Highlights and Coach Patterson Interview

AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria University football team began the 2018 season with a victory on Saturday afternoon, topping the Point University Skyhawks 17-5 at Gyrene Field. The Ave Maria defense took center stage in the season opener, holding the Point offense to three points after surrendering 40 points a season ago.

Point scored the first points of the contest on defense, recording a safety in the first quarter. Facing a third and nine on his own 11, Gyrene quarterback Will Tate was sacked just inside the endzone by Trento Stringer and Warr Breakfield, giving the Skyhawks a safety and an early 2-0 lead.

A big play sparked Ave Maria to the lead in the second quarter, giving the Gyrenes a lead they would not relinquish. After forcing a punt from Point, the Gyrenes had 1st and 10 from their own 31. On the first play of the drive, Alex Shoop raced 67 yards to the Point 2-yard line. On the next play, Isaac Cornewell punched it in from the two, giving the Gyrenes a 7-2 lead with 7:50 to play. The score would remain 7-2 heading into halftime.

Coming out of halftime, the Gyrenes put together a ten play, 65 yard drive to take a 14-2 lead. The drive was capped when Tate tossed a strike to Devin Broughton for a 20-yard touchdown with 9:38 to play in the third quarter. On the game, Tate was 13-for-24 for 153 yards through the air. His favorite target was Traylyn Jackson, who logged four receptions for 56 yards.

Each team kicked a field goal as their final score of the contest. Point's Wesley Rubiera made a 37-yard field goal with 6:25 remaining in the third, while Ave Maria freshman Devyn McCormick buried a 47-yard field goal in the fourth. McCormick's field goal was the program's longest since the season finale of the 2014 season, when Brandon Leon made a 48-yarder.

Ave Maria's defense sealed the victory in the final five minutes with a goal line stand. The Skyhawks had four chances to score inside the five-yard line, but were stuffed each time by the Gyrenes. The drive ended when Stephen Killop intercepted a fourth down pass, ending Point's third trip to the redzone in the same way the first two went - with zero points.

Head coach Joe Patterson said the defense for the Gyrenes performed at their best during the game's biggest moments.

"When we needed them the most, they came through," Patterson said. "We've been preaching that all camp, and even since the end of last season. To see the guys step up in critical moments is fantastic."

Quino Mauricette led the Gyrenes on the ground, running for 68 yards on 16 carries. Defensively, John Preyer accounted for 13 tackles with three tackles for loss and one sack, while Dylan Bryan recorded three sacks and nine total tackles.

The Gyrenes head into their first bye week of the season following their victory over Point, which marks the second season in a row where AMU has started 1-0. Following the bye week, the Gyrenes will face No. 5 Lindsey Wilson, who went 11-1 last season, on the road.