Yellow Jackets Beat Anderson (Ind.) Behind Three Defensive Touchdowns

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  The Defiance College football team defeated Anderson (Ind.) University, 48-7, in a game that included three defensive interceptions returned for touchdowns in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at Justin F. Coressel Stadium.  

The DC defense recorded a total of six interceptions in the game, falling one interception shy of tying the school record.  The three interception returns for touchdowns were one shy of tying the NCAA Division III mark of four "pick-sixes."  Sophomore safety Cody Wiggins (Howell, Mich./Howell) recorded a 63-yard interception return while freshman safety Angello Proulx (Warren, Mich./Mott) and senior safety Josh Slayton (Fort Wayne, Ind./South Side) added returns of 91 and 42 yards respectively.  Wiggins and Proulx would both finish the game with a pair of INTs.  Also recording an interception was sophomore defensive back Kenny Jones (Toledo/Bowsher) and junior Kyle Wilson (Wauseon) had a team-high seven tackles (four solo and three assists), including a sack.

Offensively, the Yellow Jackets totaled 355 yards of offense (154 rushing and 201 passing) with sophomore quarterback Alex Larson (Highland, Mich./Milford) completing 15-of-22 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns.  Freshman running back Anthony Righi (Liberty Center) carried the ball nine times for a game-high 46 yards.  Junior running back Daniel Collins (West Springfield, Va./West Springfield) added 42 yards on seven carries and had one TD.  Sophomore Cody Wilson (McComb) led all receivers with game-highs of 11 catches for 108 yards and a TD.  Sophomore Darius Harper (Jacksonville, Fla./Robert E. Lee) added a pair of catches for 75 yards that included a 64-yard TD reception.

Both offenses struggled in the first half with the first points coming at the 3:37 minute mark of the first quarter.  Larson put Defiance (3-5, 3-3 HCAC) on the board when he found Harper on a 64-yard pass play to give the Jackets a 7-0 advantage.  The lone touchdown was the only points scored in the first 15 minutes as DC took their one-score lead into the second quarter.

The Yellow Jackets also recorded the only points of the second quarter when they found the endzone late in the period on a 12-yard TD completion from Larson to Collins that ended an impressive 14-play, 94-yard drive.  Following the TD, the extra point attempt was blocked, but DC increased the margin to 13-0 with 44 seconds left in the half.  With time running out and the drive staring at their own 20-yard line, Anderson (2-6, 2-4 HCAC) put together an impressive drive of its own and got to the defiance 31-yard line, but the drive ended with just four seconds to go when Jones stepped in front of a Raven pass to keep Anderson scoreless heading into halftime.

Defiance began the pull away in the third quarter scoring 21 points.  The Jackets found the endzone on their first possession of the period when Larson tallied his third TD pass of the game, this time connecting with Wilson from nine yards out to increase the lead to 20-0 at the 9:14 mark.  On the ensuing Anderson possession, Wiggins picked off the Ravens' QB and went 63 yards for the touchdown blowing the game open with a score of 27-0 and 7:41 left in the period.  The DC defense came up big again following the TD when Proulx stepped in front of another errant pass and returned it to the Anderson 22-yard line.  The interception led to DC's third score of the quarter when Collins found paydirt from three yards out to make it a 34-0 ballgame heading into the final quarter.

Early in the fourth, Anderson drove to the Defiance 13-yard line and looked to be headed to a possible score when Proulx posted his second INT of the game, but this time returned it 91 yards for the score and ruined any momentum the Ravens may have gained, making the score 41-0 with 13:37 to go.  The very next Anderson possession, the Ravens threw another "pick-six" when DC's Slayton scampered 42 yards to the endzone for the final Yellow Jacket TD of the day as DC led 48-0 with 12:40 to go in the game.  Anderson spoiled the shutout late in the quarter on a two-yard TD run with just 25 seconds remaining that capped a 15-play, 80-yard drive.  But the Yellow Jackets already had the game well in hand and cruised to the 48-7 final.

Anderson had 239 yards of total offense (62 rushing and 177 passing) with quarterback Brady Cavinee completing 20-of-41 passes for 160 yards and six interceptions.  Joshua Adkins led the Ravens on the ground with 25 yards on 10 carries.  Wideout Willie Robinson caught a team-tying high six passes for 34 yards.  Garrett Colley also had six receptions and posted 26 yards.  Defensively, the Ravens were led by Nate Moser with a gaem-high 14 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss, a fumble forced and a fumble recovery.

Defiance will host league-leader Franklin (Ind.) College next Saturday, Nov. 8 in a HCAC game and the home finale at Coressel Stadium.  It will also be senior day with kickoff scheduled for 1:30 p.m.