DC's Second Half Comeback Negated By Late Hanover Score

DEFIANCE, Ohio - The Defiance College comeback effort Saturday afternoon was negated with a late touchdown by Hanover as the Yellow Jackets fell to Hanover 25-21.

After Defiance (3-5, 3-3 HCAC) trailed 12-0 at the half, the Yellow Jackets rallied to lead 21-19 late in the fourth quarter. After a DC drive went three-and-out, an Aaron Spence punt was muffed by Hanover (3-4, 3-2 HCAC) returner Layne Turner. Defiance's Jon Day came out of the pile with the ball, but referees awarded the ball to Hanover and the Panthers capitalized on the opportunity.

With 30 seconds left, Panthers quarterback Dexter Britt found Spencer Corrao wide open on a 3rd-and-9 for a 36-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead.

Defiance struggled in the first half, giving up 12 points despite holding Hanover to 12 total yards of offense in the first 30 minutes.

Hanover opened up the scoring in the first quarter when John Holtkamp scooped up a fumbled snap that went over quarterback Alex Larson's head and Holtkamp returned it for a 60-yard fumble recovery touchdown play.

The Panthers then capitalized on a downed punt inside the one-yard line. Three plays later, the Panthers kept DC in the backfield for a safety, going up 9-0.

Hanover took a 12-0 lead after capitalizing on an interception late in the fourth quarter that led to a 42-yard field goal.

In the second half, Defiance mounted a comeback, taking a 21-19 lead late in the game.

Larson put Defiance on the scoreboard with a 15-yard touchdown strike to Trey White. The touchdown capped off a 10-play, 66-yard drive. The score was Larson's eighth touchdown pass of the year and White became the first receiver with multiple touchdown grabs on the season.

Later in the game, Daniel Collins added a touchdown run and followed it up with a touchdown reception to give DC the lead. Collins' touchdown run came from 14 yards out and capitalized on the only Hanover turnover in the game.

Collins finished the game as the team's leading rusher with 39 yards.

His touchdown reception from Larson was a 7-yard pass play and was one of his two catches on the day for 35 yards.

Hanover's first touchdown in the second half came on a Dexter Britt touchdown run of nine yards, capping off a 61-yard drive, the longest of the game for the Panthers.

The Yellow Jacket defense held Hanover to 22 yards of total offense through the first 14 Hanover drives in the game. In Hanover's final three drives, the Panthers compiled 140 yards for a total of 162 in the game.

For the eighth-straight week, Defiance put up more total yards of offense, after passing and rushing for a combined 233 yards in the game, as well as leading time of possession (32:22).

The Yellow Jackets will hit the road for their final road game of the season next week. DC will travel to the HCAC leading Franklin Grizzlies for a 1:30 p.m. kick on Saturday.