Offensive Woes Sink Yellow Jackets on Senior Day

DEFIANCE, OHIO – The Defiance College Yellow Jackets dropped a heartbreaker Saturday afternoon at Coressel Stadium on senior day to rival Bluffton, 33-26.

Prior to the contest DC recognized seniors Jacob Bickel, Jerome Davis III, Kolton Davis, Dan Delorieux, Morgan Daugherty, Tyler Gillig, Reed Guerin, Paul Collins, Bryan Mestre, Nate Hicks, Brian Jackson, Ricardo Jimenez, Daiton Lemmon, John McKinney, Chase McLendon, Markell Moncrief, Donte Owens, Logan Scott, Lucas Singleton and Greg Ward, Jr. for their hardwork and dedication to the DC football program.

Defiance finished the game with 275 total yards of offense, including 218 through the air. Junior Corey Bennett led the offensive charge with 20 carriers for a team-best 71-yards. Freshman Logan Mico finished the day with 218 yards and two touchdowns.

The Yellow Jackets (2-8 overall, 2-6 HCAC) struck first in the contest after the DC defense forced a Bluffton three-and-out on its opening drive. Freshman quarterback, Mico showed off his range early as he connected with freshman Shamonde Sanders for a 43-yard completion that found Defiance in the end zone, 7-0.

 Bluffton responded midway through the first quarter as the defense forced a Mico fumble putting the Beavers in the driver seat. BU traveled 62-yards on 10 plays to knot the contest at 7-7. The Beaver defense continued to apply the pressure as another Mico miscue gave Bluffton its first lead of the contest, 14-7.

The Purple and Gold defense brought the hammer much of the second quarter as the Yellow Jackets forced a BU fumble that set up the go ahead score. On the ensuing drive Bennett went to work on the ground leading DC 25-yards on five plays to tie the contest 14-14. The Defiance defense continued to bring the pain as junior Jalin Nealy picked off Bluffton quarterback Brandon Koch.

The Yellow Jacket aerial attack struck again as Mico connected with sophomore Jason Santora on fourth down late in the second quarter to extend the DC drive. However, the Bluffton defense held strong holding the Purple and Gold to a 31-yard field goal to enter the break, 17-14.

The two teams exchanged the ball for much of the third quarter before another Defiance miscue in Bluffton territory led to an eight play 54-yard field goal tying the contest once more, 17-17. Bluffton continued to catch the Yellow Jackets on their heels as an onside kick set up the Beaver offense at the 50-yard line.

However, the Defiance defense came through in the clutch stalling the Bluffton offense and forcing a BU punt that ended in a safety. Davis pursued the miss snap before the Bluffton kicker sent it out the back of the end zone putting Defiance on top, 19-17.

The Beavers continued to hang around as they responded once more late in the third quarter traveling 47-yards on six plays to regain the 25-19 advantage.

Defiance would close out the third quarter with its final score of the contest taking the ball 62-yards, including a 38-yard hook up between Mico and Sanders to claim its final lead of the game, 26-25.

Bluffton continued to march the ball across the field as a 30-yard run inside Defiance territory secured the victory.

The contest concludes the 2017 season.