(HANOVER, Ind.) – The 22nd-ranked Thomas More College football team rolled up 623 yards of total offense today (Saturday, September 13, 2014) as it defeated traditional rival Hanover College, 45-16, in a non-conference game at Alumni Stadium in Hanover, Indiana.
With the win, the Saints improve to 1-1 and with the loss, the Panthers fall to 0-2.
The Saints led 12-7 after one quarter, 24-14 at halftime and 31-16 after three quarters.
Thomas More took an early 6-0 lead when junior quarterback Jensen Gebhardt (Kings Mills, Ohio/Kings) scored on an 11-yard run and the two point conversion failed with 12:23 to play in the first quarter
Hanover answered with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Trent Downs to Ricky Windell and Ben Wheeler made the point-after-attempt to give the Panthers a 7-6 lead with 8:04 to play in the opening quarter.
With 6:23 to play in the first quarter, senior running back Domonique Hayden (Lexington, Ky./Lexington Christian Academy) scored on a one-yard run and junior place kicker Tommy Budke's (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) PAT failed as the Saints led 12-7.
Jamal Edward returned a fumble 41-yards and Adam Goepfrich made the PAT to give Hanover a 14-12 lead with 10:31 to play in the second quarter.
Thomas More retook the lead at 18-14 with 3:45 to play in the second quarter when senior wide receiver Ryan Winkler (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) scored on a 17-yard pass from Gebhardt and freshman place kicker Zach Bryant's (Milford, Ohio/Milford) PAT failed.
The Saints took a 24-14 lead into halftime when Hayden scored on an 11-yard run and the two-point conversion failed with 1:31 to play in the second quarter.
Hayden opened up the scoring in the third quarter when he scored on a one-yard run and Bryant made the PAT to increase the Saints' lead to 31-14 with 11:00 to play in the quarter.
Hanover cut the lead to 31-16 when it got a safety with 8:20 to play in the third quarter.
The Saints extended the lead to 38-16 with 13:14 to play in the fourth quarter when senior wide receiver Bobby Leonard (Edgewood, Ky./Dixie Heights) scored on a five-yard pass from Gebhardt and Bryant made the PAT.
Thomas More closed out the scoring with 2:44 to play in the game when freshman running back CT Tarrant (Pittsburgh, Pa./Hamilton (Ohio)) scored on an eight-yard run and Bryant made the PAT for the final score of 45-16.
The Saints out-gained the Panthers 623 yards (264 rushing/359 passing) to 236 yards (114 rushing/122 passing.
Gebhardt led the offense as he was 23-of-28 passing for 327 yards and two touchdown, while he also had six rushes for 17 yards and one touchdown. Hayden finished the day with 31 carries for 168 yards and two three touchdowns, while Tarrant had seven carries for 83 yards and a touchdown. Winkler led the receivers with six catches for 116 yards and a touchdown, while junior wide receiver Goose Cohorn (Independence, Ky./Dixie Heights) had eight catches for 106 yards and Leonard had six catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
The defense was led by junior defensive end Erick Butler (Eminence, Ky./Henry County) with nine tackles (seven solo, two assisted), including one sack and three tackles for a loss junior defensive back Kyle Fuller (Taylor Mill, Ky./Holy Cross) with five tackles (four solo, one assisted), including a sack and three interceptions. Freshman linebacker Tre' Tunstill (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) had eight tackles (five solo, three assisted), including one tackle for a loss and sophomore linebacker Austin Copeland (Cincinnati, Ohio/Kings) had six tackles (five solo, one assisted).
The Saints open Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play next Saturday (September 20) when they travel to Greenville, Pennsylvania to play Thiel College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.