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Defensive lineman Connor Naklizki rushes the quarterback vs. Olivet.
Lynne Powe
Senior Connor Naklizki (55), pictured
0
Olivet OLV 5-2 , 1-2
23
Winner Hope HPE 4-4 , 1-3
Olivet OLV
5-2 , 1-2
0
Final
23
Hope HPE
4-4 , 1-3
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
OLV Olivet 0 0 0 0 0
HPE Hope 7 13 3 0 23

Game Recap: Football | | Greg Chandler

Football Smothers Olivet for Shutout on One Big Weekend

The Hope College football team snapped a three-game losing streak with a dominating performance Saturday afternoon as the Flying Dutchmen shut out Olivet College, 23-0, in front of a homecoming crowd of 4,101 fans at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium.
 
The win, Hope's first of the season in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play, evened the Flying Dutchmen's record at 4-4. The Comets, who opened the season with six consecutive wins, lost their second straight game. The shutout was the sixth for the Flying Dutchmen in the tenure of head coach Peter Stuursma.
 
The Flying Dutchmen shut down an Olivet offense that entered the game as the top offense in the MIAA at nearly 504 yards per game, and the 4th-best rushing attack in NCAA Division III at 338 yards a game. Hope held the Comets to 156 yards of total offense, including just 64 yards on the ground, in dealing Olivet its first shutout defeat since 2012.
 
"Was it a total, complete game? Not yet," Stuursma said after the game. "But to come off what we've come off the past three weeks, that was a huge statement for our guys. It was fun to see the joy in our guys' faces for the first time in a few weeks."
 
Hope jumped on the Comets from the outset. After a 37-yard kickoff return to begin the game by senior wide receiver Carter Nofziger of Pandora, Ohio (Pandora Gilboa), the Dutchmen drove 48 yards in nine plays to open the scoring. 
 
Senior running back Daniel Romano of Royal Oak, Michigan (Royal Oak Shrine Catholic) finished the drive off with a 1-yard touchdown run. Senior placekicker Dylan Hillger of Holly, Michigan (Lake Fenton) added the extra point for a 7-0 Hope lead.
 
Olivet had a glorious opportunity to even the score early in the second quarter after the Comets recovered a bad snap and returned it to the Hope 12-yard-line. But two plays later, the Comets fumbled and sophomore linebacker Cole Luhmann of Rochester, Michigan (Stoney Creek) recovered.
 
The Flying Dutchmen then drove 85 yards in 10 plays to extend their lead. A 42-yard pass from senior quarterback Chase Brown of Comstock Park, Michigan (Comstock Park) to senior wide receiver TJ McKenzie of Muskegon, Michigan (North Muskegon) put the ball at the Olivet 3-yard-line. 
 
Two plays later, sophomore quarterback Chance Strickland of Mason, Michigan (Mason) went over the left side for a 4-yard touchdown run to boost Hope's lead to 14-0.
 
After the Hope defense forced a three-and-out, the Flying Dutchmen special teams came up with a big play. Luhmann blocked the punt by Olivet's Brendan Sine, and sophomore running back Ja'Kaurie Kirkland of Grand Rapids, Michigan (Northview) recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. The Flying Dutchmen led 20-0 at halftime.
 
The Hope defense limited Olivet to one first down and 36 yards of total offense, including just five rushing yards, in the game's first 30 minutes.
 
"Our defensive line has been playing eight, nine guys up front. We finally got some pressure, that helped," Stuursma said.
 
Hope added to its lead in the third quarter on a 28-yard field goal by Hillger.
 
Olivet drove to the Hope 5-yard-line late in the third quarter, but the Flying Dutchmen stiffened and forced the Comets to turn the ball over on downs. Then in the fourth quarter, the Comets drove to the Hope 22 before junior linebacker Jackson Bush of Hudsonville, Michigan (Unity Christian) intercepted a pass to quelch Olivet's last chance to avert the shutout. 
 
Hope finished with 394 yards total offense, 162 on the ground and 232 through the air. Brown completed 13 of 23 passes for 232 yards, with McKenzie being his leading target with seven receptions for 146 yards.
 
"TJ was outstanding. He's a big target," Stuursma said. "He goes up for the ball. He made some big plays, taking the first down and moving the chains."
 
Romano led the Hope ground attack with 84 yards on 17 carries.
 
Luhmann made seven tackles to go along with his fumble recovery and blocked punt. Junior cornerback Trevor Hansen of Wyoming, Michigan (Grand Rapids South Christian) also made seven tackles and freshman defensive lineman Caleb Paarlberg of Alto, Michigan (Caledonia) made six stops. 
 
Sophomore free safety Sam Cochran of Zeeland, Michigan (Zeeland East) made a diving interception.
 
Hope closes out the home portion of its season on Saturday, Oct. 29 against Kalamazoo College at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium in the traditional Battle for the Wooden Shoes. It will be Senior Day. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

 
Gallery: (10-22-2022) Football vs. Olivet
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