Football team defeated by Hope, 28-14

The Olivet College football team had a 14-7 lead midway through the third quarter, but Hope College scored 21 unanswered points to beat the Comets, 28-14, this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet.

Hope scored the only points in the first half on its first possession of the game. The Flying Dutchmen put together a 16-play, 84-yard scoring drive, which was capped by a 2-yard run by Tim Elzinga. Steve Hazekamp made the PAT kick.

The Comets got the ball to start the second half, and on the fourth play of their drive, senior Pat Clasgens (Livonia/Stevenson) scampered 23 yards into the endzone. Senior Graham Lockwood (Haslett/Williamston) split the uprights on the PAT kick.

On its ensuing possession, Hope tailback Tim Elzinga fumbled the ball. Olivet capitalized on the turnover with an 8-play, 47-yard scoring drive. The final 17 yards was by Clasgens. Lockwood nailed the PAT kick and the Comets led 14-7 with 8:03 remaining in the third quarter.

The Flying Dutchmen tied the game at 14-14 on their next series. Quarterback Chris Feys rushed into the endzone from six yards for the touchdown, and Hazekamp kicked the PAT. Hope scored the go-ahead touchdown on a drive, which spanned the end of the third quarter and beginning of the fourth quarter. Elzinga finished the drive with his second touchdown of the game, this one from three yards out.

With 1:18 showing on the clock, the Dutchmen put the game away with a two-yard touchdown run by fullback Adam Loveless with 1:18 showing on the game clock.

Olivet finished the game with 361 yards of total offense, including a season-high 200 on the ground. Clasgens had 25 carries for 178 yards. In a back-up role, freshman Tony Phillips (Lansing/Waverly) completed 16-of-33 passes for 148 yards. Freshman Josh Baggerly (Battle Creek/Pennfield) caught a team-high five passes for 43 yards, while senior J.W. Seekman (Martin) had a team-leading 67 receiving yards.

Defensively, junior Cam Bramer (Olivet) recorded 24 total tackles, including 13 solo stops, and intercepted one pass. Senior Hakeem Yakubu (Kalamazoo/Central) and junior Chris Behnke (Olivet) each had 10 tackles. Freshman Jarred Goodman (Portland) broke up four passes and recovered a fumble.

Hope had 322 rushing and 235 passing yards for 557 yards of total offense. Elzinga rushed 23 times for 131 yards, while Feys had 10 carries for 92 yards. Feys was 15-of-30 passing. Scott Snyder had four receptions for 78 yards. Zach Jones and Kyle Warren had 10 tackles apiece.

Olivet has its bye week next Saturday, and will then close out the 2009 season Saturday, Nov. 14 with a 6 p.m. game at Adrian College.