Box Score ANGOLA, Ind. - On a day in
which they dominated the football field 49-21 over Olivet College,
the Trine University squad would be eliminated from the chance to
earn a share of the conference crown as Adrian defeating
Albion.
After the Thunder (6-3, 4-1 MIAA) forced Olivet
to turn the ball over on downs on their first possession, Trine
would drive 78 yards in just seven plays as sophomore Austin
Shoemaker (Huntington, Ind./Huntington North) pounded the ball in
from 1-yard out.
Olivet would answer back as they used a 63-yard
kickoff return to setup a 3-play drive to tie the game.
After both teams punted on their next possession,
Trine would take six minutes off the clock, driving nearly the
entire length of the field, 93 yards to hit pay dirt. It would
again be Shoemaker scoring from 3 yards out to cap the 13-play
drive for the Thunder.
On the Comets ensuing possession, as they were
attempting to punt, the Olivet center snapped the ball high over
the punters head as junior Blaek Combs (Rushville, Ind./Rushville
Consolidate) recovered the ball in the end zone for the touchdown
as Trine led 21-7 at the half.
Trine wouldn't waste any time coming out of
the break as senior Ryan Hargraves (Taylor, Mich./Truman) connected
with fellow senior JaVontae Hence (Elkhart, Ind./Concord) on the
second play from scrimmage for a 42-yard touchdown. Olivet would
answer right back though, scoring on a 1-yard run by Tyre
Alexander.
Not to be out-done, the Thunder would march right
down the field just 3 minutes later as Hargraves scrambled from 12
yards out for the score.
After the Trine defense forced the Comets to go
three-and-out, the Thunder would use just 2:47 off the clock as
Hargraves found Shoemaker who eluded defenders for a 28-yard score
with just 10 seconds left in the quarter.
At the start of the fourth quarter, the Thunder
defense would come up big once again. As the Comets went back to
punt, four Trine defenders broke through the Olivet offensive line
as Combs again made a big play, blocking the kick as freshman
Charles Dreessen (Walkerton, Ind./John Glenn) recovered the ball,
returning it 24 yards for the score.
Olivet would add one more score with 2:05 left in
the game on a 4-yard run by Alexander.
The Thunder racked up just 30 more yards of total
offense than Olivet (350-320), but it was Trine's big-play
ability that made the difference. Trine scored on all but two of
their possessions, of which one came late in the game as the
Thunder were trying to run out the clock. The Comets also had the
ball longer (35:11-24:49) and gained more first downs (24-17).
Hargraves finished the day completing 10-12
through the air for 176 yards and two scores, as the offensive line
didn't allow a sack on the afternoon. Hargraves also
scrambled six times for 55 yards and a score. For the second
straight game Shoemaker led the Thunder ground attack with 61 yards
on 15 carries and reached the end zone twice. Hence led all
receivers with three catches for 101 yards.
Leading the way for the Trine defense was
sophomore Tyler Guzy (Coldwater, Mich./Coldwater) and junior Caleb
Nitz (Baroda, Mich./Lakeshore) with a game-high nine tackles
each.
Trine will conclude their season at home as they
celebrate Senior Day on November 10 when they host Alma at 1:00
p.m.