Graceland Falls to MidAmerica Nazarene in Non-Conference Matchup

OLATHE, Kan. – Graceland University dropped a hard-fought non-conference game to MidAmerica Nazarene University on Saturday, falling 38-24. Despite jumping out to an early lead, the Yellowjackets could not hold off the undefeated Pioneers, who rallied with key scores in the second half.

Graceland (2-2) started strong, opening the game with a nine-play, 64-yard drive, capped by quarterback Cade Ross' 1-yard touchdown run. Kicker Jacob Collett added the extra point, putting the Yellowjackets up 7-0 with 57 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Pioneers (3-0) responded early in the second quarter when running back Cameron Finley scored on a 1-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 7-7. Graceland quickly regained the lead as Ross connected with Cassian Foreman on a 2-yard touchdown pass, completing a six-play, 76-yard drive. A 34-yard strike from Ross to wide receiver Gerald Monroe extended Graceland's lead to 21-7 with 5:52 remaining in the first half.

MidAmerica Nazarene answered with two quick scores before halftime. Quarterback Adrian Parsons connected with wideout Myles Hymes on an 18-yard touchdown pass, followed by Parsons himself scrambling for a 6-yard touchdown run. The back-to-back scores leveled the game at 21-21 going into halftime.

The Pioneers took their first lead of the game early in the third quarter as Parsons found EJ Rogers on a 34-yard touchdown pass, capping a 13-play, 75-yard drive. A 24-yard field goal by Trevor Highley extended MidAmerica's lead to 31-21 by the end of the third quarter.

Graceland fought back early in the fourth quarter, with Collett drilling a 32-yard field goal to bring the score to 31-24 after a methodical 16-play, 66-yard drive. However, MidAmerica Nazarene sealed the win with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Parsons to Rogers with just over five minutes left, pushing the score to the final 38-24.

Head coach Pat Ross of Graceland reflected on the pivotal moments in the game. "That was a tough one. We were up two scores with 5 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter and got outscored 21-0 in the span of the last two possessions of the first half and the first of the second half. We only had the ball one time during that span and it was with 40 seconds left in the first half. They took all the momentum and we couldn't get it back. When you're playing against really good teams, you can't let them get those big runs."

Ross continued, "The second half we only had three possessions. Both teams had a lot of opportunities. We've got to play better than we did today, that's the bottom line. Starting with three of our first four games on the road has been tough. It's unique scheduling, but it also allows us to have back-to-back home games now and hopefully, it will allow us to find a rhythm."

Graceland finished the game with 420 total yards of offense. Quarterback Cade Ross completed 20 of 41 passes for 234 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions while adding 48 rushing yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. Running back Jamon McGlory led the rushing attack with 127 yards on 23 carries, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt.

Gerald Monroe had an impressive game, hauling in 12 receptions for 149 yards and one touchdown. Cassian Foreman added four catches for 23 yards and a score.

Defensively, Graceland was led by linebacker Matthew Elliott, who recorded 12 tackles. Bret Whitehall contributed nine tackles, while Clayton Linville registered a sack. Cornerback Kevin Ledesma-Garcia added an interception and two pass breakups.

MidAmerica Nazarene outgained Graceland with 455 total yards. Parsons completed 25 of 39 passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns while also adding a rushing score. Finley carried the ball 20 times for 101 yards and a touchdown, and Rogers caught six passes for 93 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Pioneer receivers.

Defensively for MNU, Maxwell Webber played a pivotal role, recording an interception and three tackles. The Pioneers' defense limited Graceland to just three points in the second half, stifling the Yellowjackets' efforts to rally.

Graceland (2-2) will host their first Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC) game of the season next Saturday at Huntsman Field in Lamoni, Iowa. The Yellowjackets take on William Penn University (1-2), with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Graceland will look to find their rhythm in front of the home crowd after a challenging road stretch to begin the season.