Football team ends season with 38-17 loss to Central in the NCAA Playoffs

The Olivet College football team saw its season come to an end with a 38-17 loss to Central (Iowa) College today in the first round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs.

For the game, the Dutch (11-0) outgained the Comets, 437-224, in yards of total offense. Sophomore Pat Clasgens (Livonia/Stevenson) led the Olivet offense with 24 carries for 118 yards and four receptions for 20 yards. Senior Rob White (Caledonia/South Christian) completed 12-of-22 passes for 79 yards. Senior Rod Sanders (Detroit/H.W. Notre Dame) had three catches for a team-high 28 yards.

Defensively, sophomore Hakeem Yakubu (Kalamazoo/Central) finished with a team-leading eight tackles, including five solos. Senior DeRan Thomas (Detroit/H.W. Notre Dame) was second with seven tackles.

For Central, Tim Connell was 20-of-36 for 266 yards and four touchdowns. Josh Smith caught five passes for 75 yards. On the ground, Vance Schuring had 17 rushes for 91 yards. Gary Altmaier led the Dutch defense with a game-high 16 tackles.

Central got on the scoreboard first with 9:23 left in the opening quarter when Connell completed an 18-yard pass to Jon Haugen. The score was set-up by a fumbled punt return for Olivet. The Comets scored their first touchdown courtesy of a blocked punt and recovery by senior Jerry Fields (Mount Morris) at the Dutch 15. After a one-yard gain on the first down, White found Sanders for a 14-yard touchdown completion. Junior Kyle Zabel made the PAT kick to tie the game at 7-7 with 3:27 left in the first quarter.

Central took a 10-7 lead on a 37-yard field goal by Jake Viggers. On its ensuing possession, Olivet marched down the field with a six-play, 68-yard drive to take a 14-10 lead. Clasgens covered the final 14 yards for the touchdown, and Zabel's PAT kick was good.

The Dutch took the lead back, 17-14, on an 18-yard interception return for a touchdown by Guy Dierikx. Central extended its lead to 10 points, 24-14, at halftime on a 22-yard pass from Connell to Jordan Leuschen.

Central outscored Olivet, 14-3, in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. The Comets' three points came on a 28-yard field goal by Zabel.

Olivet ends its season with a 6-5 overall record.

Pictures from today's are available for purchase. The link to the photo gallery where you can view the pictures is: www.pictureprints.net/albums.php?gallery=1941