Ave Maria, FL – It would take a little longer than the standard 60 minutes of game play in a college football game, but the Patriots would come away with a season opening win over the Gyrenes of Ave Maria University 30-23 in overtime on Saturday night on Gyrenes Field. After
Martize Smith would score the eventual game-winning touchdown in overtime, a big sack from
Kumi Sarpong, Jr. would give the Gyrenes a 15-yard loss and an fourth and 23. An incomplete pass on fourth down gave the Patriots the win, pushing them to 1-0 on the year and into a bye week.
The first quarter was rather quiet as the only points scored came off the foot of Patriot
Devon McMillin, who buried a 22-yard field goal to make it 3-0 Patriots. Continuing a drive from the end of the first, the Gyrenes' Devyn McCormick would drill a 47-yard field goal of his own to tie the game up at 3-3 with 14 minutes remaining in the half. Ave Maria would take a lead on their next possession as it was a steady dose of Kristian Marks, as he finally would punch in the game's first touchdown from seven yards out to give the Gyrenes a 10-3 lead.
McCormick would add another field goal, this one from 38 yards out, on their next possession, extending their lead to the largest of the game at 13-3 with just over four minutes left. Cumberlands would respond quickly after the field goal as
Nyre Holden would break off a run of 74 yards, taking it to the house for a touchdown to cut the lead to 13-10 after a McMillin PAT. Both teams would get one more possession, but would punt away, giving UC a slight deficit entering halftime.
With the Gyrenes getting the ball to start the half, the UC defense would come up big. On third and six,
Jeremiah Baker would force a fumble that would be recovered by Jeremiah McKibben to give UC great field position on the Ave 25 yard line. The first play would see Patriot quarterback
Josiah Robbins go to the air and find
Weston Hayes in the end zone for a touchdown. The McMillin PAT was good as UC would retake the lead 17-13 early in the third.
The Gyrenes would answer again, this time on a 15 yard strike from Marks to J. Mauricette as Ave Maria stole the lead back, this time at 20-17 and 10 to play in the third. Cumberlands would respond again on their next drive, a ten play affair that covered 86 yards and was capped by a one yard TD run from
Marquez Trigg. McMillin's point after was wide though as the Patriots led just 23-20 with four remaining in the third. Ave would drive down the field on their next possession but would settle for a 32 yard field goal, tying the game at 23-23 entering the fourth. There, both teams would struggle early to move the football, but late in the game would have field goal attempts of 50+ yards that would miss to send the game to overtime where the Patriots would come away victorious.
On the day,
Josiah Robbins would have a solid outing going 9-18 for 152 yards and a TD while carrying the ball seven times for 57 yards.
Nyre Holden (6 carries, 85 yards),
Martize Smith (9 carries, 55 yards), and
Marquez Trigg (9 carries, 28 yards) would all score on the ground in this one. The lone receiving TD would come from
Weston Hayes, who caught two passes for 34 yards. Six Patriots would catch a pass on the night.
Defensively, UC was led by
Tyler Pendleton with 13 total tackles with a sack.
Kumi Sarpong, Jr. added nine tackles with a sack and a tackle and a half for loss.
Keshawn Catlett chipped in eight tackles including a tackle for loss and an interception. UC held the Gyrenes to 293 total yards on the night on 72 plays.
The Patriots will now have a bye week before their home opening contest against the Warriors of Webber International on Thursday, September 19
th. Kickoff is slated for 7 pm.
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