Calvin University

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – On a sun-splashed Saturday homecoming afternoon, the Calvin University football team made history, defeating the University of Olivet 66-20 in the first-ever game at Knight Stadium.

Saturday's game was played in front of a sellout crowd of 2,697 fans and was the MIAA opener for both teams with Calvin moving to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the MIAA with the win.

Senior quarterback Thomas Vaccaro (Franklin, Tenn./Christ Presbyterian HS) threw for a school-record six touchdown passes, completing 28 of 37 passes for 365 yards. All six of Vaccaro's touchdown passes were in the first half as the Knights rolled to a 49-7 halftime lead. He broke his own record of five touchdown tosses, set earlier this year in a Sept. 5 game at Otterbein.

Calvin's defense forced the visiting Comets (3-1 overall, 0-1 MIAA) into three first half turnovers, two of which were fumble recoveries by senior defensive lineman C.J. Sheets (Longwood, Fla. Lake Mary). Senior free safety Caden Kolanowski (Goodrich, Mich./Goodrich HS) added a late second quarter interception which led to a scoring drive as the Knights turned all three turnovers into touchdown drives.

Calvin took it to the Comets from the outset as junior linebacker Kaden McCullough (Allendale, Mich./Allendale HS) sacked Olivet quarterback Daniel Avila on the opening drive, forcing a fumble that Sheets fell on. The turnover gave Calvin a short field on the Olivet 22-yard line and the Knights cashed in six plays later on a four-yard touchdown run by Vaccaro on third and goal.

After a Comet three-and-out, Calvin went on a 39-yard touchdown drive finished with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Vaccaro to junior Carter Bylsma (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian HS) for a 14-0 lead.

The Calvin defense forced Avila into another fumble moments later and Sheets was the beneficiary. The turnover led to a beautiful 15-yard fade pass by Vaccaro to junior receiver Jude Klunder (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) and the rout was on.

Vaccaro added a 16-yard touchdown toss to Bylsma to close out the first quarter and a 28-0 Calvin lead.

Olivet countered with a 72-yard touchdown drive to open the second quarter with Avila diving in from two yards out for the Comet score.

Vaccaro tossed a 26-yard touchdown pass to junior Drake Irwin (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS)  and added a 42-yard scoring strike to junior Hunter Hogan (Ravenna, Mich./Ravenna HS).

Kolanowski then toe-tapped the sideline to intercept a pass by Avila on the Comet 43-yard line. The pick set up a 57-yard touchdown drive climaxed by a six-yard touchdown flip from Vaccaro to Hogan. The point-after by senior Sal Ruffino (Shelby Township, Mich. Eisenhower) gave Calvin a 49-7 lead it carried into halftime.

Ruffino added a 19-yard third quarter field goal and sophomore Beau Harris (Coopersville, Mich./Coopersville HS) plunged in from one-yard out for a fourth quarter touchdown.

Harris later zipped a four-yard touchdown pass to freshman Sean Foley (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central HS) with just under three minutes remaining for a 66-13 Calvin lead. Olivet added a touchdown in the closing seconds to finish out the scoring.

Hogan's pair of touchdown receptions gave him 25 touchdowns overall in 23 career games played for the Knights.

Vaccaro boosted his season touchdown passing total to 19 with Saturday's performance. He is the NCAA Division III leader in touchdown passes through four games.

Calvin had 13 different players with at least one pass reception led by Hogan with eight catches for 66 yards. Junior Luke Michmerhuizen (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian HS) had six catches for a team-leading 96 yards. Junior Hayden Slegers (Ontario, Ca./Ontario Christian HS) had five grabs for 56 yards while also rushing for 12 times for 61 yards.  Junior Nick Earles (Greenville, Mich./Greenville HS) ran for 44 yards while Harris had 31 rushing yards on the ground while completing 6 of 7 passes for 54 yards after relieving Vaccaro in the fourth quarter.

Bylsma had two catches for 43 yards and two scores. Junior Seth Anderson (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) had two catches for 41 yards. Sophomore Gavin Currie (Ada, Mich./Rockford HS) had two catches for 29 yards. Klunder had two catches for 21 yards. Junior M'Khi Guy (Muskegon Heights, Mich./Muskegon HS) had two catches for 19 yards. Irwin, junior Aiden O'Brien (Lawton, Mich./Lawton HS). Earles, sophomore Michael DeKuiper (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) and Foley all had one catch each.
Ruffino was 9-for-9 on point-after tries and connected on his lone field goal attempt.

Freshman Nolan Bloomquist (Portage, Mich./Portage Central HS) and freshmen Joseph Gray (Chicago, Ill./ Whitney M. Young Magnet) led the Calvin defense with five tackles each. Senior Dominique Williams (Muskegon, Mich./Muskegon HS), junior Ziden Chirco (Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS), McCullough, junior Carson Schnurstein (Portage, Mich./Portage Central HS), sophomore Reed Vogeler (Caledonia, Mich./Caledonia HS) and sophomore Gabriel Amid (Zeeland, Mich./Zeeland East HS) all had four tackles each.

Calvin finished the game with 596 total yards of offense, 419 yards through the air and 177 yards on the ground. Olivet had 361 yards of total offense with 283 coming through the air.

COACHES COMMENT: "What a day. For the history of Calvin University and for this football program," said Calvin head football coach Trent Figg. "Can't say thank you enough from the bottom of my heart for everyone who made this day possible. We came out and did exactly what we wanted to do in all three phases of the game. Thought our guys battled all day long. We talk about playing to a standard on every play and I thought our guys did that from start-to-finish."

NEXT UP: Calvin will travel to Adrian next Saturday for a 3 p.m. contest at Docking Stadium.

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