TIFFIN, Ohio – The Tiffin University football team overcame an early setback and used a dominant first half to pull away for a 38-14 victory over Thomas More in the Dragons' home opener and Homecoming game Saturday afternoon at Frost-Kalnow Stadium. The win moved Tiffin to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play.
Tiffin scored 31 unanswered points after briefly falling behind in the opening quarter and never looked back, piling up 397 yards of total offense while forcing four turnovers. The Dragons outgained the Saints 397-218 and limited Thomas More to just 67 passing yards.
The Dragons struck quickly after an interception by
Niko Bohler on Thomas More's opening play set up excellent field position. Three plays later, quarterback
Kyle Antoine connected with
Ronald Blackman for a 17-yard touchdown reception to give TU an early 7-0 advantage.
Thomas More answered with a touchdown drive and then took a 14-7 lead after a pick-six midway through the first quarter. Tiffin responded immediately on special teams as
Ryan Konyecsni blocked a punt that
Ethan Evers scooped up and returned four yards for a touchdown, tying the game at 14-14.
Blackman then put the Dragons back in front for good, breaking free for a 29-yard touchdown run to cap a 68-yard drive and send Tiffin into the second quarter with a 21-14 lead.
The Dragons continued to build momentum in the second quarter. Antoine found
Joey Zalewski for a 20-yard touchdown pass early in the period before the defense came up with another takeaway.
David Collins Jr. intercepted a pass and returned it 26 yards to set up a short scoring drive that ended with a four-yard touchdown run by
Cane Mack and a 35-14 advantage.
Ben Rudolph added a 29-yard field goal in the final seconds of the half as Tiffin carried a commanding 38-14 lead into the locker room.
While neither team scored in the second half, the Dragons controlled the game behind a strong rushing attack and a defense that repeatedly turned away Thomas More drives. Tiffin held the Saints scoreless over the final three quarters and came away with interceptions from Bohler, Collins Jr., and
Jeremiah Moore while also recovering a fumble forced by
Popeye Williams.
Blackman paced the offense with 121 rushing yards and a touchdown on 14 carries while adding five receptions for 54 yards and another score. His 175 all-purpose yards led all players. Antoine finished 15-for-22 through the air for 198 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.
Zalewski was Antoine's favorite target, hauling in six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown, becoming the lone Dragon to eclipse the century mark receiving.
Defensively,
Lennox Williams led the way with seven tackles, while
Anthony Shields added six tackles.
Popeye Williams recorded five tackles, three tackles for loss, and forced a fumble as the Dragons finished with nine tackles for loss and held the Saints to just 151 rushing yards and no offensive touchdowns after the opening quarter.
Tiffin will look to build on its conference-opening win when it continues Great Midwest Athletic Conference play next week. The 'Gons will travel to Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday, Sept. 26 for a 12 p.m. (1 p.m. EST) kickoff. The Panthers were blanked 64-0 at home to No. 9 Findlay on Saturday in its G-MAC opener.
