Dayton remained unbeaten while Butler, Davidson and St. Thomas also earned victories Saturday to highlight the Pioneer Football League’s Week 3 nonconference slate. The Flyers moved to 2-0 with a 30-7 victory against Thomas More, Butler shut out Franklin 52-0, Davidson earned its first win with a 28-14 decision against Dickinson and St. Thomas scored 56 points in a victory against Northern Michigan.
PFL Scoreboard: Week 2
Saturday, September 12
Austin Peay def. Morehead State, 63-7
Bethune-Cookman def. Stetson, 43-18
Idaho State def. San Diego, 59-17
Butler def. Franklin, 52-0
Murray State def. Valparaiso, 27-18
Dayton def. Thomas More, 30-7
Davidson def. Dickinson, 28-14
Lafayette def. Marist, 13-9
Northern Iowa def. Drake, 56-14
St. Thomas def. Northern Michigan, 56-14
PFL Recaps: Saturday, September 12
Dayton def. Thomas More, 30-7
DAYTON, Ohio – Dayton scored the game’s first 13 points and held Thomas More scoreless over the final three quarters to earn a 30-7 victory Saturday at Welcome Stadium and improve to 2-0.
The Flyers built a 13-7 lead after the opening quarter, then relied on their defense while gradually extending it. Dayton added a touchdown in the third quarter before putting 10 more points on the board in the fourth to secure its second victory in as many games.
Bryce Schondelmyer completed 19 of 27 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown to direct the Dayton offense. Mason Hackett led the ground game with 65 yards on 15 carries, while Michael Mussari caught five passes for a team-high 90 yards.
Dayton’s defense kept Thomas More off the scoreboard after the opening period, limiting Thomas More to 222 offensive yards – 75 of those coming on the Saints' first-quarter scoring drive.
Butler def. Franklin, 52-0
INDIANAPOLIS – Butler scored on eight possessions and did not commit a turnover as the Bulldogs rolled to a 52-0 victory against Franklin on Saturday at the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl.
Nick Munson opened the scoring with an 11-yard run before catching a 29-yard touchdown pass from Gabe Passini in the second quarter. Passini added a 29-yard touchdown pass to Blake Matthews, and Beck Janki’s 26-yard field goal sent Butler into halftime with a 24-0 advantage.
The Bulldogs continued to pull away after the break. Michael Dellumo scored on a 6-yard run, and Desmin Jackson added a 5-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Zac Willingham-Davis and Jack Linden supplied fourth-quarter rushing touchdowns to complete the scoring.
Passini completed 14 of 20 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, while Dellumo rushed for 79 yards and a score. Butler accumulated 512 yards of offense and finished with a 28-10 advantage in first downs. The Bulldogs defense forced five turnovers and held Franklin to 235 yards.
Davidson def. Dickinson, 28-14
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson put together two long fourth-quarter touchdown drives to break a 14-14 tie and defeat Dickinson 28-14 Saturday at Richardson Stadium for the Wildcats’ first victory of the season.
Brodey Berg gave Davidson the early lead with a 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. After Dickinson tied the game on an interception return, Andrew Frazier capped an 11-play, 68-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to give the Wildcats a 14-7 halftime advantage.
Dickinson tied the game early in the third on Dane Sorensen’s 83-yard run, but Davidson answered with a pair of lengthy possessions. Will Jones finished a 16-play, 89-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Wildcats followed with an eight-play, 74-yard march that consumed more than six minutes, with Casey Bullock scoring from 6 yards out.
Bullock completed 29 of 41 passes for 293 yards, while Antonio Adams caught six passes for 109 yards. Davidson’s two fourth-quarter scoring drives covered 163 yards in 24 plays and consumed more than 14 minutes, with the Wildcats finishing the day with 453 offensive yards.
St. Thomas def. Northern Michigan, 56-14
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Gabriel Abel rushed for three touchdowns and Nick Peipert accounted for three more as St. Thomas defeated Northern Michigan 56-14 Saturday at O'Shaughnessy Stadium.
Abel opened the scoring with a 14-yard touchdown run before Peipert connected with Stefano Giovannelli for a 26-yard score, with Noah Long adding the two-point conversion for a 15-0 lead. Northern Michigan scored late in the first quarter, but St. Thomas responded with 20 unanswered points in the second. Abel scored from 4 yards, Peipert added a 9-yard touchdown run and Ben Hoiland connected on field goals from 33 and 50 yards to give the Tommies a 35-7 halftime advantage.
Northern Michigan scored the third quarter's only points before St. Thomas answered on the first play of the fourth with Abel's third touchdown, an 8-yard run. Peipert then found Quentin Cobb-Butler for a 32-yard touchdown, and Jack Wallace connected with Owen Lyons for a 17-yard score to close the scoring.
Peipert completed 15 of 27 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing score, while Abel had 44 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries. Pierce McCrary led St. Thomas with 69 receiving yards. The Tommies finished with 496 yards of offense and forced four Northern Michigan turnovers.
Lafayette def. Marist, 13-9
EASTON, Pa. – Marist built a nine-point first-half lead and held Lafayette scoreless in the fourth quarter, but the Red Foxes fell 13-9 Saturday at Fisher Stadium.
