Jackets start fast, outlast Lawrence Tech to win season finale

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - The Defiance Yellow Jackets finished the 2025 season with a 43-34 victory over the Lawrence Tech Blue Devils on Saturday, capping off a 4-7 season.

After scoring 89 seconds into the game, the Yellow Jackets (4-7, 2-3 MSFA Mideast) led the entire contest but withstood a feverish comeback attempt by Blue Devils (2-8, 1-4 MSFA Mideast) with a pair of late, clutch touchdowns.

DC jumped ahead to a 21-0 lead in just under 7 minutes of action, needing just 8 offensive players on their first three possessions of the game. Quarterback Jordan Southall, starting for the injured Ethan Thanthanavong, found a home run connection to tight end Mar'Kel Wade for a 41-yard passing score on the third play from scrimmage. Following a Lawrence Tech 3-and-out, reigning MSFA Mideast Offensive Player of the Week Tristan Thomas made a 51-yard scamper for a touchdown on his first touch of the contest. Defiance's defense smothered LTU again and took over after the Blue Devils bobbled the snap on a punt and could not convert on 4th down. Four plays later, Thomas found the end zone again from 5 yards out set up by a long run by Myles Tackett.

Lawrence Tech started its comeback with a pair of field goals on short fields, including the second score to take advantage of a Defiance fumble in their own territory. After DC got those points back with a long touchdown drive, the Blue Devils shut the Jackets out over the last 9 minutes of the first half. LTU went on to add two touchdowns of their own to tighten things up to one score before halftime, 28-20. On the first drive of the 3rd quarter, Lawrence Tech marched down the field on a 9-play drive when quarterback Ryan Schuster ran in a 7-yard score to bring the home squad within one.

Now in a 28-27 ballgame, DC's Myles Tackett delivered the Yellow Jackets' biggest play of the game. Operating a wildcat package for the sophomore athlete, Tackett found a seam through the middle and sprinted 86 yards down the middle of the turf for a touchdown that gave Defiance some much-needed breathing room. Both sides traded turnovers on downs until Lawrence Tech added a score on the last play of the quarter to get back within one. LTU forced DC to punt on the next drive, but a second special teams blunder by the Blue Devils helped the Yellow Jackets put the game on ice. Lined up to punt inside their own 20, Lawrence Tech had a second bad snap to the punt that dribbled forward to Hunter Coltrain, who recovered the football for DC and had his return touchdown called back for leaping into the end zone. However, Defiance's Marshawn Taylor punted in the score two plays later on a 15-yard rush. The Jackets' decision to go for a 2-point conversion was successful following the score to put Defiance ahead by 9 with 8:03 remaining.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The win gives Defiance its second straight string of back-to-back wins this year. It is also the 3rd time in 4 years under Coach Nickell that Defiance has won the season finale.
• The Yellow Jackets' victory is just the second against Lawrence Tech and the first since meeting in 1935. Saturday's game was the first time the two programs have played since 1946.
• For the second week in a row, Defiance rushed for 271 yards. Myles Tackett had a career day with 125 yards on 7 carries and 2 touchdowns employed in a wildcat package to split time at QB with Jordan Southall.
• Tackett's 86-yard rush was the longest rush of the season by a Defiance runner in 2025.
• Tristan Thomas went over 100 yards of total offense for the second straight game, rushing for 97 yards and 2 touchdowns and led DC with 48 receiving yards.
• Mar'Kel Wade's 41-yard touchdown was his longest catch of the year and allowing him to end the year leading the program in touchdown catches with 5.
• Jordan Southall showed poise and command of the Yellow Jackets offense, completing 58 percent of his throws for 183 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers. 
• Carson Marroquin went 5-for-5 on PATs, marking the second straight week perfect in the PAT department. He also booted 3 punts with 2 landing inside LTU's 20.
• Defiance had an excellent day returning kickoffs by both Teon Hill and Marshawn Taylor. Hill had returns of 30 and 16 while Taylor posted returns of 26 and 15, both having over 40 yards in the return game.
• Christian Jackson led the defensive side of the ball with 10 tackles, just ahead of Chris Moneyham-Sawyer with 9.  Jackson also logged 2 of the team's 4 sacks.

-JACKETS-