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Hope College

Scoreboard

#BeStrongBeTrue
The 2025 Hope College Football team poses a photo at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium.
Geskus Photography
55
Winner Hope HOP 4-1 , 1-1
35
Trine TRI 3-2 , 1-1
Winner
Hope HOP
4-1 , 1-1
55
Final
35
Trine TRI
3-2 , 1-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
HOP Hope 14 14 7 20 55
TRI Trine 7 7 14 7 35

Game Recap: Football | | Alan Babbitt

No. 20/No. 23 Football Overpowers Trine on the Road

Two recovered fumbles and three fourth-quarter touchdowns over a span of six minutes helped the nationally-ranked Hope College football team secure a 55-35 victory at Trine University on Saturday.

The Flying Dutchmen — No. 20 in this week's D3football.com poll and No. 23 in the American Football Coaches Association rankings — erupted for their highest-scoring game against the Thunder.

After defeating the Thunder for the sixth consecutive season, Hope heads into a bye week with a 4-1 record and a 1-1 mark in MIAA play. The Flying Dutchmen dropped Trine to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the MIAA standings.

Head coach Peter Stuursma said he was proud of how his team battled through a challenging week and game following a controversial overtime loss that attracted nationwide attention.

"It was a long week. I think we sometimes underestimate how hard something like last week was, with everything now on social media," Stuursma said. "I thought we came out slow, which is on me, but I thought at the end we pulled away. We needed this one to put the bad taste out of our mouths from last week. The bonus now is we're getting a bye week." 

Hope's next game is Saturday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m. against Kalamazoo College at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium for the One Big Weekend homecoming and family celebration.

The Flying Dutchmen led 35-28 when they put together a 13-play, 70-yard scoring drive that lasted 7 ½ minutes. Sophomore running back AJ Martel (Mason, Michigan / Mason) closed it with a 1-yard touchdown run with 8:37 remaining.

Senior linebacker Micah Bush (Hudsonville, Michigan / Unity Christian) then recovered a Trine fumble at the Thunder 41-yard line after a reception. Six plays later, freshman running Trey Goike (White Lake, Michigan / Orchard Lake St. Mary's Preparatory) sprinted 7 yards up the middle in the end zone for a 48-28 lead with 3:50 remaining.

A strip sack from senior defensive lineman Caleb Paarlberg (Caledonia, Michigan / Caledonia) on Trine's next first play from scrimmage delivered a fumble that senior defensive lineman Liam Danitz (West Branch, Michigan / Ogemaw Heights) recovered at the Trine 20-yard line 

Martel quickly found the end zone, rushing twice for 20 yards, including a 3-yard score, for a 55-28 lead with 2:51 remaining.

The 55 points are Hope's most against Trine since a 51-0 road victory in 2019.

Junior quarterback Alex Thole (Schoolcraft, Michigan / Schoolcraft) threw for 312 yards and four touchdowns, completing 19-of-29 passes.

Thole connected on touchdown strikes of 31 yards to junior receiver Kaden DeHorn (Caledonia, Michigan / Caledonia), 27 yards to junior receiver Jonny Rohen-Blanton (Rockford, Michigan / Rockford), 80 yards to senior Travis Myers (Ada, Michigan / Forest Hills Northern) and 38 yards to junior receiver Trevor Griffiths (Stevensville, Michigan / Lakeshore).

Rohen-Blanton topped the Flying Dutchmen in catches with seven and receiving yards with 117.

Hope totaled 566 yards of total offense, including 240 on the ground. Sophomore running back Kal Motter (Lawton, Michigan / Lawton) ran for a season-high 103 yards on seven carries, including a 63-yard score that broke a 14-14 tie with 2:36 remaining in the first half.

Defensively, Hope recovered three fumbles. Senior linebacker Colton Schreur (Wayland, Michigan / South Christian) led the Flying Dutchmen with 10 tackles. Danitz had nine tackles and two fumble recoveries.
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