The Basics

Score: Ohio Dominican 24, Saginaw Valley 17
Records: ODU (7-3, 6-3 GLIAC) | SVSU (1-9, 1-8 GLIAC)
Location: Wickes Stadium - University Center, Mich. 

UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The SVSU football team was looking to bounce back from a shutout loss last week to the Hillsdale College Chargers as the Cardinals hosted the Ohio Dominican Panthers on Saturday (Nov. 7) for senior night. After jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the second quarter, the Cardinals couldn't overcome 21 second quarter points and would fall to the GLIAC South Division opponent, 24-17 on.

Saginaw Valley's opening score came after a scoreless first quarter when Brad Odeman Jr. found Marq Johnson for a 30-yard touchdown strike to make the score 7-0 after the Alex Kenrick point after was good at the 12:39 mark of the second quarter. 

The Panthers would score on their next three drives, using a turnover on downs and an interception to gain the ball back on the second and third drives. The first was an 11-yard touchdown run by Darryl Johnson, the second a 6-yard scoring pass play from Grant Russell to Dez Stewart and the third coming after another hook-up from Russell to Steward, this time from five yards out. Brent Wahle made good on all three extra points to give the visitors the 21-7 advantage.

The Cardinals came out and went on an 11-play, 64 yard drive to open the second half with a score, adding three points on an Alex Kenrick 26-yard field goal to cut the lead to 21-10 at the 10:43 marker of the third quarter. 

That score held true all the way until the 11:33 point in the fourth quarter, when Wahle lined up a 50-yard field goal attempt for Ohio Dominican and knocked it through, extending the lead to 24-10.

Saginaw Valley responded with 4:03 left in the game when Odeman found Johnson in the endzone once more, this time from 27 yards out to cut the deficit to 24-17 after another Kenrick PAT.

The Panthers were able to keep possession from there, picking up a few first downs and kneeling the clock for the seven point victory.

Inside the Boxscore

• Johnson's two touchdown catches give him a team-high five on the season and his 119 yards receiving marks a career-high. He now has 29 catches on the year with 459 yards.
• Odeman was 25-of-43 through the air for 269 yards, two scores and an interception.
• Will Farr added three catches for 52 yards for the Cards.
• Kenrick's field goal was his third of the 2015 season.
• SVSU out-gained the Panthers by a count of 332-312 in total offense. The Cardinals had the edge in passing (269-171) while ODU was better in the run game (141-63).
• The Cardinals put some good pressure on Russell, sacking him five times in the game.
• Jordan Sanders had two of those sacks while Bryan Jones, Brad Meredith and Ryan Gruszka all had a sack to their credit as well.
• Dwight Trammer led the way with 13 tackles while Sloan Klaski added 11 stops and Matt McKoy had 10. Ryan Verhelst had eight stops from the corner position and Sanders chipped-in with seven tackles.

Meijer "Player of the Game"

Johnson earned Player of the Game honors after his eight catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinals.

Up Next for the SVSU...

The Cardinals travel to Grand Valley State University on Saturday (Nov. 14) for the regular season finale. The annual Axe Bowl game will feature a 1:00 p.m. kickoff at GVSU's Lubbers Stadium in Allendale. The Lakers (8-2, 7-2 GLIAC) are coming off a high-scoring 49-42 road victory over the Tiffin University Dragons on Saturday afternoon.