OZARK, Mo. – The Evangel University football team was unable to hold a halftime lead Saturday afternoon as 6th-ranked Grand View rallied to a 35-17 victory in a Heart Crossover Battle.
The Crusaders were able to strike first when Jon Hukill scooped a blocked punt by ZaKorey Barr and raced 42-yards for a touchdown. The Vikings would answer with a 15-yard pass and catch from Alex Bush to Jordan Cheatem tying the game at 7-7.
Both teams continued to answer after Evangel scored on a 32-yard field goal from Derek Roberts and Grand View capped a 10 play 65-yard drive to take a 14-10 lead with 8:07 left before halftime.
However, Evangel bounced back with a quick strike when the offense took over after a Grand View fumble at the 25-yard line. Just two plays later Donnie Thomas out-jumped a Viking defender on a pass from Blake Woodard to give the Crusaders a 17-14 lead at the break.
In the second half, Grand View would score 21 unanswered points in the third quarter capitalizing on Crusader miscues. Grand View finished each of its scores with drives of six plays or more including an 11-play 68-yard drive with 1:53 left in the quarter for the game’s final touchdown.
Blake Woodard finished 21-of-36 passing for 175 yards with a touchdown, while Evangel finished with 188 yards of total offense.
Grand View tallied 435 yards of total offense in a balanced attack for the Vikings as Jordan Knock completed 26 passes on 45 attempts for 221 yards and one touchdown.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Brady Collier led Evangel with six catches for 24 yards while Donnie Thomas added two catches for 51 yards and a touchdown.
– Evangel recorded its first blocked kick of the season when ZaKorey Barr blocked a Grand View punt in the first quarter.
– Evangel has recorded at least one turnover in each game this season as Josh Evans recovered a fumble forced by Isaiah Daniels.
UP NEXT
Evangel returns to Tiger Stadium next weekend for Hall of Fame weekend as the Crusaders host Culver-Stockton. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
