Football loses to Alma, 21-18, in MIAA opener

The Olivet College football team lost a heartbreaker, 21-18, to Alma College in its Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) opener this afternoon at the Cutler Athletic Complex. The Scots earned the victory after Jeff LaPorte made a 38-yard field goal with three seconds left.

Junior Steve Critchlow (Olivet High School) forced a fumble on Alma's opening possession with sophomore Blake Wagner (Belding High School) recovering the ball. The Fighting Comets (3-1, 0-1 MIAA) marched down the field and took a 3-0 lead on a 34-yard field goal by junior Justin Hunwick (Sterling Heights/Stevenson High School).

Alma took a 6-3 lead when Josh Brehm connected with Aaron Bradley for a 26-yard scoring strike at the 14:12 mark of the second quarter. Olivet blocked the PAT kick attempt and sophomore Chris Quackenbush (Waterford Mott High School) carried the ball back to the opposite endzone for a defensive PAT to cut the Olivet deficit to 6-5. The Comets took an 8-6 lead when Hunwick nailed a 23-yard field goal with 9:05 left before halftime. Alma scored 12 unanswered points for an 18-8 lead at halftime.

On Olivet's first possession of the third quarter, Huwick made his third field goal of the game, this one from 35 yards out. The three field goals ties his own OC single-game record. Alma led 18-11 at the end of the third quarter. After sophomore Cliff Sims (Reed City High School) intercepted an Alma pass with 7:08 left in the game, the Comets scored on a three-yard run by sophomore Jared Dell (Mendon High School). Hunwick made the PAT kick to knot the score at 18-18 with 1:13 left.

For the game, the Comets had a 330-324 edge in yards of total offense. Sophomore Kemp Luchie (Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Northern High School) led the ground attack with 18 carries for 119 yards. Sophomore Travis Sleight (Battle Creek/Lakeview High School) carried the ball 13 times for 50 yards. Senior quarterback Rick Mason (Belding High School) completed four-of-eight passes for 46 yards. Defensively, sophomore Steffen Cornell (Homer High School) topped the team with six tackles. Junior Andy Storey (Battle Creek/Harper Creek High School) was credited with five tackles, including one for loss, and a fumble recovery.

James Edington had 89 rushing yards and two touchdowns for the Scots (3-1, 1-0 MIAA). Brehm completed 13-of-19 passes for 175 yards. Bradley was the top receiver with four catches for 54 yards.

Olivet is next in action Saturday, Oct. 9, at Hope College. Kick-off from Holland Municipal Stadium is 2 p.m.