Football team defeats Tri-State (Ind.), 44-41

Sophomore Justin Hunwick nailed a 20-yard field goal with 1:08 left in the game as the Fighting Comets defeated non-conference foe Tri-State (Ind.) University, 44-41, before 1,250 fans on Community Day at Griswold Field. The victory snaps Olivet's four-game losing streak.

Following Hunwick's field goal, the Thunder were stopped at the Olivet 33-yard line on an interception by defensive back DeShaun Warren (Detroit Denby High School) with four seconds left.

After the opening kickoff, freshman Kemp Luchie (Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Northern High School) scampered 55 yards on the Comets' first play from scrimmage for a touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt was good. Tri-State was forced to punt on its first possession. Olivet then put together a 10-play, 86-yard scoring drive capped off by a 15-yard run by sophomore Damien Brown (Harper Woods Gallagher High School). Hunwick made the point-after-touchdown kick for a 15-0 lead.

The Thunder responded with a touchdown at the 1:09 mark of the first quarter. Sophomore Travis Sleight (Battle Creek Lakeview High School) returned the kickoff 34 yards. On the first play of the drive, Sleight was tripped up at the TSU one-yard line. He then ran the ball into the endzone on the next play with 30 seconds left.

Tri-State scored midway through the second quarter. The Comets took a 27-14 lead on a 10-yard run by Luchie. The Thunder cut the deficit to seven points with a touchdown just five seconds before halftime.

Tri-State tied the game at 27-27 at the 2:43 mark of the third quarter. Olivet regained a 34-27 lead with 15 seconds left in the quarter when sophomore Mick Faasen (Belding High School) scored from 22 yards out. The Thunder tied the game at 34-34, but Faasen gave the lead back with an eight-yard run following a 56-yard run on the previous play. Tri-State used a 11-play, 82-yard drive to knot the score at 41-41. The Comets then drove 43 yards setting the stage for Hunwick's field goal.

In the game, Olivet carried the ball 43 times for 462 yards, a 10.7-yard average. Faasen led the ground attack with 18 carries for 211 yards. Luchie had 11 rushes for 139 yards. Defensively, sophomores Ryan Hayes (Livonia High School) and Jarrod LaRoche (Lake Odessa/Lakewood High School) topped the team with 12 tackles apiece. Freshman Blake Wagner (Belding High School) had 11 tackles, including three quarterback sacks for minus 13 yards.

After eight games, the Comets have 3,009 net rushing yards, which breaks the single-season record of 2,682 set in 2002. Olivet is just 24 yards shy of breaking the single-season record 3,535 total offense yards. The 36 touchdowns this year ties the single-season record.

Tri-State was led by quarterback Joe Schwander, who completed 24-of-41 passes for 322 yards and five touchdowns. Nick Testa topped all receivers with 11 catches for 192 yards and four touchdowns. Chris Bixler carried the ball 23 times for 89 yards. Derek Eby led the Thunder defense with nine tackles, including seven solo stops.

Olivet is next in action on Saturday, Nov. 8 when it hosts Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association leader Hope College at Griswold Field at 1 p.m.