ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University football team built a 21-point lead in the first quarter and held on to finish the season on a high not with a 42-29 victory over visiting Kalamazoo College.
The Thunder started the game with a long connection from Alex Price to Connor Arthur. The pass went for 45 yards and set up the team at the 25 yard line. Price connected with John Clampitt a few plays later to put the team up 7-0.
The two teams traded unsuccessful drives before Kalamazoo had some offensive success, driving down the field to set up a field goal attempt. The kick went wide, and Trine took over on their own 20 yard line. Xaine Kirby led off the drive with a 14-yard run and added an 11-yard carry two plays later. Price connected on three different passes, the last of which was a 42-yard touchdown throw to Kale Lawson. After a successful extra point, the team led 14-0 with five minutes remaining.
Jaylin Page gave the team the ball right back, intercepting the Hornets quarterback on the first play of the ensuing drive. The turnover gave the Thunder the ball on 18 yard line. Saleem Felder had a pair of successful rushes that gave Trine a first-and-goal at the four. The team lined up in a jumbo set with a lineman and two running backs in the backfield. Rather than getting the ball to one of the skill position players, they handed it off to offensive lineman Alexander Lewis who went right up the middle for the touchdown.
Kalamazoo cut into the lead on their next drive, going 78 yards on ten plays to make the score 21-7. The 14-point deficit lasted only a few seconds of gametime, with Rashawn Street splitting the Hornet kickoff coverage team and scoring a 97-yard touchdown.
The first quarter finally ended on the next Kalamazoo drive when Skyler Warren recorded a sack on first down. In the opening of the second quarter the defense forced their second turnover of the game, a fumble caused by Tucker Hasselman recovered by Page.
Kalamazoo intercepted Price on the next drive and then had their second scoring drive of the day, this time going 47 yards on 11 plays for the touchdown.
Trine recorded the final points of the half with their next drive, going 72 yards on 10 plays. Kirby capped the effort with an 8-yard touchdown scamper on the right side.
The Hornets threatened on their next drive, reaching the Trine 11 yard line before Ridge Howard picked off a pass. He returned the interception to the other side of the 50 but a holding penalty put the ball back on the Trine 28 and the team was happy to go to the half with the 35-14 lead.
Neither offense had any success through much of the third period, but the Hornets eventually cashed in with another touchdown. The scoring drive went 80 yards on nine plays and cut the score to 35-21 with 17 seconds remaining in the half.
Street looked to have a second kickoff return touchdown after the score, but a Trine penalty negated it and pinned the team deep in their own side of the field. Price led the team to the other side of the field, but his second interception of the day gave Kalamazoo the ball on their own 12.
After a bit of success, Jamon Gibson decided he had had enough of the Kalamazoo offensive and made two straight plays to force a punt. First he made a tackle for a loss on a running play and then he sacked the quarterback for a loss of seven.
The teams traded punts before Price led another successful drive, connecting with Brandon Kline for a 15 yard touchdown with three minutes remaining in the contest.
Kalamazoo scored the final touchdown of the game two minutes later. They turned a bad snap on the extra point attempt into a completion to kicker Madison Barch to make the final score 42-29.
Price finished the game with 213 yards passing along with three touchdowns and two interceptions. On the ground Kirby led the team with 82 yards. Lawson finished the game with 97 yards receiving.
On the defensive side of the ball, Page led the way with ten tackles, followed closely by Gibson and Trey Richards who both finished with nine. Gibson added two sacks for his career total, with Kendall Himes finishing the game with 2.5 sacks to lead the team.
Trine finishes the season 6-4 overall, going 4-2 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play. They will finish third in the standings.
