Saturday, November 22
Valparaiso, Ind.
2:00 p.m.
Davidson College
1-11 , 0-8
13
at
27
Valparaiso
4-8 , 2-6
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Davidson
7
0
0
6
13
Valparaiso
7
3
7
10
27
Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
44-Year-Old Davidson Record Falls Despite Finale Loss
11/22/2014 6:42:00 PM | Football
Postgame Interview (Apologies for quality issues in spots) | Buy photos at DavidsonPhotos.com
VALPARAISO, Ind. – William Morris broke the school single-season receiving yards record and Matt Casey recorded a career-high 16 tackles in his final game, but it was not enough for Davidson, as Valparaiso outlasted the Wildcats, 27-13, in Pioneer Football League action Saturday afternoon on Brown Field
It was the season finale for both teams, as Davidson finished at 1-11 overall and 0-8 in PFL play, while Valparaiso finished at 4-8 and 2-6 in PFL play.
Davidson trailed by three at halftime and pulled within four points early in the fourth quarter on Jeffrey Keil's second touchdown of the game, but Jarrett Morgan returned the ensuing kickoff 74 yards to the Davidson 19 yard line to setup a Crusader touchdown, and Valpo would add another field goal for the final margin.
Morris caught 10 passes for 122 yards to finish with 1,224 yards receiving for the season, breaking the record of 1,128 that had been held by Mike Mikolayunas since 1970 (although Mikolayunas amassed his record in just 10 games, while Davidson played a program-record 12 games this season.) Morris also finished with 98 receptions, the second most in a season at Davidson, and will enter next season needing 344 yards receiving to match the school's all-time receiving yards record.
Also leading the Wildcat offense was Keil, who totaled 153 all-purpose yards, as he rushed 26 times for 132 yards and caught three passes for 21 yards. Quarterback Taylor Mitchell completed 20-of-37 pass attempts for 222 yards with one interception.
Matt Casey stamped his place in the Davidson record books on the other side of the ball. His 16 stops gave him a career high 110 for the season – the third most in Davidson history – and 269 for his career – the eighth most in Davidson history.
Valparaiso also posted big numbers on the offensive side of the ball though, led by quarterback Ben Lehman who completed 26-of-33 passing attempts for 284 yards and two touchdowns. Andrew Cassara caught both touchdown passes, totaling five receptions for 49 yards, but Tanner Kuramata matched Morris' 10-catch, 122-yard performance as Lehman's top target. Brandon Hall led the ground attack with 19 carries for 83 yards. He, Lehman and four other rushers totaled 147 rushing yards.
Davidson got on the scoreboard first, as Keil rushed 12 yards for a touchdown with 4:11 remaining in the first quarter, capping a nine-play, 80-yard drive. Valpo answered on its next possession though, as Lehman completed passes of 26, 17 and 16 yards, respectively, to setup first-and-goal from the one. Grayson Bastin then punched the ball in to tie the game at 7-7.
The second quarter was scoreless until Jacob Newman converted a 36-yard field goal for the Crusaders just before the halftime break. Both teams failed to convert fourth downs on the fringes of field goal range earlier in the frame.
Lehman and Cassara then connected on a 20-yard touchdown play on the Crusaders' first drive of the second half, and Valpo appeared to be poised to score on its next possession, but William Curran forced a fumble that was recovered by Colin Merrill at the Davidson 3.
The Wildcats then drove 97 yards on 13 plays in 6 minutes, 31 seconds for a touchdown to pull within four, as freshman Trevor Smith suffered his first missed extra point try after converting his first 28.
After the big kickoff return, the Crusaders added 10 more points, and then Dale Cook intercepted a deflected ball at midfield with 2:37 remaining to stifle the 'Cats' comeback attempt.
Notes: It was Davidson's first-ever loss in regulation against Valparaiso, as the 'Cats lead the all-time series, 7-2 … Game captains for Davidson were seniors Matt Casey, Nelson White, Trey Huelskamp and Bryant Bednarek.
VALPARAISO, Ind. – William Morris broke the school single-season receiving yards record and Matt Casey recorded a career-high 16 tackles in his final game, but it was not enough for Davidson, as Valparaiso outlasted the Wildcats, 27-13, in Pioneer Football League action Saturday afternoon on Brown Field
It was the season finale for both teams, as Davidson finished at 1-11 overall and 0-8 in PFL play, while Valparaiso finished at 4-8 and 2-6 in PFL play.
