Nov. 14, 2009

Final Stats

ADRIAN, Mich. - The 2009 season came to a close on Saturday night for the Adrian football team as the senior class walked off the field one last time with a 45-20 win over Olivet. The Bulldogs finished 6-4 in 2009 and tied for second place in the MIAA with Albion at 4-2.

The night began with the Bulldogs looking at a 14-0 deficit before the Comets even ran a single offensive play. Adrian took the opening kick and moved down in eight plays to the Olivet 11-yard line but Mike McGee was intercepted at the four by Jared Thornton and he raced 96 yards for a touchdown at the 12:18 mark. Three plays later, McGee was picked off by Jarred Goodman at the Adrian 46 and he took it to the house to give Olivet a 14-0 lead in the game's first 3:32.

After that it was the Justin Hemm show as the freshman guided Adrian to six touchdown drives and a field goal drive to finish the contest. It took a couple of series to get the ball rolling but once it did, the Bulldogs had Olivet reeling. Hemm found Nick Hemmingsen on a 26-yard touchdown pass on Adrian's first possession of the second quarter to cut the lead to 14-7. After a three-and-out by the Comets, Adrian cut the lead to 14-10 as senior Justin Warner booted a 23-yard field goal with 2:41 left in the first half.

Olivet increased their lead to 20-10 on a four-play drive as Mike Martin took a pass from Tony Phillips and raced 18 yards with 26 seconds left in the half. Adrian had the big play of the game as they scored on the final play of the half as Hemm carried 28 yards as time expired to put Adrian within three at 20-17 at intermission.

Adrian gained the lead for the first time on their first possession of the second half. Hemm found Stevie Freeman in the back corner of the end zone after Hemm bought time with his legs and rolled out of the pocket to the left before firing a 19-yard strike. Olivet moved the ball into Adrian territory at the 31, but misfired on fourth-and-six on their next possession.

Freeman and Hemm connected again on AC's next possession, this time on a deep route. Freeman got behind the defense and hauled in the ball before stiff-arming an Olivet cornerback at the 10-yard line. The play covered 56 yards and put Adrian up 31-20 at the 2:25 mark of the third quarter.

One of the highlight plays of the year came next after Austin Fritz picked off Phillips and rumbled to the Olivet 29. Jared Edwards took a swing pass and ran to the 10-yard line where he hurdled a defender and walked into the end zone to the delight of the Bulldog fans. The 29-yard score began to salt away the win for Adrian as they took a 38-20 lead with 2:03 left in the third.

Senior Jackson Hanks caught the final touchdown pass of the season as he was wide open in the left flat and went nine yards to paydirt untouched. The score capped off a 10-play, 81-yard drive which took 4:46. Adrian led 45-20 with 10:02 remaining in the game.

The Bulldogs had their second-best offensive game of the season with 513 yards. AC threw for 347 yards and ran for another 166 yards on 40 carries. Hemm was 16-of-18 passing for 300 yards and tied a school record with five touchdowns. He entered the game without throwing for a score this season. He also ran the ball 16 times for 48 yards and another score accounting for 348 total yards.

Edwards led the rushing attack with 10 carries for 73 yards. Senior Joe Beehler led the team with seven catches for 91 yards. Freeman went over the century mark for the first time this season with 107 yards on five grabs with two touchdowns. Junior Danny Taylor led the defensive effort with nine tackles. Adrian held Olivet to 213 yards of total offense. Fritz had six tackles, one sack for a loss of nine yards and the big interception in the third quarter.