Football team opens 2008 campaign with 22-10 loss at Wittenberg

The Olivet College football team opened the 2008 campaign with a 22-10 loss against Wittenberg University before 3,140 fans tonight at Edwards-Maurer Field in Springfield, Ohio.

Olivet won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Wittenberg took the ball first and scored on its first drive. Aaron Huffman connected with Josh McKee for a seven-yard scoring strike. Zack Harris made the PAT kick for a 7-0 score with 9:43 left in the opening quarter.

In a drive spanning the end of the first quarter and beginning of the second quarter, the Comets tied the game at 7-7. Junior Pat Clasgens (Livonia/Stevenson) caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from junior Lukas Linn (Harbor Beach). Senior Kyle Zabel's (Sturgis) PAT kick was good at the 9:43 mark of the second stanza.

The Tigers immediately answered on their ensuing drive. Corey Weber plunged into the end zone from one yard out. Harris missed the PAT kick, and Wittenberg led 13-7. The score remained 13-7 at halftime.

Olivet put together a 5-play, 58-yard scoring drive to start the third quarter. The series was capped off by a 45-yard field goal by Zabel to cut the Comets' deficit to three points, 13-10. There was no more scoring in the third quarter. Wittenberg scored nine unanswered points, including a safety, in the fourth quarter.

For the game, the Tigers had 359 yards of total offense to 193 for the Comets. For Olivet, junior fullback Sean Misko (Casco/Richmond) carried the ball five times for 46 yards. Clasgens had 13 rushes for 42 yards. Linn had 111 yards on 10-of-18 passing. Senior Carl Mulder (Battle Creek/Lakeview) was the leading receiver with two catches for 60 yards. Senior Michael Terranova (Lansing/Lansing Catholic Central) topped the defense with 14 total tackles.

Weber led Wittenberg's ground game with 26 carries for 74 yards and two touchdowns. Huffman completed 14-of-25 passes for 231 yards with two interceptions. Patrick Williams had six receptions for 117 yards. Kyle Lohrman finished with 10 tackles.

Olivet (0-1) returns to Michigan and will host Elmhurst (Ill.) College next Saturday, Sept. 13. Kickoff from the Cutler Athletic Complex is 1 p.m.