Football team hangs on for 30-20 win at Kalamazoo
The Olivet College football team raced out to a 30-7 halftime lead and hung to beat Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Kalamazoo College, 30-20, this afternoon at Angell Field in Kalamazoo.
November 2, 2019
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Olivet College football team raced out to a 30-7 halftime lead and hung to beat Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) foe Kalamazoo College, 30-20, this afternoon at Angell Field in Kalamazoo.
Final score: Olivet 30, Kalamazoo 20
Location: Angell Field; Kalamazoo, Michigan
Records: Olivet 7-1 overall, 4-1 MIAA; Kalamazoo 2-6 overall, 1-4 MIAA
- The Comets got off to a fast start when freshman Brandon Major-Kailing returned the opening kickoff 96 yards to the Hornet 4. On third down, senior Noah McMinn rushed two yards into the end zone.
- Olivet's defense extended the lead to 9-0 after the Kalamazoo running back was tackled in the end zone for a safety.
- The Comets drove deep into Hornet territory on each of its next two drives. The first time the drive ended on an Olivet fumble, and the second time, Olivet was stopped on fourth down.
- Kalamazoo got on the scoreboard with 9:24 left in the second quarter when Jared Pitman broke free for a 52-yard touchdown run.
- The Comets answered with a 9-play, 55-yard drive, capped by a one-yard touchdown run for McMinn.
- On the first play of the Hornets' ensuing drive, junior Paris Trotter intercepted a Pitman pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown.
- Olivet closed out the first half with a 4-play, 37-yard drive to go up 30-7. Freshman Kaleb Jarrett ended the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with seven seconds left before halftime.
- Kalamazoo made the score 30-13 when it scored a touchdown on its first possession of the second half.
- The Comets were forced to punt on their two series in the third quarter.
- Olivet turned the ball over on downs at the Hornet 15 on a drive that spanned the end of the third stanza and start of the fourth period.
- Kalamazoo then put together a 9-play, 85-yard drive to cut its deficit down to 10 points with 5:38 remaining in the game.
- There was no more scoring after that touchdown.
- Olivet totaled 349 yards – 210 through the air and 139 on the ground.
- McMinn had 25 carries for 91 yards.
- Jarrett completed 19-of-25 passes for 210 yards.
- Ten players caught at least one pass.
- Sophomore tight end Seth Young hauled in a team-best three catches for 41 yards.
- Junior Tyler Peck was 4-for-4 on PAT kicks, and averaged 56.2 yards on five kickoffs.
- Defensively, sophomore Anthony Merriman and senior Kolby Williams each had seven total tackles. Three-and-one-half of Williams' tackles were for loss yardage.
- Kalamazoo finished the game with 295 yards of offense.
- Cam Crothers was 18-of-31 passing for 193 yards and two touchdowns.
- Bubba Wilson caught nine passes for 108 yards.
- Anthony Giovanni led the ground game with seven rushes for 57 yards.
- Jacob Chantres had six solo and six assisted stops for 12 total tackles.
- Four players tallied 10 tackles apiece.
- Olivet stays on the road to face Alma College next Saturday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m.