By Cory Olsen
A mixture of defensive dominance and a potent run game proved successful for the Hope College football team as the Flying Dutchmen shut out Defiance, Ohio 38-0 on Saturday at the home opener.
It was the first Community Day shutout since former coach and athletic director Ray Smith led the Flying Dutchmen to a 35-0 win against Maranatha, Wisconsin in 1978.
Hope's offensive prowess was led by sophomore quarterback Mason Opple of Hudsonville, Michigan (Hudsonville HS), who completed 15-of-22 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns.
The emotional standout was running back Brandan Campbell. The senior from Otsego, Michigan (Otsego) donned jersey No. 22 for the game, the number usually worn by fellow running back Mike Miklusicak.
Miklusicak was injured during preseason practice and is out for the season.
"It was tough seeing him go down in camp just because last year we were the first duo to put up 1,000 yards together," Campbell said after. "We're like co-pilots, we feed off each other. It's tough, but at the same time I just wanted to wear this jersey so it's like he's out there with me and we're just doing it again."
Miklusicak watched the game from the sidelines seated in a wheelchair after undergoing surgery this week.
Campbell ran the ball 24 times for 89 yards and three touchdowns. He will return to his usual No. 38 next week against Lakeland, Wisconsin.
"I thought it would be fitting to do it in the home opener just to show him he's still part of the team and we're out there doing it together," Campbell said.
The first half looked like an orange and blue steamroller as the Flying Dutchmen could apparently do no wrong.
Hope came out and put down a nine play, 60-yard drive that ended with an 8-yard touchdown run by Campbell. The charge continued throughout both quarters as Hope went up by 28 unanswered points, aided by an interception and a touchdown run to finish the half.
"On offense I felt like the first half we had some great drives," head coach Peter Stuursma said. "To start off with a drive like that was something we needed and we responded very well. We had some sudden change type things like that pick by Griffin Weigl."
Weigl, a senior linebacker from Saginaw, Michigan (Nouvel Catholic), pulled down a tipped ball and advanced it 14 yards to put Hope into scoring position just before halftime.
"The credit for the interception, that wasn't me, that was Daurel Tolbert, defensive lineman that tipped it for me. That was fun," Weigl said.
Last week at Monmouth Weigl pulled down an interception and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown.
"I don't really have the ball very much," Weigl said. "I didn't really get it much in high school. It was like 'o.k., catch the ball and then see what you can do with it. I tried to get as many yards as I could but I got stripped at the end there. I've got to try and hold onto the ball a little better."
Overall, the Flying Dutchmen put up 435 yards of offense (243 rushing, 192 passing) and held Defiance to just 127 total yards (17 rushing, 110 passing).
"It's a team win," Stuursma said after singing the school's fight song with his players after the game. "The game ball went to the defense because it was a shutout. Anytime you can get a shutout in that type of situation it's huge because in college football everybody is good and everybody's always got an opportunity to score but our guys kept them out."
"That was huge."