Luke Stenson opened the scoring with a 21-yard field goal late in the first quarter. Marist then put together a 15-play, 93-yard drive in the second, with Sonny Mannino finding Zach Garmont for a 5-yard touchdown to extend the advantage to 9-0.
Lafayette answered with two field goals before halftime, cutting Marist’s lead to 9-6, and Jason Penza’s 38-yard touchdown run with 5:03 remaining in the third quarter provided the game’s final points. Neither team scored over the final 20 minutes.
Mannino completed 26 of 38 passes for 291 yards and a touchdown. Jayden Taylor led the Red Foxes with seven receptions for 90 yards.
Murray State def. Valparaiso, 27-18
MURRAY, Ky. – Valparaiso remained within one possession entering the fourth quarter before Murray State pulled away late to hand the Beacons a 27-18 setback Saturday at Roy Stewart Stadium.
Murray State scored the game's first touchdown before Valparaiso answered in the second quarter to stay within 14-7 at halftime. The Beacons' defense kept the Racers off the scoreboard in the third quarter, and Valparaiso added a field goal to trim the deficit to 14-10 entering the final 15 minutes.
Murray State extended its advantage in the fourth quarter, but Valparaiso continued to battle and produced eight points in the final period. The Racers scored with 2:46 remaining in the game to seal the victory.
Rowan Keefe completed 20 of 35 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown and added 29 yards and a score on the ground. Chris Gundy led the Beacons' receiving corps with five catches for 107 yards, while Isaac Tran caught a 23-yard touchdown pass.
Bethune-Cookman def. Stetson, 43-18
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Stetson remained within four points at halftime before Bethune-Cookman pulled away in the second half for a 43-18 victory Saturday in Daytona Beach.
Trey Hess put Stetson on the scoreboard first with a 40-yard field goal midway through the opening quarter. After Bethune-Cookman scored twice, Troy Flowers capped a seven-play, 51-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:02 remaining before halftime, sending the Hatters into the locker room trailing 14-10.
Bethune-Cookman extended its lead to 21-10 in the third and added 16 unanswered points to open the fourth. Stetson responded when Thomas Von Grote connected with Landon Farco for a 27-yard touchdown with 6:50 remaining, then found Wyatt Rogers for the two-point conversion.
Von Grote completed 15 of 31 passes for 192 yards and a touchdown. Flowers led Stetson’s rushing attack with 72 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Farco caught five passes for 95 yards and a TD.
Northern Iowa def. Drake, 56-14
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Drake answered two early Northern Iowa touchdowns with a pair of scoring drives but could not keep pace in a 56-14 setback Saturday at the UNI-Dome.
Northern Iowa jumped ahead 14-0 before Riley Warzynski connected with Mitchell January for a 43-yard touchdown with 3:55 remaining in the opening quarter. After another Panthers touchdown, Drake mounted a 14-play, 71-yard drive that ended with Warzynski’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Lincoln DeLaere, cutting the deficit to 21-14.
Northern Iowa scored with 41 seconds remaining in the half to take a 28-14 advantage, then produced three third-quarter touchdowns. An 80-yard interception return extended the Panthers’ lead to 42-14 before Northern Iowa added two more rushing scores.
January caught five passes for 75 yards and a touchdown for Drake, while Warzynski threw both Bulldogs touchdowns on a 27 of 47 passing day that amassed 241 yards.
Idaho State def. San Diego, 59-17
POCATELLO, Idaho – San Diego scored 10 second-quarter points and rushed for 235 yards, but an early Idaho State surge sent the Toreros to a 59-17 setback Saturday.
Idaho State scored three times in the opening quarter before San Diego responded with a nine-play, 61-yard drive capped by Dom Nankil’s 7-yard touchdown run. Emiliano Salazar followed with a 37-yard field goal, pulling the Toreros within 21-10 before Idaho State added a field goal just before halftime.
The Bengals extended their lead with two third-quarter touchdowns, including an interception return. San Diego continued to battle and produced its longest play of the game early in the fourth when CJ Ceron broke free for a 53-yard touchdown run.
Nankil completed 11 of 22 passes for 122 yards and rushed for a touchdown. Omar Mbakwe led San Diego with 63 rushing yards, Adam Criter added 61 and Ceron finished with 57 and a score.
Austin Peay def. Morehead State, 63-7
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Morehead State opened the game with a 75-yard touchdown drive before Austin Peay answered with 63 consecutive points in the Eagles’ 63-7 setback Saturday.
The Eagles took the opening possession 75 yards in 11 plays, consuming five minutes before David Parsons connected with Riley Purcell for a 16-yard touchdown.
Austin Peay answered just 18 seconds later on a 72-yard touchdown pass and took the lead with a 40-yard touchdown run later in the quarter. The Governors then scored 35 points in the second quarter, including touchdowns on an 80-yard run and a 67-yard punt return, to take a 49-7 advantage into halftime.
Morehead State’s opening drive provided an encouraging start on the road, but the Eagles were unable to sustain that production after Austin Peay gained control. Chris Parson threw three touchdown passes for the Governors, while Denver Harper caught two touchdown passes and returned a punt for another score.