Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
WHEATON, Ill. – Quarterback Spencer Krauss (Tipton/Clinton) passed for 216 yards and running back Clinton Orr (Buchanan) rolled up 234 all purpose yards, but Albion College had a difficult time keeping eighth-ranked Wheaton College from scoring in the second half. The Thunder scored touchdowns on four of their five second half possessions to turn back the upset-minded Britons, 54-34.
Albion matched Wheaton's scoring production in the first half and it trailed by just five, 26-21, at halftime. The Britons received the opening kickoff and moved the ball 44 yards to set up Justin Hunter's 37-yard field goal. The big play of the drive was Krauss' 36-yard connection with Brian Spencer (East Lansing) on the first snap.
Wheaton responded with an 11-play, 62-yard touchdown drive as Garrett Meador found Brannen Dorman for a 2-yard score.
Albion's offense managed 20 yards on its next two possessions, but the Britons regained the lead early in the second quarter when Charles Young (Detroit/Martin Luther King) returned a fumble 33 yards for his first career touchdown. The Britons settled for a 9-7 lead after the extra point was no good.
Wheaton responded with a 4-play, 61-yard drive capped by Peter Jarrett's 1-yard run, and the Thunder added a 27-yard field goal by Scott Roche on their next possession to extend the margin to 17-9.
Orr broke loose for a 93-yard kickoff return to bring the Britons within two, 17-15, with 7 ½ minutes left in the first half, and Albion took the lead for the final time of the evening when Krauss and Spencer hooked up for a 34-yard strike that made the score 21-20 with 1:07 on the clock.
Meador, who completed 22-of-29 passes for 257 yards, threw touchdown passes on three of Wheaton's next four possessions to put the game out of reach.
Krauss used four receivers to pass for 216 yards. J.C. Cruse (Detroit/Grosse Pointe South) hauled in five passes for 50 yards and a score. Zach Brewer (Adrian/Madison) hauled in four passes for 82 yards, and Spencer had four catches for 81 yards.
Linebacker John Lesinski (Grass Lake) led the defense with 13 stops, including two tackles for loss.