Sept. 9, 2006

Turnovers spoil Bulldogs' Opener
Adrian suffers first shutout since 2004

By Ed Patino, Sports Information Assistant

ADRIAN, Mich.-- With all the hype surrounding the season opener, this wasn’t what the Adrian College Bulldogs were planning on.

A sluggish offense and turnovers proved costly as the Bulldogs were dealt a 10-0 loss to the Defiance College Yellow Jackets, spoiling the opening of the new Adrian College Performance Stadium.

The Bulldogs were held to 241 total yards of offense in the game. Adrian’s defense held Defiance (1-1) in check throughout the contest, allowing only 208 yards of offense, but the Jackets forced five Adrian turnovers.

Defiance defeated the Bulldogs for the first time since 2002 when it recorded a victory at Maple Stadium. Adrian had won the previous three meetings, the last two by shutout.

The trouble began on Adrian’s second possession when Andy Denryter’s pass was intercepted at the Bulldogs’ 40-yard line. The Bulldogs stopped Defiance’s fourth down try at the 14-yard line on the ensuing possession when Aaron Kieltyka sacked Defiance quarterback Hans Vetter.

Both teams traded stalled drives until the Jackets put together 15-play, 67-yard midway through the second quarter and took the lead on 25-yard field goal.

Denryter and running back TJ Williams got the Bulldogs moving on the next drive. Denryter hit Desmond Upshaw and Brian McKenna for consecutive first down completions, then Williams’ 11-yard run put the Bulldogs at the Defiance 26. However, a personal foul penalty backed Adrian to the 45-yard line, then Denryter was intercepted on the next play.

Defiance took a 3-0 lead into halftime.

Adrian forced Vetter to fumble on the first possession of the second half, which Mark Westenberg recovered for the Bulldogs at the Defiance 35. The Bulldogs drove to the 6-yard line, but Denryter was hit and intercepted by the Yellow Jackets.

Other turnover, this time a fumble at the Adrian 22, set up Defiance’s next score. Jason Gendron ran in a 27-yard touchdown with 8:10 remaining in the game.

The Bulldogs still had life with 4:46 left went Defiance had a field goal blocked. Eric Himich then completed a 46-yard pass to Upshaw, then hit Chester Evans and Phil Widzinski on consecutive completions. However, James Spencer’s 42-yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar with 1:20 remaining, ending Adrian’s comeback hopes.

Despite the loss, the Bulldogs had another strong defensive effort. Tavarski “Taz” Wallace had a game-high 17 tackles to lead Adrian. Wallace’s eighth tackle gave him 300 for his career. Kyle Dunaj added eight tackles, while Kieltyka and Steven Spratt each made seven tackles.

Wallace had 1 ½ sacks, while Kieltyka recorded a sack.

Denryter completed 14-of-24 passes for 190 yards, but was intercepted four times. Himich was 6-of-10 passing for 87 yards. Evans led the Adrian receivers with six catches for 40 yards, while Patrick Reagan had five catches for 20 yards. Upshaw had three catches for 78 yards for the Bulldogs, and McKenna made three catches for 38 yards. TJ Williams had 44 yards on 12 carries to lead the Bulldogs’ rushing attack.

Vetter was 8-of-17 passing for 63 yards for Defiance and ran 15 times for 55 yards. Gendron had 61 yards on 13 carries for the Yellow Jackets.

The Bulldogs will host Bluffton University on Sept. 16 at 1 p.m. Adrian defeated the Beavers 45-21 in last year’s game at Bluffton.