Football team beats Hope, 31-24

The Olivet College football team defeated Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Hope College, 31-24, today before 3,467 Homecoming fans at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet. It was the Comets' (2-3, 1-1 MIAA) first win over Hope since the 1991 season.

Olivet finished the game with 604 yards of total offense, including 452 yards on the ground. Senior Travis Sleight (Battle Creek/Lakeview) accounted for 198 rushing and 67 receiving yards. Freshman Lonnie Jones (Niles) had 171 rushing yards. Defensively, the Comets intercepted four passes, including three by junior Cliff Sims (Reed City).

The two teams combined for 35 points in the first quarter. On its first possession, junior Jared Dell (Mendon) got Olivet on the scoreboard with a three-yard touchdown run. Senior Justin Hunwick (Sterling Heights/Stevenson) made the PAT kick. The Flying Dutchmen (1-3, 1-1 MIAA) answered with a four-play drive to tie the game on a nine-yard run by Joe Schwander.

On his first carry of the day, Jones broke loose for a 53-yard touchdown run on the Comets' next series and Hunwick's PAT kick made the score 14-7. Following an Olivet fumble, Hope tied the game with a one-yard scamper by Schwander. Jones gave Olivet a 21-14 lead with a 27-yard run. The score remained 21-14 at halftime.

The Dutchmen gained a 24-21 lead through three quarters, but Olivet scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Hunwick tied the game at 24-24 with a 22-yard field goal at the 10:12 mark of the fourth. From 55 yards out, Jones scored what proved to be the game-winning touchdown with 4:18 left. Hope had two more possessions but both ended with interceptions by Sims.

For the game, senior quarterback Chris Quackenbush (Waterford/Mott) completed eight-of-15 passes for 152 yards. He also ran the ball 10 times for 66 yards. Junior Chris Smith (Dimondale/Holt) caught four passes for 85 yards. Hunwick was four-of-four on PAT kicks. Sophomore DeRan Thomas (Detroit/H.W. Notre Dame) led the Comet defense with nine tackles. Sims and sophomore Marc Miller (Sunfield/Lake Odessa) recorded five tackles apiece.

Hope had 323 yards of total offense – 73 rushing and 250 passing. David Booko led the ground game with 55 yards. Schwander completed 16-of-35 passes. Joey Goeb had two receptions for 69 yards and Andy Doupe had 62 receiving yards. Kevin Roschek finished with 10 tackles, including nine solo stops.

Olivet travels to play Adrian College Saturday, Oct. 15. Kickoff from Maple Stadium is 2 p.m.