Sept. 5, 2009

Final Stats

ADRIAN, Mich. - The Adrian College football team dropped a 31-21 decision in their season opener on Saturday night to Capital University. The Bulldogs were looking for a bit of revenge after last year's loss to open the season, but fell just short against a talented Crusader squad.

The Crusaders opened the game clicking on offense and scored on their first three possessions. Garrett Bennington opened the scoring with a 25-yard field goal on the first drive of the night to give Capital a 3-0 lead. CU increased their lead to 9-0 with 6:31 remaining in the first as Matt Merritt ran it in from 11 yards.

Adrian got on the board with a quick strike offense. Mike McGee found Jared Edwards streaking down the home sideline and Edwards raced 61 yards for a score making a great move to avoid a tackle at the 10-yard line and barreling into the end zone. Justin Warner added the PAT and the Bulldogs were within two with 5:59 left in the first.

Dominic D'Andrea scored from two yards out on the third possession of the game for Capital capping off a 10-play, 64-yard drive to make it 17-7 after a two-point conversion run by Nathan Siebenaller. Adrian had an answer through the air as McGee connected with Stevie Freeman for a 44-yard TD strike with 12:55 left in the second to cut the lead to 17-14.

Matt White caught a 26-yard scoring pass from Marty Assmann with 5:51 left in the second to give Capital a 24-13 advantage. Justin Judd, a defensive end, came into the ballgame in short-yardage late in the second and scored a rushing touchdown from four yards to once again cut the lead to three at 24-21 going into the locker room. Adrian had a key goal line stand at the end of the first half which kept the score a three-point deficit.

Both defenses made adjustments in the second half and after combining for 480 yards in the first half and 45 points, it came down to just seven points scored by Capital in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

Adrian made one stand after another on defense, but the offense could not shift momentum. The Crusaders matched the Bulldogs stop for stop and Kevin Wehby's 13-yard touchdown grab with 7:28 to go put the finishing touches on a win for Capital.

McGee finished the game with a career-high 305 passing yards and two touchdowns. He was sacked five times and completed 19-of-34 throws with no interceptions. Justin Hemm was the leading receiver with four catches for 86 yards. The running game was extinct all night gaining just 14 yards on 28 carries. Adrian had 319 yards of total offense and allowed 487 to Capital.

The Crusaders held the ball for five and a half minutes more than Adrian. Neither team was very successful on third downs. Capital was 5-of-15 while Adrian was 4-of-15. Danny Taylor led the defense with a career-high 15 tackles including one and a half tackles for loss. Rodney Donald added 14 tackles and one tackle for loss.