ANGOLA, Ind.-- The Trine football team held on late to earn a 27-25 victory over Kalamazoo in MIAA-action Saturday afternoon in Fred Zollner Athletic Stadium.
The Thunder built a 27-12 lead midway through the third quarter, but had to rely on some big plays by the defense down the stretch to earn the victory. Trine's defense sacked Hornet quarterbacks six times, forced two fumbles and picked off a pass. The Thunder special teams also made its presence known with a blocked extra-point and a blocked punt. Trine improved to 5-3 overall and 3-1 in the MIAA with the victory. The Thunder are now tied with Albion and Olivet in the loss column in conference play, as each team has been defeated once. Kalamazoo fell to 2-6 overall, 0-4 in the MIAA.
Mark Wilson's (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) encore to last week's school-record performance was a good one, as he racked up 240 yards and three touchdowns on 39 carries. The rushing yardage was the third-highest in a single-game in team history. Wilson has accumulated two of the top three rushing performances in school history in the last two weeks.
Joseph Griffin (Fort Wayne, Ind./Wayne) notched two sacks to bring his season total to seven, which ranks third in the MIAA. Mitchell Fair (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty) notched a season-high seven tackles, including a sack and a half and 2.5 tackles-for-loss, plus forced a fumble. Taylor James (LaPorte, Ind./LaPorte) paced the defense overall with 11 tackles, including one sack.
Me'Leick Miles (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike) showed a knack for the big play on special teams, blocking a PAT and a punt. Miles recorded six tackles and earned half a sack.
Fair's forced fumble halted a Hornet drive and set up the first Trine score of the game. Three plays later, Wilson broke a long 45-yard touchdown right up the gut to the put the Thunder ahead 6-0 just under three minutes into the contest.
The Hornets had an answer, as Alex White completed an 11-yard touchdown strike to K.J. Schultz on the ensuing drive. White completed 11-of-21 passes for 154 yards and the touchdown before leaving the game with an injury. Schultz was Kalamazoo's top target on the day with five receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown.
Wilson's second TD run, this time from 17 yards out made the score 13-6 midway through the first quarter. A 31-yard completion from Brandon Rooze (West Lafayette, Ind./Benton Central) to Gage Corner (Leo, Ind./Leo) set up the score.
A Clay Wilkey rushing touchdown brought the Hornets back within 13-12 before the Thunder used a late scoring march before halftime to extend the lead to eight. Miles' blocked punt set Trine up with a short field. Rooze and Corner connected for a big play again, this time with Corner leaping to make a grab in the back of the end zone for an eight-yard strike.
Corner and Rooze were on the same page for the second-consecutive week, as the senior receiver hauled in seven passes for 112 yards and the touchdown. Corner has topped the century mark in three of the last four games. Andrew Bonfiglio (Toledo, Ohio/St. Francis de Sales) had his first 100-yard receiving game, totaling 110 yards on nine catches.
Rooze completed 20-of-34 passes for 247 yards and the touchdown.
An interception by Quinton Daniels (Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider) halted a Hornet drive in the third quarter, and Trine was able to capitalize once again on the ensuing drive. A 36-yard completion from Rooze to Corner and a 30-yard run by Wilson set up Wilson's final TD of the game, a three-yard burst to make the score 27-12 with 2:59 to play in the third.
Kalamazoo was then able to capitalize on a short field off a punt return. Elijah Hamilton-Wray broke a 23-yard touchdown run to cut the score to 27-18. Hamilton-Wray rushed for 100 yards on 19 carries.
The Hornets special teams cut the score to 27-25 as Ethan Kubik blocked a punt that Keigan Ryckman recovered in the end zone with 9:07 to play.
The Thunder defense stood tall from there to help close out the game. Griffin picked up a sack on 3rd-and-long for one defensive stand. Michael Spears (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) then stripped a Hornet receiver on the next possession, which Daniels was able to fall on.
The final nail in the coffin came when Devan Emerson (Elkhart, Ind./Jimtown) hurdled a Kalamazoo blocker to force a hurried incompletion on a late fourth down to seal the victory.
Trine will host Hope next Saturday, Nov. 7 for the final home game of the season for the Thunder. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. in Fred Zollner Athletic Stadium. Trine will honor veterans and its senior class at next week's game.