The Baker University Wildcats defeated the Ottawa University Braves 20-12 on Saturday night at Peoples Bank Field.
The Wildcats took off early in the game with two touchdowns and 212 yards in the first quarter.
First, Clarence Clark ran the ball from the 54-yard line and then scored the extra point.
Then, Baker University missed a field goal attempt with 5:18 left in the first quarter, but responded with another touchdown, when Alex Stebbins ran it in from one-yard line with 2:05 left in the first quarter. Clark’s kick was good, and Baker was up 14-0.
Ottawa’s offense did not have much success in the first quarter. The three drives the team had were controlled by the Wildcat’s defense.
The first good opportunity the Braves had to score came with 8:19 left in the second quarter, when Senior Jeff Stamp missed a field goal attempt from the 37-yard line with 5:18 left.
The Braves’ defense did its job in the second quarter and the offense finally responded, when senior Luke Lundy ran the ball from the six-yard line for the touchdown. Stamp’s extra point kick was not good and the score stayed 14-6 for Baker.
After halftime, OU’s defense kept stopping Baker, and allowed the offense to reduce the deficit once again, when senior Michael Behr ran the ball in on a quarterback keeper from the two-yard line with 2:26 left in the third quarter.
The Braves tried the two-point conversion, but it was not good, so Baker led 14-12.
It looked like the comeback was possible, but Baker’s defense stepped up and stopped the Braves’ drives.
Then, Camren Torneden, Baker’s most valuable player in this game, ran the ball for a 50-yard touchdown. Baker missed the extra point attempt, which gave the Braves a last chance to try to tie the game.
However, Baker’s defense stayed solid and the game ended 20-12.
The Braves had 332 yards of offense, 192 on the ground and 140 through the air.
Baker, on the other hand, had 393 yard of offense, 181 after the first quarter, with 183 rushing and 210 yards passing.
Luke Lundy had a game high 134 yards rushing and one touchdown.
Michael Behr went 10-for-18 through the air for 140 yards and one rushing touchdown.
Seniors Deron Bruce and DeVontae Corbitt, and sophomore Kyle Helsley, led the Braves with six tackles each. Bruce had three tackles for loss.
For Baker, Camren Torneden had 130 rushing yards, with a touchdown, and Nick Marra completed 17 passes in 27 attempts for 200 yards.
This game was the last edition of the Clash of Counties because Baker University’s conference, the Heart of America Athletic Conference, is adding two more teams, so Baker’s schedule will be full, because the NAIA only allows 11 regular season games.
Next, the Ottawa Braves will face Benedictine College, ranked 11th in the nation, in Atchison, Kan. next Saturday.