LAKELAND, Fla.- The Ave Maria University football team completed the 2017 season on Saturday night, losing 65-0 to the Southeastern University Fire at Victory Field in Lakeland. The victory wrapped up an undefeated record in the Sun Division for the Fire, who will play in the NAIA Football Championship Series.
Southeastern scored four touchdowns in the first quarter to take early control of the contest. The Fire took a 28-0 lead on two aerial touchdowns from Jonathan Pierce and rushing touchdowns from Pearce and Kamario Bell. LaQuivionte Gonzalez and Bryce Miller were on the receiving end of the two Southeastern passing touchdowns.
Pearce threw his third touchdown pass in the second quarter, and Bell scored from 11 yards out for his second touchdown of the evening. A pair of field goals from Caleb Winter gave the Fire a 48-0 advantage at halftime.
Two more touchdowns were scored by the Fire in the third quarter, both coming on the ground. Bell scored for the third time, and Antwain Adams added a 6-yard run late in the frame. The game's scoring was concluded on a Winter field goal in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter.
Ave Maria recorded 109 of their 114 yards through the air on Saturday night. Tje longest play of the night for the Gyrenes came on a fake punt, when John Paul Harper found Traylyn Jackson for a 19-yard gain in the third quarter. Randy Schroeder totalled the other 90 passing yards, and Jackson was Ave Maria's leading receiver with four catches for 40 yards.
On defense, John Preyer was in on 14 tackles for the Gyrenes, and Ramsey Bennett led AMU with four solo tackles.
The Gyrenes end the 2017 season in fourth in the Mid-South Sun Division, thanks to a divisional win over Edward Waters. AMU increased their win total by two from the 2016 season, and saw numerous school records broken or challenged.
