Hope College football sends seniors out with win: 'The stamp we needed'
HOLLAND - As the Hope College football team aimed to win the Wooden Shoes at the annual showdown with Kalamazoo College, the team was playing for something more important - the seniors.
In the final home game for the senior Flying Dutchmen at Ray & Sue Smith Stadium, the 18 seniors used a second-quarter surge to send the seniors out with a 66-20 victory in the home finale.
"Especially on senior day, this meant a lot. Our offense has struggled a lot, and not sure why, but for us to put up 66 points was huge," Hope senior Dan Romano said. "It has been kind of surreal that this is my last game on this field. I am happy we went out with a win."
Romano is a senior that has embodied the program. He is a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation’s Campbell Trophy, which recognizes a college football student-athlete for his academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
"Dan is going to be wildly successful. He had major shoulder surgery and to have him come back like this is unbelievable. It is huge to send the seniors out. Look at all the energy you saw with our guys today," Hope coach Peter Stuursma said. "It is hard to put the seniors' (legacy) into words. They led us through COVID. They kept hanging in with us and are great human beings. They are obviously great football players and what a way to send them out."
After Kalamazoo tied it 14-14 late in the first quarter, but the Flying Dutchmen answered with four touchdowns in the second quarter to take a commanding 42-14 lead at halftime.
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"When it was 14-14, we felt like they jumped on us early. We were reeling and made some adjustments," Stuursma said. "We settled down and scored on four straight drives. That was the stamp that we needed."
It was a welcome home finale after a disappointing season that saw Hope enter as a title contender, but with one game remaining, sit in fifth place. Hope improved to 5-4 and 2-3 in the MIAA.
This senior group has won two MIAA titles during their stay and will look to end their careers on a high note next week at Trine.
"Since freshman year, all the guys who have stayed, we just put in so much work to get here. Our season didn't go as we had thought, but we are in it to finish strong," Romano said. "Since we struggled, this win made it all the better."
Kalamazoo marched right down the field and scored first.
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After a Hope punt, Bradley Rohen-Blanton recovered a fumble on the return and Hope took over on the Kalamazoo 23-yard line. Dan Romano scored on a 3-yard run a few plays later and Hope tied the game 7-7 with 9:19 to go in the first quarter.
Chance Strickland scored on a 1-yard run later in the first before Hornets again went to the air for a touchdown strike to make it 14-14.
Romano scored again on a 7-yard run to put Hope back in front.
"We just trusted each other and were able to run the ball. We were just clicking and we played with confidence," Romano said.
TJ McKenzie scored on a 50-yard pass midway through the second quarter.
After Hope stuffed a fourth-down attempt, Terrell Harris scored on a 3-yard run and pushed the Hope lead to 35-14. Strickland added a 6-yard TD run and the Flying Dutchmen led 42-14 at halftime.
In the third quarter, senior Dylan Hillger kicked a field goal. Carter Nofziger scored on a 13-yard pass from Chase Brown and Hope led 52-14 after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, Tiovanni Knight scored his first career rushing touchdown. After a fumble recovery by Isaiah Hicks, Knight scored his second touchdown.
Hope had a season-high 604 total yards of offense. Kalamazoo had 321.
Romano had 11 carries for 53 yards and two touchdowns. Ja'Kaurie Kirkland had nine carries for 51 yards before exciting with an injury.
Brown was 23-for-31 passing for 382 yards. McKenzie had 10 catches for 122 yards. Kareen Williams had five catches fo 110 and Harris had eight catches for 72.
Nick Flegler had seven tackles and Trevor Hansen had six.
"To see the younger guys get a chance today, that is what this is about. That is what we build in our culture. Our upperclassmen treat them well because when they are upperclassmen, we are hopeful they will do the same thing," Stuursma said. "You saw the guys cheering for them and that was fun to see."
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Hope College football sends seniors out with win: 'The stamp we needed'
