Yellowjackets Drop Season Opener to #2 Benedictine College

LAMONI, IOWA - The Graceland football team hosted the #2 Benedictine College Ravens, fresh off a trip to the NAIA National Championship game last December. The Ravens picked up right where they left off last season as they defeated the Yellowjackets 72-7.

Head coach Nate Robinson's debut did not go as planned as the #2 Ravens were quick to get on the board. Benedictine would score the first 21 points of the game.

Graceland's lone touchdown came on the first play of the drive late in the 1st quarter. Donte Sylencieux caught a 69-yard pass from quarterback Austin Sowers to get the Yellowjackets on the board.

The Ravens would answer after the Graceland scoring drive with a touchdown of their own just before the end of the 1st quarter. The Graceland defense held the Benedictine offense to just three points in the second quarter which made it a 31-7 game at halftime.

In the second half, it was all Benedictine as the Yellowjackets were held scoreless the remainder of the game.

Sylencieux, including his 69-yard touchdown catch, led the way offensively for Graceland with 144 receiving yards off of 6 catches.

Sowers ended his night throwing for 205 yards and a touchdown going 13/23. Caleb Thomas added 6 receptions of his own for 54 yards.

The leading rusher for the Yellowjackets was Javante White, who had four carries for 43 yards.

Defensively, Tevin Cameron was the team leader in tackles (13), tackles for loss (3), and sacks (2) for the game. Damaund Whitmill added 8 tackles of his own, while Ezekiel Kelekoma had 7.

In addition, Brady Bigley came up with the team's first takeaway of the season with an interception just before halftime.

The Yellowjackets (0-1) will now go on the road next Saturday to play MidAmerica Nazarene University (0-1) at 1:00 pm in Olathe, Kansas.

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- Yellowjackets