Drenched yet determined, the Hope College football team stopped one final charge from the Britons of Albion College.
Fifth-year safety Brady Howe's fourth-down pass breakup at the Hope 25-yard line, and one subsequent offensive kneel down, delivered the Flying Dutchmen a 14-6 victory in their rainy and windy MIAA showdown on Saturday.
Hope only yielded second- and third-quarter, Logan Grwinski field goals to previously unbeaten Albion in front of a Ray and Sue Smith Stadium crowd of 1,606. It was the fewest points the Flying Dutchmen have allowed to Albion since a 14-6 victory over the Britons in 2009.
With the win, Hope (5-1) moved into a half-game lead in the MIAA standings with a 2-0 league record. Alma College and the University of Olivet are both 1-0. Albion fell to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in MIAA play.
Winners of five games in a row, the Flying Dutchmen next face Alma, the defending league champion, on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 2 p.m. at Ray and Sue Smith Stadium during the One Big Weekend/Homecoming celebration.
"The wind was a factor. The rain was a factor. It's a huge win," head coach Peter Stuursma said. "That's a very good football team: 5-0 team and six points. To keep them out of the end zone was huge for us."
The Britons charged 54 yards on their final possession after a Hope punt barely rolled into the end zone for a touchback with 1:40 remaining.
On the ninth play, Howe (Holland, Michigan / Holland Christian) swatted away a Luke Lovell pass to Dilon Denison at the first-down marker with 13 seconds remaining.
The fourth-down stop was the Flying Dutchmen's third of the quarter.
On Albion's previous drive, sophomore cornerback Darion Nundley (Detroit, Michigan / Woodhaven) swatted away a fourth-down, 30-yard Lovell pass to receiver Kye Bristow in the end zone.
Albion finished with a season-low 274 yards of total offense. The Britons entered the game averaging 453 yards of total offense and 41 points per game.
Saturday marked Hope's most disruptive defense of the season. The Flying Dutchmen have steadily improved after giving up 450-plus yards during the first three games of the season.
Junior free safety Tyler Stezowski (Holland, Michigan / Hamilton) recorded a team-best eight tackles. Three teammates collected six tackles apiece: Howe, junior linebacker Cole Luhmann (Rochester, Michigan / Stoney Creek) and junior linebacker Luke Palmer (Fort Wayne, Indiana / Homestead).
"We've given up some yards and points this year, but credit to Coach Jacob Pardonnet and the entire defensive staff, and of course our players, for rising up and doing what they did today," Stuursma said. "They were lights out."
The Flying Dutchmen held Albion without an offensive touchdown for the first time in 100 games, dating back to a 66-0 loss at Wheaton College (Ill.) on Sept. 14, 2013. Stezowski said staying in the moment helped Hope's defense.
"This whole week, our defensive philosophy was a next-play mentality," Stezowski said. "Just bring it every single play and focus on the keys. I feel like that practice week we brought into the game. It's a good feeling."
On offense, Hope produced just enough with two first-half scoring drives.
Junior running back Chance Strickland (Mason, Michigan / Mason) finished a 15-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge with 1:35 left in the first quarter.
A spectacular, one-handed catch from sophomore receiver Travis Myers (Ada, Michigan / Forest Hills Northern) set up Strickland's MIAA-leading 11th rushing touchdown. The juggling effort on second down put Hope into the red zone at the Albion 18-yard line.
Myers then extended Hope's lead to 14-3 just before halftime by catching a back-shoulder throw from freshman quarterback Zach Trainor (Milford, Michigan / Walled Lake Western) just inside the pylon for a 13-yard touchdown 17 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
"The one-handed catch to move the chains going to the north, then (the touchdown) where he just literally jumped over and took the ball away, that was an incredible piece of just being a baller," Stuursma said. "That young man was on the defense last year as a safety. We moved him to offense, and he's making plays. Credit to him. He was a quarterback in high school. He's a football player."