DC Football Edged by Mount St. Joseph

DEFIANCE, OHIO  --  The Defiance College football team fell short of Mount St. Joseph University, 21-20, in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game and the home finale at Justin F. Coressel Stadium on senior day.

Senior Cody Wilson (McComb) had a career day accounting for 201 of the team's 371 yards of total offense and either scored or was part of each Yellow Jacket score.  On the ground, he finished with a career and game-high 142 yards on 17 carries (8.4 yards per rush) and two scores.  He also competed all three passes he attempted and had a TD.  As a receiver, Wilson caught a team-best three passes and had 22 yards.  

Sophomore Corey Bennett (Tampa, Fla./Blake) also had a strong day on the ground wtih 94 rushing yards on 23 attempts (4.1 yards per attempt) as DC rushed for a season-high of 261 yards in the game.  

Junior Logan Scott (Curtice/Genoa) completed nine-of-21 passes for 73 yards.  Freshman wide receiver DeVonte Cravin (Ama, La./Hahnville) recorded two receptions for a team-high 33 yards.

Defensively for the Jackets, the duo of Moncrief and senior Matt DeVore (Van Buren) led the way with six tackles each.  Moncrief also added a tackle for loss and a forced fumble, while DeVore recorded 1.5 tackles for loss, including a sack.  

The game got off to a rough start for Defiance (4-5, 3-4 HCAC) as the Jackets turned the ball over on its first three possessions of the first quarter.  But Mount St. Joseph (6-4, 6-2 HCAC) couldn't take full advantage as the turnovers only led to seven points which came off of the third DC turnover on an 11-yard pass play at the 5:10 minute mark.  The first MSJ drive ended in an errant 46-yard field goal attempt and the second long distance attempt on its next possession was blocked by senior Kenny Jones (Toledo/Bowsher).  The lone touchdown was the only points of the period, as MSJ led, 7-0 after the first 15 minutes.

MSJ added to its lead early in the second quarter on a 33-yard completion to increase the deficit to 14-0 with 9:48 left in the half.  Following the ensuing DC drive that ended in a fourth down play from the Lion 16-yard line, the Jackets capitalized on a MSJ turnover on a fumble that was forced by junior Markell Moncrief (Detroit, Mich./Southfield/Lathrup) and then recovered by Jones at the Lion 27-yard line.  Four plays later, Wilson turned a 12-yard scamper into the Jackets' first TD of the game with just under a minute to go.  MSJ allowed the remaining seconds to run out, but DC went into the locker rooms having cut the margin in half, 14-7.

Defiance continued its momentum in the third quarter.  After forcing MSJ to punt on its opening possession, the Jackets scored on a 56-yard run by Wilson to even the game at, 14-14, with 11:06 left in the quarter.  The two squads then traded possessions until the Lions scored the go-ahead score on a three-yard rush to cap a nine-play, 79-yard drive to regain the lead, 21-14, heading into the fourth quarter.

In a drive that started at the 2:24 minute mark of the third quarter following the MSJ score, Defiance put together an 18-play, 66-yard drive that spanned 9:49 and ended in Wilson completing a pass to junior Chase McLendon (Imlay City, Mich./Imlay City) to pull the Jackets to within a point, 21-20, with 7:41 to go in the game.  The extra point attempt after the score missed its mark, keeping the deficit at a point, 21-20.  

DC got the ball back on MSJ's next drive with a interception by sophomore Dalin Brown (Port St. Lucie, Fla./St. Lucie West Centennial) on the Lions' first play from scrimmage.  The Yellow Jackets eventually would be forced into a fourth-and-three play, which led to a three yard rush by Wilson and a pair of unsportsmanlike penalties by MSJ, resulted in DC having the ball at the Lion 14-yard line.  But the drive would stall and ended in an interception with 2:43 remaining that sealed the victory for MSJ, 21-20.

Defiance will conclude the 2016 season next Saturday, Nov. 12 when the Jackets travel to Bluffton, Ohio for a HCAC matchup against Bluffton University.  The game is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.