Foust’s 224 yards help Olivet defeat Kalamazoo, 45-12, on Homecoming

OLIVET, Mich. – Junior Thomas Foust accounted for 224 yards of offense, as The University of Olivet football team defeated Kalamazoo College, 45-12, in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) contest and before a spirited Homecoming crowd at the Cutler Athletic Complex.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Olivet 45, Kalamazoo 12
• Location: Cutler Athletic Complex; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 2-3 overall, 1-1 MIAA; Kalamazoo 4-1 overall, 1-1 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

• On their first drive of the game, the Comets were stopped on fourth down. The Hornets marched down the field and had to settle for a 30-yard field goal attempt, which sailed wide right.
• OIivet took over on its own 20-yard line and quickly answered. After back-to-back 15-yard gains, junior Dontal Wright broke loose for a 50-yard touchdown run. Senior Tristan McElhinney made the PAT kick.
• Kalamazoo answered with an 11-play scoring drive, capped by a 24-yard touchdown pass from Josh Nichols to Lucas Hanifan. The PAT kick was missed to make the score 7-6 with 3:17 left in the opening quarter.
• On the ensuing Olivet drive, freshman Tronice Hammond rumbled 36 yards for a touchdown.
• The Hornets put together a nice drive until Nichols fumbled the ball back to Olivet.
• The Comets used a lengthy drive to stretch its lead 17-6 when freshman Camden Babcock nailed a 30-yard field goal.
• There was no more scoring in the second quarter to keep the score, 17-6, at halftime.
• Olivet received the ball to start the second half. The Comets chewed up half of the clock with a 15-play touchdown drive. Hammond ended the drive with a one-yard plunge into the end zone.
• Kalamazoo tried a fake punt on its first possession of the third quarter but were stopped short of the yard to gain.
• On the first play of the Comet series, Foust tossed a 38-yard touchdown pass to freshman Jaylan Johnson to make the score 31-6.
• The Hornets fumbled the ball on the second play of their next drive. On a fourth and 1 play, Wright rushed 16 yards for an Olivet touchdown.
• Kalamazoo got on the scoreboard with 9:44 left in the game when Nichols threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Hanifan. The two-point conversion pass was dropped by a wide-open receiver.
• The Comets scored their final touchdown when senior SirQuarius Ball hauled in a 13-yard pass from Foust.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet totaled a season-high 429 yards of offense, including 350 on the ground.
• Foust rushed for 145 yards on 14 carries and threw for 79 yards on 5-of-13 passing.
• Wright had 16 rushes for 138 yards and two touchdowns.
• McElhinney was a perfect 6-of-6 on PAT kicks.
• Freshman Draven Langston tallied a team-leading 13 tackles, including two for negative 10 yards.
• Freshman Rickey Smith III recorded 12 tackles.

UP NEXT

• Olivet is off next Saturday and returns to the field October 19 at Trine (Ind.) University. Kick-off from Zollner Stadium is 1 p.m.