KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Trine University football team finished off their season on a high note, defeating Kalamazoo College 37-14 in the final contest of the season.

Neither team scored on their first drives of the game, but the second for the Thunder ended in paydirt. It was a balanced campaign for the team, going 53 yards on 11 plays. The biggest play came following a sack by the Hornet defense when Saleem Felder found a hole for 24 yards. The play ended on the ten yard line and set up an eventual touchdown rush for the sophomore.

Kalamazoo responded on their next drive, scoring what would be their lone points of the first half on a 45 yard pass completion.

The first play of the second quarter was the second touchdown for the Thunder. Ivyn Collins found Tristan Burrus for 44 yards and the touchdown. The team scored two more touchdowns to finish the half with a 28-7 lead. Felder scored a second on the ground and Rashawn Street took an end around for the other.

With their last drive of the half, Kalamazoo threatened to score again, but the Thunder defense came up with the stop with their backs against the redzone. Elijah Bouyer and Cal Lockhart combined for a sack during the series while Frederick Griffin III broke up the fourth down pass attempt to end the threat.

The home team did cut into the lead at the beginning of the second half. The drive went 73 yards in five minutes and ended in a touchdown and successful extra point. The score of 28-14 lasted less than a minute. Street set up the Thunder with a short field after returning a kickoff 57 yards. Collins then completed a pair of passes, both to Burrus, to score the fifth touchdown of the day.

From then on, the Trine defense took over the game. Griffin III ended the next drive with an interception and two others ended in interceptions by Konstantine Thrasivoulou. The team also forced a safety by the Hornets to put the final two points of the game on the board and improve margin to 37-14.

Collins played his best game of the season at quarterback. He finished 18-for-24 for 234 and two touchdowns while adding 24 yards on the ground. Felder led the way with 81 yards of rushing for the team while Burrus finished with 103 yards receiving.

In addition to Bouyer and Lockhart, Cam McCarver, Ridge Howard and Chase Smith all got to the quarterback in the game. McCarver also forced a fumble while recording five tackles, third on the team. Howard and Emil Drake led the team with six tackles each.

Trine finishes the season 6-4 overall and 4-3 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play. They sit fourth in the MIAA standings.