Defiance, OH- The quest for National Championship #14 began in western Ohio for the Mount Union Purple Raiders as they made the 3-and-a-half-hour trek to Defiance to take on the Defiance College Yellow Jackets. After taking the opener last year at home 65-0 against Defiance, the Raiders were looking to start the year on the right foot once again against the familiar foe.
The scoring got started early for the Raiders as Graduate Student QB Braxton Plunk found Senior WR Edwin Reed for the score from 10 yards out. In the waning moments of quarter 1 it was Grad Student RB DeAndre Parker rumbling home from 7 yards out to advance the lead to 14-0.
The lone score of the 2nd quarter came on a TD pass from Plunk to Senior WR Ray Williams from 22 yards. Following an interception by Senior Safety John Roland on the 2nd play of the 2nd half, Mount Union would once again find pay dirt, this time on the legs of Senior RB Darnell Williams, who scampered in from 28 yards for the score to make it 28-0.
Defiance would get on the board on the ensuing drive as QB Jordan Ambrose found WR Cordae McAllister for a touchdown reception of 54 yards, however, the Yellow Jackets' two-point conversion following a Mount Union penalty was stopped short, keeping the score 28-6.
Mount Union would need only one play from scrimmage to answer however, as DeAndre Parker once again found the end zone, this time from 71 yards, a new career high for the 5th-year player.
The Purple Raiders would add a freshman kicker Deaglan Camron field goal as time expired in the 3rd quarter to advance the lead to 38-6. Capping off the scoring on the afternoon was Junior Running Back Ryan Eiden, carrying one in from 3 yards out. The Purple Raiders defense swarmed the Yellow Jackets signal caller all day, amassing 10 sacks to go along with their two interceptions.
The Purple Raiders have their patented early season bye next week before opening Ohio Athletic Conference play on the road, along the banks of the Ohio River, as they face the Pioneers of Marietta College on Saturday, September 16th.
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