3,526 fans at Bahlke Field in Alma.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Fighting Comets (3-2, 0-2 MIAA) scored first on a 69-yard run by freshman Steve Van Nortwick (Novi/Walled Lake Western High School) with 14:05 left in the second quarter. Sophomore Justin Hunwick (Sterling Heights/Stevenson High School) made the point-after-touchdown kick. Alma responded on its next possession with a 71-yard touchdown run to tie the score. The Scots took a 14-7 lead with 5:31 remaining in the opening half.

In the third quarter, Alma stretched its lead with two touchdown passes. The Scots scored their final touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Sophomore quarterback Chris Quackenbush (Waterford/Mott High School) scored from four yards out with 2:05 left in the game. Hunwick added the PAT kick.

Van Nortwick led the Comet ground attack with 77 yards. He was followed by freshman Kemp Luchie (Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Northern High School) with 75 and sophomores Mick Faasen (Belding High School) and Damien Brown (Harper Woods/Gallagher High School) with 51 and 50, respectively. Junior quarterback Rick Mason (Belding High School) completed two passes for 68 yards. Sophomore tight end Josh Ewing (Hopkins High School) caught both pass completions from junior quarterback Rick Mason (Belding High School) for 68 yards.

Defensively for Olivet, senior Ryan Vaughn (Galesburg Augusta High School), junior Dave Trudell (Springport High School) and sophomores Matt Kunzelman (Chelsea/Stockbridge High School) and Jarrod LaRoche (Lake Odessa/Lakewood High School) had five tackles a piece.

Jeremy Droptiny rushed for 133 yards on 11 carries to lead the Alma (3-2, 1-1 MIAA) offense. Ryan Palmer completed 17-of-26 passes for 194 yards and four touchdowns. Clayton Sims was the top receiver with five catches for 88 yards.

The Comets will look to snap their two-game losing skid when they host Kalamazoo College next Saturday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m.