Sanchez kick, late defense give Yellow Jackets win over rival Bluffton in season finale

On a snowy Saturday afternoon in Bluffton, Ohio, the Yellow Jackets closed out their season with a 17-14 victory over rival Bluffton. 

The Basics

• Records: Defiance (3-7, 3-4) Bluffton (2-8, 2-5)

• Location: Salzman Stadium - Bluffton, Ohio

• Attendance: 600

Inside The Numbers

• Jordan Ambrose threw for 66 yards and rushed for 57 yards.

• Ambrose had one rushing touchdown in the contest.

• Machari Bighams rushed for 67 yards and one touchdown and put the Jackets ahead 7-0 early in the game.

• Bighams had three catches in the game as well.

• Tawann Rome caught two passes.

• Cole Recker took over punting duties and tallied 281 yards on eight kicks and pinning one inside the 20 yard line.

• Jaylen Redd led the team in tackles with 10 and one of those was a tackle for loss.

• Justin Caballero and Richard Pope IV each recorded eight tackles while Rigo Villa and Thomas Coltrain had seven.

• Kobe Dade picked off Bluffton quarterback Bobby Bourke once.

• Justin Caballero and Richard Pope IV each recovered one fumble apiece.

• Bluffton QB Bourke threw for 81 yards and one touchdown.

• Running Back Maalik Tucker had 88 yards on the ground. 

• Tyler Davis had a team high seven tackles and one interception for the Beavers.

The Difference

• Zeke Sanchez kicked a 23 yard field goal to put the Yellow Jackets ahead 17-14 with 2:42 remaining in the game and that would prove to be the game winner.

• On the ensuing possession, CJ Thompson would return the kickoff to the Defiance 46 yard line. Bluffton had the ball down to the Defiance 22 yard line but back to back penalties put the Beavers in a 2nd and 32 from the Defiance 44 yard line. The Defiance defense would hold as they forced back to back incomplete passes before Bluffton completed a 13 yard pass on fourth down but it wasn't enough as Bluffton was forced to turn it over on downs. Defiance ended the game with one kneel down.

• The Yellow Jackets forced three Bluffton turnovers.