Takayla Gadberry, sports information alumna
BLUFFTON, Ohio – The Bluffton University football team wrapped up its 2022 campaign with a hard-fought 17-14 loss, and with it the prized Hammer, to Defiance College on a cold and snowy Saturday, Nov. 12. The Beavers ended their season with a 2-8 mark (2-5 HCAC) while the Yellow Jackets improved to 3-7 (3-4 HCAC).
It was a quiet first half as Defiance was the only team to make it into the endzone for a 7-0 lead going into the half. The visitors capitalized on a fumble when Bluffton put it on the ground just over a minute into the game. The Yellow Jackets made it 14-0 early in the third before Bluffton's Bobby Bourke (Commerce, MI/Albion) connected with CJ Thompson (Indianapolis, IN/Park Tudor) for the first Beaver touchdown at the 7:53 mark of quarter three.
Bluffton tied it up at 14 apiece when Treavon Cummings (Leesburg, FL/First Academy) hit paydirt with 7:59 left in regulation. With just under three minutes to play, Defiance nailed a 23-yard field goal to secure their 17-14 victory over the home team.
Bourke went 9-of-18 for 81 yards in the loss. Maalik Tucker (Fostoria) tallied 26 runs for 88 yards with Kainan Stoner (Belle Center/Benjamin Logan) adding 24 yards on 14 attempts. Tucker also hauled in three catches for 32 yards. Ethan Beringer (Findlay/Carey) was one off his pace with two receptions for 31 yards.
Tyler Davis (Rittman) powered the Beavers defensively with seven total tackles and one interception. Keith Holmes Jr (Toledo/St. Francis DeSales) added six tackles and two quarterback hurries to his stat line. Brady Welker (Delphos/Jefferson) and Nick Perry (Northwood/Lake) had sacks for the Beavers while also bringing down six and five ball carriers, respectively.
Both teams moved the chains fourteen times during the game. Defiance racked up 223 yards of total offense, including 157 on the ground, compared to 191 for Bluffton. The Beavers finished with one more sack (2-1) but they also fumbled it away twice.
Stay tuned to the Bluffton Athletics website for HCAC awards next week. Go Beavers!
-BEAVERS-
