Davenport Panthers - WKTV Journal

(Image Courtesy, Davenport Universiy)

By Bill Rohn
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org

Davenport seized a 49-9 halftime lead, then continued to pour it on, beating the visiting Roosevelt Lakers 75-23 Saturday.

Coach Sparky McEwen’s Panthers, who improved their GLIAC record to 3-2, 4-3 overall, set team and individual records during the win, including the most points in a single contest. Running back Cephus Harris led the onslaught with three scores plus a DU single game record 181 yards rushing on a mere eight carries, before heading to the bench midway through the third quarter.

Davenport running back Cephus Harris had a program-record 181 rushing yards and three touchdowns on eight attempts. He also had a team-record 87-yard run. (Photo Courtesy, Davenport University)

Roosevelt, which journeyed from Chicago for the contest, fell to 0-4 in the GLIAC, 1-6 overall.

“The record feels great,” said Harris afterward, saluting his “good offensive line having your back every time. I just took the ball and ran with it.”

The Panthers held a 14-0 lead three minutes into the contest on an opening drive 4-yard pass from quarterback D’Wan Mathis to Clint Walker, followed by Vince Cooley’s 27-yard pick six interception of Laker QB Tony Chahino’s first pass.

Chahino redeemed himself with a TD pass for the visitors, but DU’s Mathis responded with a 57-yard run, increasing the lead to 21-7 at the 9:58 mark of the first quarter.

Cephus Harris stole the show
The 5-8, 215 lb. junior produced a 37-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, a 4-yard TD run 72 seconds into the second quarter, and a team record 87-yard touchdown sprint 6:44 before halftime. Davenport also got a 7-yard score from Harris‘ running mate Kayden Collins. Roosevelt managed only a safety, setting DU’s halftime margin at 49-9.

The 40-point lead aside, DU’s McEwen felt that his team had plenty of work to do at halftime, noting that he felt his team was not finishing plays in the opening half.

“We talk about consistency around here,” McEwen said. “I felt like we got out of our own way and it’s fun to have games like that so everyone can enjoy it. Just hard work you can see paying off. We’re starting to peak and it couldn’t be a better time.

Davenport quarterback D’Wan Mathis completed 6-of-9 passes for 81 yards and one touchdown, while adding 72 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries. (Photo Courtesy, Davenport University)

“It was nice to see it all work together today.”

The Panthers responded to halftime advice with scores on an 81-yard Gregory Asher punt return, an 87-yard kickoff return by George Sims following a second Roosevelt touchdown pass, and a 32-yard field goal from freshman kicker Ian Jenkins to lead 65-16 after three quarters.

JT Hartman added a 5-yard final quarter TD run and Jenkins hit a 19-yard field goal, making it 75-16 before Roosevelt added a TD pass with 30 seconds to play.

Du finished with 503 yards of total offense, with a school record 387 on the ground and 116 through the air.

Davenport linebacker Latrell Scott led with 11 tackles
Panther linebacker Latrell Scott had 11 tackles to go with six apiece from Jayden Cray, Myles Harris, and Nick Pulley. DU also had three interceptions and three fumble recoveries.

Davenport now continues with three straight noon kickoffs at home in November against Saginaw Valley, Northern Michigan and GLIAC leader and current national No. 1 Ferris State.

GVSU quarterback Brady Drogosh had three rushing touchdowns against Davenport Saturday. (Photo Courtesy, Grand Valley State University)

By Bill Rohn
WKTV Contributor
greer@wktv.org

Grand Valley State University scored three first-half touchdowns, then held Davenport scoreless in the third and fourth quarters en route to a 37-14 victory Saturday in Allendale.

The win was the eighth in a row by the Lakers over their crosstown rival, who has never beaten GVSU.

“We had tremendous balance today and now we know who we can be,” said Grand Valley Coach Scott Wooster following the game, which was played in temperatures reaching 85 degrees. Grand Valley, ranked 10th nationally in the American Football Coaches Division II poll at kickoff time, improved its record to 3-1 overall, 1-0 in the Great Lakes Athletic Conference. The visiting Panthers fell to 2-2, 1-1 in the conference.

Quarterback Brady Drogosh led his team with 74 yards on the ground, including three touchdowns.

Wooster gave credit to Davenport for “dialing up“ solid offensive plays that rattled the Laker defense early on.

Davenport running back Kayden Collins had a 10-yard touchdown run in the first quarter for the Panthers. (Photo Courtesy, Brandon Petrysyzn)

The Panthers started strong, receiving the opening kickoff and launching a 10-play, 75-yard opening series that ended when running back Kayden Collins ran around the Laker left end for a 10-yard touchdown. Davenport never faced a third down during the six-minute drive.

Grand Valley answered quickly with a three-play drive that ended when redshirt freshman quarterback Andrew Shuster found receiver Sean Byrd with a 28-yard TD pass.

Second quarter action saw the Lakers stifle Davenport’s offense, while taking a 21-7 lead on a 29-yard run by Kellen Reed and a 17-yard sideline sprint by quarterback Brady Drogosh, who alternated at QB with Shuster and freshman Zak Olejniczak throughout the game for GVSU.

“We’ve essentially got three all-conference guys at quarterback,” Wooster said.

Davenport closed to within 21-14 at halftime, when quarterback D’wan Mathis found Earnest Sanders with a 75-yard touchdown pass.

Drogosh lights up running game in second half

Following halftime, a sellout crowd of 15,188 was treated to more heroics by Drogosh. The 6-4, 220-pound sophomore sandwiched a third quarter six-yard TD run and a fourth-quarter TD carry of 12 yards around a safety that occurred when Davenport centered a punt snap out of its own end zone. Those 16 points accounted for all of the second-half scoring and the Lakers’ 37-14 final margin.

Grand Valley’s defense was dominant in the second half, holding Davenport quarterbacks Mathis and Mac VandenHout to final passing statistics of 4-for-19 for a total of 109 yards. The Lakers were 12-for-25 through the air for 127 yards. The Panthers picked up 193 yards on 45 rushes. Grand Valley, paced by Drogosh’s three rushing TDs, picked up a season-high 254 yards on 38 carries.

Anthony Cardamone led the Lakers with 10 tackles, while D’Angelo Bellamy had nine stops for the
Panthers.

Grand Valley travels to winless Northern Michigan for a Saturday night contest. Davenport hosts Michigan Tech, winners of four of five games, in a Saturday afternoon Homecoming game.