BABSON PARK, Fla. — The Ave Maria Football team had to battle both the weather and the Weeber Warriors Saturday afternoon in their first Sun Conference road game of the season. But despite two lightning delays, the Gyrenes got the job done as they beat their oldest rival 21-19.
The Gyrenes started off red hot, scoring on the opening drive of the game. Ave Maria compiled a 14-play, nearly eight-minute drive, which ended with Logan Howard finding the tight end Jordan Beck in the end zone for six points. It was the first reception and touchdown for the freshman tight end and the third passing touchdown of the season for Howard.
The drive leading up to the score was textbook from the Gyrenes. Ave Maria only went backwards once as they slowly and steadily moved the ball down the field and drained more than half of the clock in the first half.
The Gyrenes lit up the scoreboard again on their following offensive possession, finding the end zone at the start of the second quarter. It was another long and sustained drive for the Gyrenes, capping off a 10-play, six-minute drive with 19-yard from Howard for the score. Howard completed two passes throughout the drive and got solid runs from himself, Isaiah Thomas and Javien Durham. The touchdown was scored on a 3
rd and 11 as Howard scrambled up the middle and into the end zone.
After just three drives in the ball game, Ave Maria dominated the time of possession, holding onto the ball for 13:44 while Webber only had the ball for 1:40 and punted after a three-and-out.
The rest of the second quarter was filled with short drives from both teams. Webber had a scoring opportunity on their third drive of the game, but on 4
th and 16 from the Ave Maria 22, the Gyrene defense stood tall and held the Warriors to force a turnover on downs.
On the next drive however, Webber found the end zone for their first touchdown of the game and cut the Gyrene lead in half. Ave Maria took their 14-7 lead into the break.
After an empty possession from both teams to start the second half, Webber started on a long drive of their own before the first lightning delay halted play. The pause ended up helping the Gyrenes as it took the Warriors out of their rhythm, and Webber had to settle for a field goal making the score 14-10.
A couple of drives later, Ave Maria put together their most efficient sequence of the game, scoring their third touchdown after just four plays. After two plays that gained zero yards, Howard connected with Andrew Picard right in front of the Ave Maria sideline. The defensive back who was watching Picard flew by him, and the graduate transfer was off and running. Picard made it all the way to the 9-yard line before being tripped up right as the clocks hit zero in the third quarter. The Gyrenes finished up the drive in the first play of the fourth quarter as Reggie McBride gained the final nine yards and scored his third touchdown of the year, putting Ave Maria up 21-10.
Webber answered on the following drive, but only with a field goal, keeping the Gyrenes in front by eight points.
The second lightning delay of the game hit during the following Ave Maria drive and the two teams headed back to the locker room for yet another break.
On the following Webber drive, the Gyrene defense logged their first turnover of the game. With the Warriors driving down the field, Sean Battle poked the ball free from Warriors' quarterback Trent Grotjan and right into the awaiting hands of Nate Harrison. It was the second forced fumble of the season for Battle and the first fumble recovery for Harrison.
Unfortunately, the Gyrenes fumbled the ball themselves three plays later, setting up the Warriors just 13 yards from the end zone. Webber cashed in on the following drive bringing them within two-points of the Gyrenes. On the potential tying two-point conversion, Webber looked to the back of the end zone for the pass, but a diving deflection from freshman DB Wendell Copeland kept the Gyrenes in front with a minute left on the clock.
Webber had one more chance to make some magic happen on the onside kick, but Battle fell on the ball, securing the win for the Gyrenes. Ave Maria kneeled out the rest of the clock to secure their first win in Sun Conference play.
 At quarterback, Howard finished the game 20-for-27, throwing for 247 yards and one touchdown. His leading receiver was Mitchell Soltau with eight receptions, the most in a game by a Gyrene this season. Picard edged out Soltau for receiving yards with 91 over three receptions to Soltau's 84.
On the ground, Howard was the leading rusher with 42 yards. McBride was the leading running back with 29 yards.
Defensively, Marco Casci led the team with nine total tackles. Elijah Douge notched two tackles for a loss, one of which was a sack for eight yards.
On special teams, Jake Matigian was 3-for-3 on PATs.
With the win, Ave Maria improves to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in conference play. Through two weeks, the Gyrenes are in a four-way tie for third place in the Sun Conference standings. It was also Ave Maria's first win over Webber since 2023, ending a two-game losing streak to the Warriors.
The Gyrenes are back home for their next game as they play host to the Thomas Night Hawks. Thomas fell to Southeastern 51-0 Saturday and joins Webber as one of the two winless teams in the conference play. The Night Hawks were also shut out against Keiser in the Sun opener, meaning they have yet to score a point in conference play.
The game has also been designated as the Hometown Heroes game, where Ave Maria will honor both active duty service members and veterans.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. from the friendly confines of Gyrene Field and the game will be streamed live on the Sun Digital Network.
