The Ave Maria University football team came up one score shot on Saturday afternoon, dropping a narrow 20-14 decision to the Warner University Royals at Gyrenes Field. It was The Sun Conference opener for the Gyrenes, who fell to 0-5 on the season.
 
The game started with a bang for the Gyrenes on Warner's first offensive possession. With the Royals on the Ave Maria 12-yard line, Eric Pierre intercepted a pass from DJ Davis and returned it 96 yards for a Gyrene touchdown. Pierre's pick-six put Ave Maria up 7-0 just
3:47 into the contest.
 
Warner scored the only two other touchdowns of the first half, both coming in the second quarter. Backup quarterback Steven Frost found Jeff Suarez for a 49-yard touchdown pass early in the frame, and Ronnie Harris intercepted a pass and returned it 30 yards for a Royal touchdown with 4:50 to go in the half, giving Warner a 14-7 lead.
 
Two field goals for the Royals, one each in the third and fourth quarters, pushed Warner's lead to 20-7. Ave Maria trimmed the lead to six points after a 49-yard touchdown pass from Bob Orban to Drew Bonner. The Gyrenes got the ball back with less than 30 seconds for a final chance, but could not advance the ball on the game-ending drive.
 
Orban and Matthew Kreichman split the duties at quarterback, with Orban accounting for 97 yards passing, while Kreichman carried the ball 12 times for 23 yards. Nate Cameau was Ave Maria's leading rusher, recording 32 yards on ten carries. Bonner's 49-yard catch made him Ave Maria's leading receiver on the day.
 
One of Ave Maria's most effective players on the day was punter Brandon Leon. Leon averaged 45 yards on his six punts, including a long of 54 yards. Several of Leon's punts pinned the Royals inside their own 20-yard line.
 
Defensively, Ayshad Thornton had eleven tackles, including two for loss. Savohn Hunt also added seven kicked, and had two tackles for loss as well.
 
Warner's offense was led by running back Jerome Lindo, who ran for 89 yards on 12 carries. Frost went 9-for-20 for 138 yards, including his lone touchdown. Suarez was his top target, hauling in four receptions for 73 yards. Linebacker Emmanuel Bien-Aime was Warner's leading tackler, collecting 11 stops on the afternoon.
 
The Gyrenes play at home again next Saturday against the Fire of Southeastern University. The kickoff is scheduled for noon at Gyrenes Field.