DC offense returns to form but outshined by IWU

MARIAN, Ind. – The Defiance Yellow Jackets had some familiar faces back in action against the Indiana Wesleyan Wildcats but the nationally-ranked hosts were too much to handle in a 56-17 loss on Saturday.

Quarterback Ethan Thanthanavong and running back Cameron Turner were back in the Yellow Jackets' (2-6, 0-2 Mideast) after missing time to injury and led a 428-yard performance by the offense. However, the #14 Wildcats (6-2, 2-0 Mideast) were fueled by six touchdowns and 383 yards passing by quarterback Arjun Lothe.

Indiana Wesleyan scored on their first five possessions of the game, all touchdown passes by Lothe that included an 85-yard connection in the second quarter that made the score 35-0. After two drives that ended in a 3-and-out and turnover on downs, IWU scored on three straight turns with the football on Lothe's six passing score, a kick return for a touchdown, and the Wildcats' lone rushing score of the afternoon.

Defiance found their rhythm on their possession of the game that reached the IWU red zone, but it finished with a rare Thanthanavong interception in the end zone. The Jackets broke through with a pair of scores in the last 70 seconds of the first half when the freshman signal caller found Mar'Kel Wade on the receiving end of an 11-yard touchdown to finish a 12-play, 84-yard scoring drive. After a 3-and-out by the Wildcats, the Jackets hustled downfield in five plays to set up Carson Marroquin for a 19-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter. The Yellow Jackets added another touchdown when Thanthanavong took a short carry across the goal line during the third quarter.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Saturday's game was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
• The loss is the sixth in a row for Defiance as the team has navigated a gauntlet of five nationally-ranked teams on the schedule over the last six games.
• Ethan Thanthanavong matched a season-high with 26 completions and had 268 yards, his second-highest output in a game this year.
• Cameron Turner amassed 118 yards on just 13 carries for his second 100-yard game of his career. His career-high day was highlighted by a 47-yard run in the second quarter and had five rushes for more than 10 yards.
• Mar'Kel Wade's touchdown was his fourth in the last three games. The Springfield native had a career day with three catches for 46 yards, each career-best outputs.
• Caleb Johnson was DC's leading receiver with 97 yards on five catches, just missing a his second 100-yard game of the year.
• The Defiance passing game produced six plays of 20 yards or more, including a 35-yard catch by Johnson that got DC in field goal range at the end of the first half.
• Defensively, Dominic Harris led the Jackets with 10 tackles and had 1.5 tackles for loss. Davidson Leconte Jr. was responsible for 2.0 tackles for loss and made six stops in all. Dominique Williams broke up three passes in the secondary as well.

UP NEXT
Defiance returns home to battle the Siena Heights Saints next Saturday. Kickoff at Justin F. Coressel Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.

-JACKETS-