Junior Jimmie Clark ran for a career-high 110 yards, classmate Steven Moses added 88 on the ground and junior defensive lineman DeAndre Jennings notched his first career touchdown to highlight a 41-10 Adrian rout over host Manchester in a non-conference football game on Saturday.
THE BASICS
= Final Score: Adrian College 41, Manchester University 10
= Location: Spartan Stadium; Weather: Mostly Cloudy, 60 degrees, Wind S 13 mph
= Records: Adrian Bulldogs 1-1 overall (0-0 MIAA); Manchester Spartans, 0-2 overall (0-0 HCAC)
TOP DAWGS
= Clark and Moses were very efficient in their rush attempts as Clark averaged 11 yards on 10 carries and Moses--a converted defensive back--had a 9.8 yards per attempt clip.
= Jennings finished with a game-high seven tackles (9 total), but the highlight of his night was a 60-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
= Junior transfer Kyle Minder from Siena Height University posted eight total stops (5 solo), a tackle-for-loss (5 yards) and an interception.
= Freshman Alan Roberson (4 solo), junior Malik Ray (3 solo, 1 interception) and freshman JaJuan Stokes (4 solo, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 2 pass break-ups) added six total tackles apiece.
= Freshman Preston Smith had two catches for 40 yards.
THE OPPOSITION
= Levar Lesure led all receivers with nine catches and 67 yards with a TD.
= Jabari Webb paced all defenders with 10 total stops, including five solo. Conner Sherwin (3 solo) and Devontay Moore (4 solo) chipped in nine total tackles each.
= Cameron Parker rushed 19 times for 67 yards.
= Bryce Tomasi completed 22 of 34 passes for 158 yards.
HOW IT HAPPENED
= The Bulldogs scored on their first three possessions to take a 12-0 lead with 14 minutes and 48 seconds remaining in the first half. Junior Cooper West sandwiched field goals of 35 and 29 yards around a 19-yard TD run from Moses at the 5:42 mark of the first quarter.
= Adrian rolled up 356 yards of total offense, including 251 via the ground, while holding Manchester to just 197 yards through the air and 63 yards rushing.
= Manchester got on the scoreboard to close the first-half scoring on a 19-yard field goal by Andrew Kibler with 3 seconds left to make it 12-3 at halftime. That capped a scoring drive of 16 plays in 89 yards in 7:17.
= Sophomore tight end Luke Heide scored his first career touchdown on a 19-yard reception that gave Adrian a 19-3 lead with 12:01 left in the third quarter.
= The scoring in the third quarter continued for the Bulldogs who built their advantage to 34-3 after Jennings picked up a strip-sack forced fumble by Stokes and returned it 60 yards into the end zone at 3:48 and Clark ran for a 25-yard score at 1:34.
= At 7:59 of the fourth quarter, Manchester scored its lone TD when Dylan Paul found Lesure for a 5-yard TD pass. The score made it 34-10 AC.
= The Bulldogs wrapped up the scoring 6:50 later as sophomore Jerome Neal had a 5-yard TD plunge. Sophomore Mitchell Mallek recorded his second interception in as many starts to set up the Adrian offense at the MU13 after the 47-yard return.
= Manchester held a significant time of possession (35:53 to 24:07), but was stymied by a 26.0-yard punting average and four turnovers.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
= Adrian now leads the all-time series, 9-3, including a four-game winning streak over the Spartans. Today was the first meeting since 1981 when the Bulldogs were victorious 44-0.
= In nine wins against Manchester, the average combined score in Adrian's favor has been 28-5.
= Junior quarterback Jack Wurzer's career passing ranking on Adrian's all-time charts include third in yards (4,787), third in touchdowns (43), fifth in completions (329) and sixth in attempts (573).
UP NEXT
= Adrian is scheduled to play non-conference opponent Bluffton University in Bluffton, Ohio, next Saturday at 1:30 p.m.