ADRIAN, Mich. – A record-breaking day by Zack Pillow lifted the Trine University football team to a Border Brawl victory over their hosts from Adrian College. Pillow caught the game winning touchdown with seconds remaining to give the team the 45-42 victory.
Pillow finished the game with 17 receptions, the most by a Trine player in a single game ever, shattering the old record of 13. He also tied the record for most receiving touchdowns with four while racking up 180 yards.
The Thunder began the game with the ball and marched down the field with a 13-play five-minute-long touchdown drive. RJ West II was the star of the show, connecting on all six of his passing attempts during the drive, while adding two rushes for 16 yards. The drive ended with the first touchdown for Pillow, a six-yard completion in the endzone.
After a quick stop by the Thunder defense, West looked like he would lead another successful drive. He quickly moved the team into the redzone before throwing his first interception of the day. Galvanized by the turnover, the Bulldogs scored their first touchdown of the day at the start of the second quarter.
The offense made it to the redzone again on the ensuing drive, had to settle for a field goal attempt after a third-down sack. Casey Medley was good from 30 yards to give the team a 10-7 lead.
A missed field goal by Adrian gave the Thunder their next chance and this time Saleem Felder broke through the middle of the line for a 50-yard run, ending in the endzone for the 17-7 lead.
The teams traded punts before on their next drives before Ridge Howard forced a fumble with the Bulldogs backed up to their own endzone. Bo Skidmore recovered the ball and Pillow caught his next touchdown on the second play of the drive to take the 24-7 lead before half.
After a slow start to the second half, Adrian scored back-to-back touchdowns to cut the lead back to three at 24-21. Javen Jackson brought the momentum back to the Thunder with a 58-yard kickoff return, setting up a one-play touchdown drive for the offense. West completed the lone pass to Pillow for the pair's second touchdown of the day and the 31-21 lead.
That score held to the end of the period. Adrian scored to start the fourth and a costly turnover on downs set the Bulldogs up with a short field and a chance to take their first lead of the game. They did so with a rushing touchdown that made the score 35-31.
West again led the response going 77 yards mostly through the air. He capped the drive himself with a touchdown rush. The 12-play drive also ate five minutes from the clock, leaving just 3:50 left in the game.
The Bulldogs responded again, finding the endzone with their own 75 yard drive and making the score 42-38 with 1:04 remaining in regulation.
The Thunder fumbled on the first play of the next drive, nearly ending the game early, but West settled in after the mistake and led the team down the field. The highlight was a 42 yard connection with Raymond Scott-Harbolt that moved the ball to the Adrian seven-yard line, with 13 seconds remaining in the game. One more completion to Pillow was enough to seal the victory. The fourth touchdown for Pillow made the score 45-42 with just nine seconds remaining.
The game went final after a desperation heave by the Bulldogs went incomplete.
West finished the game going 30-for-44 with 333 yards through the air. He completed the four touchdowns to Pillow and had the one on the ground. West also led the team with 70 yards rushing in the game, followed by Felder with 61. Pillow led the team with his 180 yards and four touchdowns. Scott-Harbolt finished second with 79 yards.
On defense, Kanye Tucker was a menace all day. He finished the game with 12 tackles, two for a loss and a fumble recovery. Xavier Compton was second on the team with nine tackles and added an interception. Tucker, Skidmore and George Branch each had a sack. Medley was perfect on the day going six-for-six on PATs along with his one field goal.
The Thunder finish the day 6-1 overall and 4-0 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play. They will face their biggest test of the season next week, in a game with conference championship implications. Nationally ranked and undefeated Calvin University will come to town on Saturday, October 31. The Knights and Thunder represent two of three teams still undefeated in MIAA play, with Hope College being the third. All three teams still need to play each other. Next week's game is scheduled to kickoff at 1:00 p.m.
