ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University football team ended nearly two years of dominance by Alma College, defeating the visiting Scots 33-9 on Homecoming weekend.
The victory ends a 14-game winning streak in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) competition by Alma, a streak that spanned nearly two years. It is the first time that Trine has beating the Scots since the 2021 season.
The Thunder won with a stifling defensive effort. They held the visitors to just 265 yards of total offense, including just 49 on the ground. The Thunder had three sacks, all coming from Bo Skidmore and intercepted a pair of passes along the way. It is the first regular season game that the Scots have been held to a single digit point total since Saturday, Nov. 13.
Alma scored first in the game, utilizing a long passing completion to set up a field goal and the 3-0 lead. The first quarter was characterized by defensive play on both sides, with those three points the only ones scored.
Trine had a long pass play of their own to start the second quarter. RJ West II connected with Keagan Hampton on the visitor sideline for 43 yards, moving the team well into the opposition's side of the field. A few plays later Demarcus Cleaves banged it home. After the Casey Medley extra point, the Thunder led 7-3.
The defense made the next score easy for the Trine offense, picking off Alma's Tyler Herzog for the first time on the day. TyRonn Larkin jumped an out route and sprinted 33 yards up the home sideline before being pushed out of bounds. The offense took over inside the redzone and a few plays later Macrae Thompson scored on the two-yard rush up the middle, making the score 13-3.
The team scored once more in the half, capping a nearly five-minute-long drive with a five-yard completion to Keydrick Powell. The Thunder defense ensured the 19-3 score lasted to halftime, coming up with a goal line stand in the final minute of the half.
Trine secured their second interception of the game early in the third quarter. Emil Drake tipped away a pass from the Alma receiver, with John McKeown diving to catch the deflected ball. The offense looked like they would score, but an incomplete pass in the endzone resulted in a turnover on downs instead.
Alma responded with a 98-yard drive that ended with their only touchdown of the day. They failed on the two-point conversion and the game moved to 19-9.
It was a short-lived score, with West connecting with Zack Pillow for a 23-yard touchdown just two minutes later. A successful extra point made the score 26-9 heading into the final quarter of the game.
The defense continued to stymie the Scots, with the most important stop coming with just over seven minutes remaining in the game. The ensuing Thunder offensive drive ate all but 26 seconds from the clock, ending with a Salem Felder touchdown run and the 33-9 lead.
West finished the day 29-for-40 through the air with 347 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target was Pillow who had 99 yards, but six members of the team had more than 40 yards receiving. Raymond Scott-Harbolt was second on the team with 72. Felder led the ground attack with 76 rushing yards.
Ridge Howard led the team with nine tackles. McKeown was second with eight while also adding the interception and a tackle for a loss. Skidmore finished third on the team with seven tackles including his three sacks.
The Thunder finish the day 4-1 overall and 2-0 in MIAA play. They will host Albion College for their next game, under the lights of Zollner Stadium on Thursday, October 15. That game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.
