Hanover’s defense delivers big plays to defeat DC on senior day

DEFIANCE, Ohio – After both defenses set the tone during the first two quarters, the Hanover Panthers outscored the Defiance Yellow Jackets 21-0 in the second half to give the Yellow Jackets a 31-7 loss in Saturday's senior day game at Justin F. Coressel Stadium. 

The Yellow Jackets (3-7) posted the first points of the game when defensive end Dominic Harris pounced on a fumble at the goal line, which was mishandled by the Panthers (6-3) on a play fake deep in their own end. Despite owning the only points of the first quarter, Defiance was shut out the remainder of the game with 31 unanswered points by Hanover.

Defiance's defense had one of the team's strongest starts to the season by forcing Hanover into two punts before scoring the team's second defensive score of the year. Hanover showed signs of offensive life with a 56-yard pass play converted a third-and-20 to prime the Panthers for their first points of the game. However, the Yellow Jackets pushed Hanover back on two straight plays with tackles for loss by Tyshawn Woodson and Jerry Addo-Boateng to force a field goal try from 33 yards away, which Clint Hearne clanked through off the right upright with 12:56 left in the half. The two teams exchanged three-and-outs and lengthy drives that did not yield points just ahead of the two-minute warning.

Hanover added to the defensive-themed first half with a strip sack of their own to grab the lead with 2:06 left in the second. Facing a second down at their own 20, Hanover's Noah Caswell dislodged the ball on a sack of quarterback Garret Bogart and was recovered by David Wall with the ball rolling towards the end zone, resulting in a Panthers touchdown.

With neither team able to punch the ball in during the first half, the Panthers recorded three scores in the second half while keeping seven digits on Defiance's side the scoreboard. Eian Roudebush threw touchdowns of 22 yards to Mason Williams and brother Eric from four yards out before a 10-yard rush of his own to put the game away with 2:56 left in the fourth. 

THE TURNING POINT
The game's biggest moment ended without any points being scored. After Hanover claimed a 10-7 lead on a fumble recovery, the Yellow Jackets shook off that play with a successful two-minute drill. Bogart led the offense on a 12-play drive that included a crucial conversion on fourth-and-6, a 26-yard pass over the middle to Tawann Rome that landed DC inside the 10. An eight-yard pass to Deveon Williams advanced the Jackets to the 1-yard line but two rush plays in the final 23 seconds failed to break the plane. The Yellow Jackets took the ball to start the second trailing 10-7 and were stifled to a 3-and-out. Hanover's offense was energized by the two big stands by the defense and scored their first offensive touchdown on their first possession of the second half, extending their lead to 10 points.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Caleb Gabes recorded his team-best fourth interception early in the fourth quarter. It was the freshman safety's third straight home game with an interception. 
• On the ensuing drive, Hanover recorded their lone interception of the game of Garret Bogart to even the turnover margin for the contest. Bogart was looking for Caleb Johnson in the back-left corner and some hand-fighting was occurring when Hanover's Saadiq Pasha gained favorable position to intercept the football, which extinguished Defiance's offensive momentum early in the fourth quarter.
• It was a tale of two halves in terms of total yardage. Defiance had the upper hand before halftime by outgaining the Panthers 153 to 110. After the break, Hanover held Defiance to 92 yards and posted 233 yards of offense.
• By halftime, the Yellow Jackets trailed 10-7 but it was the third straight home game allowing 10 points or fewer.
• Garret Bogart was tabbed the starting quarterback for the first time this season. The freshman from Bluffton was awarded the nod due to an injury to senior Jehlani Warren. Bogart finished 18-for-41 for 178 yards.
• Deveon Williams was the top receiver for Defiance for the third time this season. He had seven catches for 66 yards and also ran the ball twice for 14.
• Defensively, Antonio Rosser was all over the field with a season-high 15 tackles. He also recorded one sack with the most tackles by a Yellow Jacket defender this year.
• Tyshawn Woodson also logged double figures in tackles with 10.
• DC had three total sacks along with Rosser's one. Richard Pope IV recorded career sack No. 31 while Davidson Leconte Jr. had one takedown of the quarterback.

UP NEXT
Defiance travels to arch-rival Bluffton for the season finale next Saturday. Kickoff against the Beavers is scheduled for 1 p.m.

-JACKETS-