Miscues Plague Jackets In Loss To Evangel

Lamoni, IA - Despite rushing for 220 yards, Graceland scored only twice in Saturday's 35-14 loss to conference foe, Evangel University.

The Jackets finished Saturday's game with 426 yards of total offense but were only able to get into the red-zone three times, scoring two touchdowns and having a field goal blocked.

"We weren't able to finish drives today," said head coach Jeff Douglas after the game. "We moved the ball especially in the second half but just couldn't score."

After missing an early field goal the Crusaders tallied the first score of the contest on a 26-yard fumble return.

Graceland would answer the defensive score five minutes later as Matt Fink hooked up with Raysean Brown on a 15-yard touchdown strike. With the Anthony Wood PAT good, the Jackets tied the game at 7-7.

That's the closest Graceland would be the rest of the game however as Evangel scored two more touchdowns in the first quarter.

"If it wasn't for the fumble return it would have been 14-7 going into halftime," added Douglas. "Credit Evangel though. Good teams take advantage of its opponents mistakes and that's exactly what they did.

"We've got to be more discipline," continued Douglas. "We can't make mistakes like we did today and beat good teams and Evangel is just that. They countered our miscues with scores."

The Jackets would cut into the lead in the second half as Matt Fink and Raysean Brown hooked up for the second time in the game, capping a 7-play 89-yard drive.

Evangel would score two plays later however on a 69-yard run and once more in the fourth quarter salting away the 35-14 win.

"Today's game was a true football chess match," remarked Douglas. "Evangel did an outstanding job of playing off of our mistakes. We were undisciplined and paid for it."

Graceland was led offensively by senior running back, Andrew Gayles and sophomore wide receiver, Raysean Brown.

Despite not scoring, Gayles rushed for 195 yards on 31 carries. Brown snared nine passes for 85-yards and two touchdowns. Matt Fink was 20-41 for 206 yards, two TD's and one interception.

Defensively Billy Wendt paced the Jackets once again with ten tackles. Reggie Ramey, Dorian Smith and Johnny Carrasco all added six.

Graceland now stands at 3-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play. They'll travel to Fayette, Missouri next Saturday for a 2pm kickoff with the Central Methodist University Eagles.

Stay tuned to GUjackets.com for continuing coverage of the Graceland football team and all of Jacket athletics.