DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University football team scored 35 second half points as it defeated Defiance College, 42-2, in the 2017 season opener for both teams at Justin F. Coressel Stadium.
The victory also marked the first BW victory for Head Coach Jim Hilvert. After winning back-to-back Ohio High School Athletic Association Division II State Championships at Cincinnati LaSalle High School, Hilvert won his sixth career season opener. He also served as the head coach for eight seasons at Thomas More (Ky.) College.
"I am very excited and happy to get the first win under my belt," stated Hilvert. "We faced some adversity which we handled well and moved on to the next play. You have to be happy with wins but we have to take a big jump between the first week and second week."
BW (1-0), who has won two straight season openers and seven of its last 10, had a 386-215 advantage in total offense, including a 219-147 advantage through the air and a 167-68 lead on the ground. Defiance (0-1) lost its eighth straight season opener.
The BW air attack was led by junior quarterback Jake Hudson (East Lake, Fla.) as he completed 13 of 25 passes for 165 yards and one touchdown. Freshman running back TyQuan McCray (Rock Hill, S.C./York) and senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference running back Austin Smith (Broadview Heights/North Royalton) led the ground attack. McCray rushed for 47 yards on nine carries with one touchdown and Smith had 37 yards on 14 carries with one score. Junior wide out Chad Steinwachs (Buffalo, N.Y./Williamsville North) led the receiving corps as he caught five passes for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore defensive lineman Sekou Imani (Dover) led the defense with a career-high eight tackles, including a career-best three stops for a loss of 17 yards.
The Defiance air attack was led by quarterback John McKinney as he completed eight of 24 passes for 147 yards. Corey Bennett led the ground attack as he rushed for 59 yards on 11 carries. Devonte Crain led the receivers with as he caught five passes for 89 yards. Logan Mico led the defense with 12 tackles and one sack.
BW scored the only points of the first half when Austin Smith found pay dirt on a two-yard rush to cap off an eight play and 80-yard drive with 13:01 left in the second quarter. Freshman placekicker Brandon Vollmer (Pickerington/Central) tacked on his first collegiate extra point to make the score 7-0.
Defiance took the opening drive down of the third quarter down to the one-yard line before BW forced a fumble. On the ensuing drive, Hudson was stopped on his rush attempt out of the end zone for the Defiance safety by Cody Brown to cut the lead down to 7-2 at the 13:06 mark. Junior running back Troy Colucci (Conneaut) forced and recovered the Defiance fumbled on the following free kick at Defiance 33-yard line. BW just needed three rush plays and 33 seconds to put up its second touchdown of the game as McCray scored his first collegiate touchdown at 12:05. Vollmer added his second extra point to push the lead to 14-2
BW scored just five seconds into the fourth quarter as Hudson connected with Steinwachs on a five-yard touchdown pass to cap off an eight play and 51-yard drive. Vollmer connected on his third extra point to extend the lead to 21-2. On the next Defiance drive, junior defensive back Andrew Groves (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls) intercepted the Defiance pass and returned it 60-yards to the house at the 13:19 mark. Vollmer put his fourth PAT through the uprights for the 28-2 lead. BW kept the scoring attack going when Steinwachs caught his second TD pass of the game from wide receiver Will Vance (Centerville), who came in as the wild cat quarterback, at 8:59. Vollmer added his fifth extra point to push the lead to 35-2. BW closed out the scoring as senior quarterback John Kromalic (Copley) scored his first career rushing touchdown as he found the end zone on a one-yard rush at the 2:32 mark. Vollmer tacked on the PAT to extend the lead to 42-2.
BW returns to action on Saturday, September 16 when it hosts cross-town rival John Carroll University in the 29th Battle for the Gold Bowl Trophy on Community and Family Day inside the George Finnie Stadium at 2 p.m.
