Football Falls to Bluffton in Season Finale

BLUFFTON, OHIO  --  Defiance College sophomore wide receiver Darius Harper (Jacksonville, Fla./Robert E. Lee) caught a team-high seven passes for 94 yards and caught both of the Yellow Jackets' offensive touchdowns in a 44-23 loss against Bluffton University in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and season finale at Dwight Salzman Stadium in Bluffton.

Harper's 94 yards were part of a 321 total yard effort for the Yellow Jackets (150 rushing and 171 passing) on the day.  Sophomore quarterback Alex Larson (Highland, Mich./Milford) completed 14-of-26 passes for 131 yards and a TD while senior QB Garrett Teague (Webberville, Mich./Webberville) completed his only pass attempt for a 40-yard touchdown in the final collegiate game of his career.  On the ground, senior Trevon Burrell (Auburn Hills, Mich./Avondale) rushed for 85 yards on 16 carries to lead the team. 

On defense, freshman safety Angello Proulx (Warren, Mich./Mott) had a game-high 10 tackles (seven solo and three assists) to go along with a tackle for loss and a forced fumble.

Following a three-and-out by Defiance (3-7, 3-5 HCAC) to begin the game, Bluffton (6-4, 6-2 HCAC) began its first drive with a 37-yard completion and 16-yard toss which later led to a 14-yard TD completion to strike first and make it a 7-0 ball game at the 12:13 minute mark.  On their next drive, the Beavers marched to the Defiance eight yard line, but the Yellow Jacket defense held firm and kept Bluffton out of the endzone and settled for a 25-yard field goal to round out the scoring in the first period.  

Defiance got on the board early in the second quarter with a 21-yard field goal by senior Spencer Saunders (Springfield/Southeastern Local) that capped an 11-play, 50-yard drive to narrow the gap to 10-3 at the 11:35 mark.  Bluffton answered the field goal with a 27-yard TD pass play on its ensuing possession to extend the margin to 17-3.  The Beaver defense then put the offense in excellent scoring position with an interception on Defiance's next drive that put the ball at the Yellow Jacket 11-yard line.  Bluffton found the endzone on its first play from scrimmage on an 11-yard scamper to increase the margin to 23-3 with 6:35 to go in the half.  The TD run would be the final scoring play of the half as the Beavers took a 23-3 advantage into the locker room.

In the third quarter, Bluffton picked up right where it left off offensively scoring on its first possession which ended in a one-yard TD completion to blow the game open, 30-3, at the 12;52 mark.  On Defiance's ensuing drive, the Yellow Jackets would be forced to punt.  Defiance forced a fumble on the punt reception which was recovered by sophomore Kenny Jones (Toledo/Bowsher) in the endzone for the TD to give Defiance a spark and cut the deficit to 30-9.  The final points of the period came with 4:48 to go when Bluffton's QB completed his fourth TD pass of the game, this time from 26-yards out, to make it a 37-9 game heading into the fourth quarter.

Defiance outscored Bluffton, 14-7, in the final period with both of the Yellow Jackets' toucdowns coming on completions to Harper.  Harper scored his first TD of the game at the 6:13 mark when Larson found Harper from 14 yards out.  Bluffton tallied its final score following the Harper TD before Teague found Harper for his second score of the game with 22 seconds to go on a 40-yard play.  The two scores would come a little to late for Defiance as Bluffton went on to claim the 44-23 victory.

Bluffton totaled 441 yards of offense (154 rushing and 287 passing) and was led by quarterback Nick Sheehan who completed 20-of-27 passes for 287 yards and five TD.  Jack Tomlinson led all receivers with game-highs of 10 catches for 157 yards and four TD.  Running back Eric Fox led the ground attack with 100 yards on 24 touches.  Defensively the duo of Miguel Alicia and Tyrone White led the way with seven tackles each.  White also added a half tackle for loss and an interception.