Davidson trailed by three at halftime and pulled within four points early in the fourth quarter on Jeffrey Keil's second touchdown of the game, but Jarrett Morgan returned the ensuing kickoff 74 yards to the Davidson 19 yard line to setup a Crusader touchdown, and Valpo would add another field goal for the final margin.
Morris caught 10 passes for 122 yards to finish with 1,224 yards receiving for the season, breaking the record of 1,128 that had been held by Mike Mikolayunas since 1970 (although Mikolayunas amassed his record in just 10 games, while Davidson played a program-record 12 games this season.) Morris also finished with 98 receptions, the second most in a season at Davidson, and will enter next season needing 344 yards receiving to match the school's all-time receiving yards record.
Also leading the Wildcat offense was Keil, who totaled 153 all-purpose yards, as he rushed 26 times for 132 yards and caught three passes for 21 yards. Quarterback Taylor Mitchell completed 20-of-37 pass attempts for 222 yards with one interception.
Matt Casey stamped his place in the Davidson record books on the other side of the ball. His 16 stops gave him a career high 110 for the season – the third most in Davidson history – and 269 for his career – the eighth most in Davidson history.
Valparaiso also posted big numbers on the offensive side of the ball though, led by quarterback Ben Lehman who completed 26-of-33 passing attempts for 284 yards and two touchdowns. Andrew Cassara caught both touchdown passes, totaling five receptions for 49 yards, but Tanner Kuramata matched Morris' 10-catch, 122-yard performance as Lehman's top target. Brandon Hall led the ground attack with 19 carries for 83 yards. He, Lehman and four other rushers totaled 147 rushing yards.
Davidson got on the scoreboard first, as Keil rushed 12 yards for a touchdown with 4:11 remaining in the first quarter, capping a nine-play, 80-yard drive. Valpo answered on its next possession though, as Lehman completed passes of 26, 17 and 16 yards, respectively, to setup first-and-goal from the one. Grayson Bastin then punched the ball in to tie the game at 7-7.
The second quarter was scoreless until Jacob Newman converted a 36-yard field goal for the Crusaders just before the halftime break. Both teams failed to convert fourth downs on the fringes of field goal range earlier in the frame.
Lehman and Cassara then connected on a 20-yard touchdown play on the Crusaders' first drive of the second half, and Valpo appeared to be poised to score on its next possession, but William Curran forced a fumble that was recovered by Colin Merrill at the Davidson 3.
The Wildcats then drove 97 yards on 13 plays in 6 minutes, 31 seconds for a touchdown to pull within four, as freshman Trevor Smith suffered his first missed extra point try after converting his first 28.
After the big kickoff return, the Crusaders added 10 more points, and then Dale Cook intercepted a deflected ball at midfield with 2:37 remaining to stifle the 'Cats' comeback attempt.
Notes: It was Davidson's first-ever loss in regulation against Valparaiso, as the 'Cats lead the all-time series, 7-2 … Game captains for Davidson were seniors Matt Casey, Nelson White, Trey Huelskamp and Bryant Bednarek.
Team Stats
DAV
VALPO
Total Yards
358
427
Pass Yards
222
284
Rushing Yards
136
143
Penalty Yards
25
40
1st Downs
22
24
3rd Downs
7
9
4th Downs
1
0
TOP
28:10
31:50
1st Quarter
DAV 7, VALPO 0
DAV - Jeffrey Keil 12 yd run (Trevor Smith kick), 9 plays, 80 yards, TOP 4:18
DAV 7, VALPO 7
VALPO - BASTIN, Grayson 1 yd run (NEWMAN, Jacob kick), 6 plays, 60 yards, TOP 2:26
2nd Quarter
DAV 7, VALPO 10
VALPO - NEWMAN, Jacob 36 yd field goal 7 plays, 45 yards, TOP 0:37
3rd Quarter
DAV 7, VALPO 17
VALPO - CASSARA, Andrew 20 yd pass from LEHMAN, Ben (NEWMAN, Jacob kick) 11 plays, 80 yards, TOP 5:06
4th Quarter
DAV 13, VALPO 17
DAV - Jeffrey Keil 1 yd run (Trevor Smith kickfailed), 13 plays, 97 yards, TOP 6:17
DAV 13, VALPO 24
VALPO - CASSARA, Andrew 8 yd pass from LEHMAN, Ben (NEWMAN, Jacob kick) 2 plays, 19 yards, TOP 0:36
DAV 13, VALPO 27
VALPO - NEWMAN, Jacob 21 yd field goal 10 plays, 47 yards, TOP 5:11
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
20
TD
0
YDS
222
INT
1
Players Mentioned
DB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DB
/ FootballQB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
K/P
/ Football
OL
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