By Mitch Blankespoor
HOLLAND, Mich. – The Kalamazoo College football team traveled to Ray and Sue Smith Stadium for the Battle of the Wooden Shoes Saturday, Oct. 26. The game marked the 93rd meeting between Kalamazoo and Hope. The game was also the first ever night game at Hope. A bad first quarter proved too be Kalamazoo's undoing as the Hornets fell to Hope 27-17 in front of 1,465 fans.
After Kalamazoo's opening drive stalled, Hope marched 62 yards on seven plays to score the opening touchdown. The Flying Dutchmen would add a field goal midway through the second quarter. Hope senior running back Shawn Jackson scored his second touchdown of the day with 3:22 remaining in the first half. Hope led 17-0, but K did not quit.
With just over a minute remaining in the half, sophomore quarterback Justin Danzy connected on a 40-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Aaron McGuire. The Hornets went into the break trailing 17-7.
"We came out flat to start the game," Kalamazoo Head Coach Jaime Zorbo said in a post-game interview. "You can't spot a good team 17 points like that."
The Hornets stopped Hope on its first possession in the third quarter and responded by driving in Flying Dutchmen territory. A holding penalty stalled the drive, and K was forced to punt.
Kalamazoo kept up the defensive pressure when Hope quarterback Michael Atwell was intercepted by Kalamazoo cornerback Octavius Sanders. His return put K inside Hope territory. The Hope defense stiffened, holding the Hornets to a field goal.
After another Hope three-and-out, Kalamazoo opened up the fourth quarter with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Danzy to wide receiver Josh Wise. The point after went through the uprights, and the game was tied at 17.
"Our guys showed heart to battle back and tie the game," said Zorbo. "We just came up a little bit short."
The Hornet defense forced Hope into a third and long on the next drive, but a pass interference call gave the Flying Dutchmen a first down. K again stepped up on defense, forcing a fourth down and six from the 30-yard line. Hope Head Coach Dean Kreps, who won his 100th Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) game, elected to go for the end zone. Atwell rolled out and found Matt Kroll open for a touchdown. A late field goal sealed the game in Hope's favor.
"Give credit to Coach [Ryan] McElwain and his staff," Zorbo said. "The defense made some big plays in the third quarter that really sparked out team."
Danzy, who came in averaging 341 yards passing, finished with 382 yards and two touchdowns. Wise finished with 10 catches for 137 yards and one touchdown. Sophomore running back Elijah Hamilton-Wray caught 10 passes for 70 yards and chipped in 47 yards on the ground.
Jackson carried the weight for Hope with 140 yards on 38 carries.
Defensively, linebacker Dylan Zerki was credit with 10.5 tackles and one and a half sacks while Connor Rzeznik added eight tackles.
Kalamazoo finished with 372 total yards compared to 323 for Hope. Both teams committed two turnovers.
The Hornets fall to 3-4 on the season and 1-2 in the MIAA. Kalamazoo returns to action Saturday, Nov. 2, when the Hornets host Adrian College for a 1:00 p.m. contest.