ANGOLA, Ind. - After an up-and-down offensive shootout in the first half turned into a defensive struggle for both sides in the second half, the Trine University football squad fell to the run-and-gun no huddle offense of Kalamazoo College 38-31. The Thunder (3-2, 0-1 MIAA), fell to the Hornets for the first time since 2006.
On the opening drive of the game, the Hornets would march down 94 yards in 11 plays, as Kalamazoo quarterback Justin Danzy spread the ball around before hitting wide receiver Josh Wise three straight times, the last for a 7-yard touchdown. The two sides swapped punts before Trine utilized the talents of senior running back Richard Gunn (Ashley, Ind./Penn) all the way to the end zone, including a 32-yard big play down the sideline. Gunn picked up every yard on the drive except for an 18-yard pass completion to from junior Andrew Dee (McComb, Ohio/McComb) to fellow junior Jared Barton (Middleton, Mich./Fulton).
With the game tied at 7-7 late in the first quarter, Danzy again completed several long plays to his receiving corps, including three 15+ yard catches on the drive before wide receiver Cameron Shegos went in on an 11-yard catch as time expired in the quarter.
Opening the second quarter down 14-7, things would get worse for the Thunder following a quick three-and-out. On their first play from scrimmage in the second quarter, the Hornet offensive line sprung running back Elijah Hamilton-Way for a 60-yard touchdown. The Thunder quickly returned the favor however, as Dee hooked up with another fellow junior in Anthony Yoder (Goshen, Ind./Concord) for a 63-yard strike that halted the momentum of the Hornets.
Things began to turn for the Thunder, as the defense held Kalamazoo to a three-and-out before senior safety Blaek Combs (Rushville, Ind./Rushville Consolidate) stormed past the punt protectors and blocked punter George Fishback's attempt. The Thunder recovered the ball at the Kalamazoo 16-yard-line. While the offense stalled and Trine only grabbed three points on a 31-yard field goal by senior Tyler Keck (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial), the Thunder had closed within four, 21-17. Both teams would tack on another touchdown through the air as a combined 31-point quarter came to close at 28-24 Kalamazoo as the half.
The second half saw the scoring come to a halt as each side score just a single touchdown. The Hornets would use good field position to convert on a 26-yard field goal. After a lull in the action, the play picked back up when Gunn picked up a head of steam and had just enough speed to beat the backside corner in a 62-yard race to the end zone, a season-long for the Thunder. Trine finally had caught up to the Hornets, tying the game at 31 after trailing from the outset.
In the final quarter of the game, the Hornets were driving and dodged a bullet when backup quarterback Brock Rucinski came in and was rocked by Thunder defensive lineman Ryan Hogan (Vine Grove, Ky./Meade County) and Mitchell Fair (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty). The ball rolled around on the ground, and a fortuitous bounce came up for Kalamazoo as an offensive lineman recovered the ball.
Later in the fourth, the Thunder had backed Kalamazoo up to the shadow of their own goal line, but the Hornets hit all the right buttons at the right moments, using a 12 plays to go 97 yards to regain the lead with 5:38 left.
Trine would get three chances to tie the game after they fell behind, but were unable to convert on all three opportunities.
Gunn finished the night with 172 yards on 25 carries for two scores. It was the fourth straight game that Gunn has run for 100+ yards. Dee completed 14-of-31 for 221 yards through the air. Sophomore Gage Corner (Leo, Ind./Leo) just missed his third straight 100-yard game as he finished with 98 yards on six catches.
Combs led the Trine defense with 13 total tackles (11 solo), broke up two passes and blocked a punt. Sophomore James Gregory (Akron, Ind./Tippecanoe Valley) made 12 tackles, 10 of which were solo stops.
The home conference loss is the first for the Thunder in almost two years, dating back to October 22, 2011 versus Albion College.
Trine looks to rebound on the road as they travel to Albion on Oct. 12 at 1 p.m.