Hope (Mich.) College scored the go-ahead touchdown with 2:18 left in the game and an encouraging effort for Lakeland College ended sourly with a 25-22 loss Saturday afternoon at Taylor Field.
The Muskies showed noted improvement from their opener two weeks earlier, challenging a very good Hope team for four quarters and finishing just a couple plays from victory. The Flying Dutchmen had the last word in a back-and-forth game, though, sending Lakeland to its second consecutive non-conference loss to a quality opponent.
The Muskies used big plays in all three facets of the game to play Hope (2-1 overall) on even terms throughout. Lakeland committed four turnovers, though, including three in the second half, just enough for the visitors to capitalize late.
Hope's winning drive started after the Muskies were held on downs on 4th-and-inches with less than four minutes to play. The Flying Dutchmen struck quickly, going 60 yards in just six plays, with Robert Kish finding Taylor Brynaert for a 3-yard score on 3rd-and-goal to go ahead 25-20.
Lakeland came back quickly, as A.J. Veloz (Fr.-Whiting, Ind.) hit Michael Esiobu (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.) for nine yards and Kezlow Smith (Jr.-Pontiac, Mich.) for 27 yards down to the Hope 37. On the next play, though, Veloz went deep and was intercepted by Kirby Crook with 1:27 to play, effectively ending the Muskies' chances. The Flying Dutchmen ran off almost all of the remaining time, taking a safety on fourth down and then stopping a final return of the ensuing free kick.
Lakeland rebounded from a slow start offensively to stun the Flying Dutchmen with a series of blows from the second quarter on. It started on the Muskies' second offensive play of the second quarter, when Veloz went up top to Smith down the right sideline, and the junior made a juggling catch and outran the defense for a 71-yard touchdown catch to cut an early deficit down to 10-7.
Hope came back later in the quarter with a field goal, but Lakeland struck right back again, as Peyton Petersen (Fr.-Farmington Hills, Mich.) took the kickoff all the way back, 93 yards for a touchdown. Rhen Riehl (Fr.-Appleton, Wis.) hit the extra point, and the Muskies suddenly had a 14-13 lead that they would take into halftime.
The Flying Dutchmen took the lead in the third quarter, taking advantage of a Lakeland fumble in Hope territory and driving 28 yards for a touchdown and a 19-14 lead. The defense kept the Muskies in the game, though, twice holding on downs, and the second hold put the team in position to retake the lead in the fourth quarter.
Lakeland completed two fourth downs on a 14-play, 54-yard drive to go ahead. Veloz first went deep on 4th-and-12, finding Michael Wynn (So.-Detroit, Mich.) for 26 yards down to the one-foot line, and then found Smith out in the flat on 4th-and-goal from the Hope 4, with Smith keeping his footing on a wet field and dancing past two for the touchdown.
Wynn and Smith both had big days receiving, playing big roles as Veloz passed for 278 yards in his second collegiate start. Wynn caught 11 passes for 108 yards, while Smith was the home-run threat again with five catches for 128 yards and the two touchdowns.
The teams were virtually even in offense, with Hope gaining 340 yards to the Muskies' 333. Lakeland struggled to run, though, gaining just 47 yards on 24 attempts.
The defensive leaders included Patrick Johnson (Sr.-Pontiac, Mich.) and Landon Derginer (Jr.-Marinette, Wis.), who finished with 11 and 10 tackles, respectively. Yaphay Harvey (Sr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) added nine tackles including two tackles for loss and one sack, Devin Fears (So.-Pontiac, Mich.) posted a career-high seven tackles, and Jake LaFleur (Jr.-Manitowoc, Wis.) added six tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss. The Muskies also got big interceptions from freshmen Donte Rowell (Chicago, Ill.) and Dajuan Darling (Detroit, Mich.).
The game was part of the third year of the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Challenge. Lakeland and Hope were matched as a result of both finishing second in their respective conferences last year. NACC teams hosted this year's matchups, but the MIAA won six of the seven games on Saturday.
Lakeland concludes its non-conference schedule next week when it travels to Kenosha to face Carthage College, with game time scheduled for 6 p.m.
Flying Dutchmen score late to edge Muskies, 25-22
/seasons/2014/boxscores/20140920_4eju.xml
2014
Hope
25
Lakeland
22
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hope (2-1) | 10 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 25 |
| Lakeland (0-2) | 0 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 22 |
Sep 20, 2014