UPLAND, Ind. - The Madonna University Crusaders' football team hit the road this weekend and put up a great fight against a tough opponent in Taylor University, but ultimately fell short as Taylor pulled away in the second half. The final score: 52-23 Taylor in the MSFA Mideast League showdown at Turner Stadium.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
    
The Crusader received the ball to start the game. An explosive 43-yard run by Arthur Brantley IV helped to set up William Stoyanovich with a 35-yard field goal, putting Madonna up 3-0 at the end of their first drive.

Madonna's defense held strong, forcing Taylor to punt after a three-and-out on the following drive. However, the offense couldn't recreate their explosive first drive after getting the ball back, and was forced to punt it away. Taylor put together a nine-play drive, which was capped off with a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Dylan Scally. Following the PAT kick by Zane Shilts, Taylor took the lead 7-3.

The Trojans were able to pick off Brantley on the next drive and set themselves up with good field position to start their drive. They ground away at the Crusaders' strong defense with a series of run plays, but eventually were able to find the endzone with a 6-yard rushing touchdown by Ja Thomas to go up 14-3.

Madonna held strong until the start of the second quarter when the Trojans were able to extend the lead with a 29-yard field goal by Shilts to make it 17-3. After picking off Brantley once more, they added another 1-yard rushing touchdown, this time by Dakohta Sonnichsen, and now led 24-3.

After both teams traded punts, Josh DePaulis took over for the offense and came out firing with a 48-yard toss to Novell Chestnut for a long touchdown on his first play, helping the Crusaders to get some momentum back and make the score 24-10

Jakel Davis made a huge 4th down stop on the next drive to give the Crusader offense the ball back in great field position. DePaulis hit Chestnut again, this time for a 30-yard gain, and then handed the ball off to him on the next play, which he took all the way to the endzone for a 25-yard rushing touchdown. Madonna closed the gap to 24-16.

On the next drive, Taylor quarterback Elijah McCloskey was picked off by Cortland Cochran to give the Crusaders the ball back. But the Trojans were able to snag an interception of their own to stall an otherwise great drive by the Crusaders. As soon as Taylor got the ball back, Cochran was able to grab his second interception in two drives to end the half on a positive note for the Crusaders.

After receiving the second-half kickoff from Stoyanovich, Taylor began to pull away as Scally found the endzone again for a 2-yard rushing touchdown. The Trojans went up 31-16.

The Crusaders fought hard after getting the ball back, putting together a 14-play drive, but stalled out after a failed 4th down conversion. The Trojans took advantage as McCloskey hit Stephen Ellis for a 17-yard touchdown to make it 38-16.

Madonna didn't give up though. After a series of defensive stops by the Crusaders, DePaulis came out firing in the 4th quarter, hitting Emerson Combs for a 10-yard touchdown to make it 38-23.

Despite DePaulis' effort to lead a late comeback, Taylor pulled away at the end of the game with a 30-yard rushing touchdown by Ellis and a 5-yard rushing touchdown by Damon Hockett to end the game at 52-23.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
● Josh DePaulis completed 11-of-24 passes for 258 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 1 interception.
● Novell Chestnut was dominant on offense, hauling in 4 catches for 148 yards and 1 touchdown, along with a 25-yard rushing touchdown.
● Jakel Davis and Dalen Cobb led the way for the defense, each with 12 total tackles.
● Nash Phillips made his presence known on defense, recording 2 tackles for loss and 4 total tackles.
● Cortland Cochran added two more interceptions to his season total and three solo tackles.

UP NEXT:
The Madonna University football team returns home to Churchill High School on Saturday, November 5th to take on the Concordia University Ann Arbor Cardinals at 12:30 p.m.

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