Saturday, October 24
Davidson, N.C.
1:00 p.m.
Davidson College
16
vs
21
Drake
Michael Blanchard had 160 yards of total offense.
Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Big Plays Lift Drake Over Davidson 21-16
10/24/2009 3:55:03 PM | Football
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Drake quarterback Mike Piatkowski threw for 220 yards, and Michael Lahart returned a blocked field goal 58 yards for a touchdown to spark the Bulldogs to a 21-16 Pioneer Football League victory over Davidson Saturday afternoon at Richardson Stadium.
Michael Blanchard completed 14 passes for 125 yards and ran for 35 yards for the Wildcats (2-5, 2-3 PFL), while Andrew Aldrich caught six passes for 54 yards. The Davidson defense had six sacks in the game with Tyler Lemons leading the way with two, and Peter Kidwell got his second career interception to go along with eight hits.
Stephen Platek ran five times for 75 yards and caught a pass for 64 yards for the Bulldogs (6-1, 4-0 PFL), who maintained their share of first place in the conference.
Platek had a 63-yard run for a touchdown to erase a three-point halftime deficit for the Bulldogs, and his 64-yard reception late in the first quarter set up Drake's first touchdown of the game.
Drake's third big play of the game proved to be the difference. Trailing 14-10, the Wildcats attempted a 43-yard field goal, but Drake came through the left side of the line with Ben Morrison getting the block. Lahart scooped up the ball and had a clear path to the end zone for a commanding 21-10 lead with 4:53 left in the third quarter.
“It's like a broken record,” Davidson coach Tripp Merritt said. “It boils down to four or five big plays every game. We missed a block on that field goal, and we work on it and talk about it every day.”
Davidson used a 13-play, 74-yard scoring drive to get back in the game in the fourth quarter. Blanchard found Mark Hanabury for a 21-yard reception and hit Justin Williams with a 22-yard pass on a fake reverse later in the drive. Blanchard scored his second touchdown of the day on a draw from five yards out, but his pass attempt fell incomplete on the two-point try, leaving the margin at 21-16 with 5:54 left.
Drake converted two third down plays on its next possession to help burn some clock, but the Wildcat defense stopped the Bulldogs on their own 39-yard line. Brandon Wubs' punt pinned Davidson at the 5-yard line with 1:57 remaining, and the Bulldog defense took care of the rest. John Sawhill sacked Blanchard on 3rd-and-5, setting up 4th-and-14 from the 1-yard line. Blanchard's throw to Hanabury sailed high, sealing the win for Drake.
Trailing 7-0, the Wildcats got on the scoreboard midway through the second quarter, when Blanchard capped an eight-play, 62-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. Kenny Mantuo set up the score with a 34-yard scamper on 3rd-and-11.
Davidson used the two-minute offense to get a Ben Behrendt 29-yard field goal and 10-7 lead at halftime. Malcolm Moses-Hampton sacked Piatkowski to force a Drake punt from their own 25. Wubs' punt went just 19 yards, giving the Wildcats great field position at the Bulldog 44-yard line. Blanchard rushed four times for 25 yards to help move the ball to the 19 for the field goal that went through with a second left in the half.
“I thought we played a really solid first half against a very solid football team,” said Merritt. “We just have to continue and try to get better each week.”
The Wildcats open a two-game road trip at Butler next Saturday at noon.
Game Notes: Andrew Wohler had a 69-yard punt in the second quarter, the longest of his career and three yards shy of the school record… Kidwell has both Davidson interceptions this season, and they have come in consecutive weeks… It was the most sacks in a game for the 'Cats since Oct. 26, 2002, when they recorded seven in a 31-0 victory over Wesley… Butler maintained a share of first place in the PFL with a 23-16 victory at Campbell today, meaning the Wildcats will play an opponent with a share of first in the PFL standings for a third consecutive week.
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