Saturday, October 23
Des Moines, Iowa
1:00 pm (CST)
Davidson College
10
at
42
Drake
Carkhuff broke a Davidson record with 41 completions.
Quick Drake Scores Break Open Game, Ruin Carkhuff’s Record Day
10/23/2010 4:45:49 PM | Football
DES MOINES, Iowa – Davidson freshman quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff broke a 37-year-old school record by completing 41 passes, but the Wildcats gave up 28 4th-quarter points and fell 42-10 in a Pioneer Football League game at Drake on a windy Saturday afternoon.
Carkhuff threw for 306 yards, completing 41-of-56 attempts and passing Dave Harper's 37 completions against William & Mary in 1973. Carkhuff threw to eight different receivers, led by Lanny Funsten, who caught 10 passes for 102 yards. Justin Williams finished with eight catches for 37 yards, Jonathan Adams posted six catches for 43 markers and Josh Yost had six receptions for 37 yards.
“Drake has one of the best defensive lines in the league so we knew running the ball was going to be tough,” said Davidson coach Tripp Merritt. “We wanted to use a short, quick, controlled passing game, and I thought Jonathan executed it very well. He took some big shots but got up every time, kept fighting and never quit.”
Piatkowski led the Drake offense by completing 19-of-27 passes for 222 yards and three touchdowns while also running for a score. Stephen Platek, Drew Blackmon and Ben Sabal each caught TD passes.
The Bulldogs took two interceptions back for touchdowns in the contest, which proved too much for the Wildcats to overcome, despite outgaining Drake 337-290 and holding a 16-minute edge in time of possession.
With Davidson trailing 14-7, Ben Behrendt knocked in a 21-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to get within four points. Carkhuff combined with Yost to convert two big third downs during the scoring drive. The first was a 4-yard gain on 3rd-and-3, and the second was a 13-yard pickup on 3rd-and-8.
The Bulldogs answered right back with three scores in just over six minutes. Piatkowski hit Pat Cashmore with a 35-yard completion on 3rd-and-long in the middle of the field, then a few a plays later, he found Drew Blackmon for a 27-yard touchdown and a 21-10 Drake lead with 10:25 to play.
Mike Lahart scored just 1:31 later, picking off a Carkhuff pass and going 40 yards for a touchdown and a 28-10 Drake cushion. Drake made it three scores in six minutes as Ben Sabal caught a 13-yard TD pass from Piatkowski.
“It's 14-10 with Drake facing 3rd-and-long in the fourth quarter, and I'm feeling pretty good,” said Merritt. “All of a sudden, they are 40 yards down the field. That was a big, big play in the game.”
Drake got on the scoreboard first after getting some good field position. Andrew Wohler's punt got caught up in the wind, and the Bulldogs took over at the Davidson 39-yard line.
Piatkowski found Platek for a 27-yard pass completion on 3rd-and-8 early in the drive, and then on 3rd-and-goal, the duo combined again for an 11-yard TD pass and a 7-0 Bulldog lead 4:26 into the second quarter.
On Davidson's ensuing possession, Dain Taylor jumped into the passing lane on a Carkhuff screen pass, picked it off and rambled down the left sideline for a 36-yard touchdown just 2:50 later for to put the Bulldogs ahead 14-0.
Carkhuff capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Justin Williams with 14 seconds left in the half to trim the margin to 14-7 at the break.
Carkhuff opened the two-minute offense with a 31-yard pass to Funsten, and the freshman found Michael Blanchard for an 11-yard gain on 3rd-and-3 from the Bulldog 13 to set up the score.
The Wildcats return home to face PFL opponent Dayton next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
Game Notes: It was Williams' 21st touchdown, and the senior is just two points away from moving into the top-10 in career scoring at Davidson… Funsten's, Williams', Adams' and Yosts' reception totals were career highs… It was the first 300-yard game for a Wildcat since Ryan Alexander had 364 against Dayton in 2008.
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