High Scoring Fourth Quarter Gives DC Loss Against Hanover

HANOVER, IND.  --  The Defiance College football team led, 20-7, heading into the fourth quarter, but a 20-point period by Hanover (Ind.) College resulted in a 27-20 loss for the Yellow Jackets in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game in Hanover, Ind.

Defiance (4-4, 3-3 HCAC) won the total yardage battle, 399-308, with solid individual efforts both on the ground and through the air.  Junior quraterback Logan Scott (Curtice/Genoa) completed 25-of-44 passes for 271 yards and had three touchdowns.  Scott's top target was senior Cody Wilson (McComb) who caught game and career-highs of 14 receptions for 134 yards to go along with a TD.  On the ground, sophomore Corey Bennett (Tampa, Fla./Blake) led the Yellow Jacket rushers with 88 yards in 24 attempts (3.7 yards per rush).

Defensively, DC was led by sophomore Jalin Nealy (Pontiac, Mich./West Bloomfield) who had a game-tying high 10 tackles (seven solo and three assists), including two tackles for loss and a quarterback sack.  He also had a forced fumble and two pass breakups.

Hanover (3-5, 3-3 HCAC) got on the board first in the opening quarter on a two-yard TD run that was set up by an earlier fumble recovery.  Defiance answered on its ensuing possession, marching 75 yards in 11 plays, and ending with a six-yard pass completion from Scott to Wilson to even the game at 7-7 after the first 15 minutes.

The Yellow Jackets scored the go-ahead score at the 4:40 minute mark of the second quarter when Scott connected with freshman wide receiver DeVonte Cravin (Ama, La./Hahnville) for a 58-yard completion to make the score 14-7.  Cravin would end up with seven receptions for the game and 93 yards in addition to the TD.  DC looked to possibly extend the margin just before the end of the half, but the drive would stall and the Jackets turned the ball over on downs with half a minute to go.  The Panthers were content to kneel down to let the remaining time run out as DC led, 14-7, at the break.

In the third quarter, Defiance struck again when Scott tossed his third TD of the game.  This time to junior Tyler Gillig (Tiffin/Tiffin Columbian) on a seven-yard strike that capped a 14-play, 58-yard drive.  The extra point attempt would miss its mark, but the Jackets still led, 20-14, heading into the fourth quarter.

Hanover cut into the DC lead by scoring on its first possession of the fourth quarter with a 29-yard completion, making the score 20-14.  Defiance maintained its six-point margin late in the quarter, but the Panthers got the ball back with just over a minute-and-a-half left to play.  Starting at their own 29-yard line and beginning the drive with back-to-back incompletions, the Panthers then completed four straight passes of more than 10 yards to move into DC territory.  

Later in the drive, DC forced a third and 20 for Hanover, but back-to-back pass plays of 17 and 27 yards put the Panthers in the endzone with 32 seconds remaining to tie the game at 20-20.  The extra point attempt was good, putting Hanover ahead by a point, 21-20.  Following consecutive sacks on DC's ensuing drive and an incompletion, the Jackets were forced into a fourth down play that ended in a fumble at their own two-yard line and recovered by Hanover which turned it into another TD and gave the Panthers the 27-20 victory.

Defiance will return home to host Mount St. Joseph University in the home finale next Saturday, Nov. 5 at Justin F. Coressel Stadium.  The game is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.