WINTER HAVEN, Fla.- The Ave Maria University football team came up short on Saturday afternoon, losing 20-17 in overtime to the Warriors of Webber International University. The loss sets up a must-win season finale for the Gyrenes, who will need a win over Warner to still claim a share of the Sun Division championship.
Each team scored a touchdown in the second quarter to account for a 7-7 halftime score. On their third drive of the game, the Gyrenes put together a 12 play, 56-yard drive, converting twice on third and short. On fourth and goal from the one yard line, Quino Mauricette plunged in for the touchdown to give AMU a 7-0 lead.
Webber answered late in the second quarter, turning an Ave Maria turnover into their first touchdown of the afternoon. The Warriors forced a fumble from the Gyrenes, and took over in AMU territory at the 47. After moving inside the Ave Maria 40 on a first down run from Davonte Williams, the Warriors got on the board thanks to a 32-yard touchdown pass from Brady Ooten to Christian Acevedo. Webber's touchdown tied the game at seven, with the score remaining that way until halftime.
A turnover helped the Gyrenes set up a go-ahead field goal in the third quarter, which proved to be the only points of the third. A punt by AMU was fumbled by Webber, and recovered by Kobi Bowers inside the WIU 30-yard line. Despite only gaining two yards on the drive, Devyn McCormick connected on a 43-yard field goal to put the Gyrenes back ahead, 10-7.
The Warriors scored the first ten points of the fourth quarter to take a 17-10 lead over the Gyrenes late in the game. Marcus Mannerstedt connected on a 22-yard field goal with 12:30 to play, getting points on Webber's first drive in the fourth. Then, with 6:48 to play in the game, Webber blocked a punt to set up first and ten and the 11-yard line. Three plays later, Ooten found Williams on a 6-yard pass to give the Warriors a 17-10 edge.
Ave Maria forced overtime with just over two minutes to play, driving 75 yards in eight plays to tie the contest. The two biggest plays of the drive were the first two, a 25-yard pass from Will Tate to Kevon O'Connor and a 22-yard run by Tate. After a 15-yard pass to Dimitrius Hirsch got the Gyrenes first and goal, Tate found Sefe Wences for a 3-yard touchdown to tie the game with 2:11 to play. Neither team scored in the final two minutes, sending the game to overtime.
In overtime, Ave Maria had a 43-yard field goal blocked, and Mannerstedt connected from 24 yards to give the victory to the Warriors on Senior Day.
Quino Mauricette was Ave Maria's most productive offensive player, running for 92 yards with a touchdown on 29 carries. Defensively, Shar'quez Hamilton logged four tackles for a loss and two sacks, as the Gyrenes recorded six total sacks in the losing effort.
Entering the final week of the regular season, the Gyrenes are tied with Southeastern University at the top of the Sun Division. A win by the Gyrenes or a loss by Southeastern to Faulkner would give the Gyrenes a share of the Sun Division championship, while a win and a Fire loss would give the title to the Gyrenes outright. The season finale will see the Warner University Royals come to town, with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
