yardKALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Kalamazoo College football team improved to 3-0 with a 42-35 win over Defiance College Saturday afternoon at Angell Field.
Defiance scored on its opening drive, going 75 yards on 12 plays ending with a 12-yard run for a touchdown.
Kalamazoo responded on its first play from scrimmage with a 60-yard touchdown pass from Josh Nichols to Jonah Spates.
Defiance would score again early in the second quarter to go up 14-7. Conner Bell scored on a 22-yard reception with 1:30 left to make it a 14-13 game just before halftime.
After a Defiance touchdown midway through the third, Kalamazoo scored on a Jonah Spates 17-yard reception with 5:26 left followed by a Lucas Hanifan 58-yard touchdown reception with 2:14 left to give the Hornets their first lead of the game (28-21).
Defiance tied it up with a touchdown with 8:10 left in the fourth. Sheldon Riley scored on 4-yard reception with 6:46 left as Kalamazoo regained the lead, 35-28. Defiance tied it again just over a minute later on a 52-yard score, making it 35-35.
Jon Brunette scored on a 4-yard run with 2:16 left in regulation, giving Kalamazoo a 42-35 lead. Defiance advanced to Kalamazoo's 34 and threw an incomplete pass to the end zone as time expired.
Defiance had 663 yards of total offense compared to 435 by Kalamazoo.
Josh Nichols was 18-of-37 passing for 289 yards with five touchdowns. He also rushed for 42 yards on 11 carries.
Lucas Hanifan had four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. Jonah Spates had three catches for 79 yards with two touchdowns. Conner Bell had four catches for 38 yards and a touchdown. Nate Clark had three catches for 37 yards.
Sheldon Riley ran for 62 yards on five catches. He also had two catches for 37 yards and a score. Jon Brunette finished with 38 yards on eight carries with a touchdown.
Tommy Kartes led the Hornet defense with 15 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Gabe Meyers finished with 11 tackles. Corey Garrison had 10 tackles with a fumble recovery.
Jack Miller, Carson Deines, Adam Stapleton and Bryce Balabuch each had nine tackles. Deines also forced a fumble.
Kalamazoo is off next week before opening MIAA play at Albion on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 1 p.m.