Flyer Football Takes Down Valparaiso With A Double Digit Blowout
Atticus Hughes
Contributing Writer
Many University of Dayton students may have been able to rest over fall break, but the Flyer football squad surely didn’t. They were hard at work to bring home another win.
On Saturday Oct. 6th, the Flyers routed the Valparaiso Crusaders by a score of 53-13.
The Flyers faced Pioneer Football League opponent at Welcome Stadium, and they wasted no time in getting things started. On just the second play of the game, the Flyer defense made themselves known by picking off quarterback Chris Duncan’s pass and setting up their offense inside the Valpo 30 yard-line for their first possession.
The offense seized the opportunity as junior Ryan Skibinski punched in the first scored of the game from nine yards out. This was just the beginning for the red-hot offensive unit, with a touchdown coming from redshirt freshman running back Richie Warfield on the ensuing drive.
It seemed that Valparaiso attempted to minimize the damage being done by the Dayton offense and get back into the game, scoring a touchdown of their own coming on a 58 yard bomb from Duncan to Griffin Norberg.
This seemed to only further motivate the already on fire Dayton offensive unit, as they responded with a seven-play, 65-yard drive capped off by a 34-yard touchdown pass from redshirt freshman Jack Cook to redshirt senior Tucker Yinger, to bring the score to 21-7 early in the second quarter.
The scoring was not exclusively offensive either, as redshirt sophomore Kyle Butz returned a Crusaders punt 51 yards to the house, making it 28-7 early in the second quarter for the Flyers.
However, the Crusaders kept battling and managed to get another score through the air coming off a 5 yard pass from Duncanith the extra point botched, the Flyers held a 28-13 lead with eight minutes left in the half.
Despite continued effort from Valparaiso, Dayton continued to step on the gas pedal. Raking in a 32-yard field goal from senior Joseph Bruni and a 60-yard touchdown pass from Cook to Butz, each their second scores of the game.
Leading 37-13, the fans were sadly mistaken if they thought Dayton would let up. They kept piling it on with two more scores from Warfield, compiling to three for him in the game, and 11 total on the season.
The punting unit continued to be involved as well, forcing a safety on a Crusaders punt in the third quarter.
Overall, the Dayton Flyers did exactly what head coach Rick Chamberlain asked of them. They put together an offensive and defensive masterpiece, compiling over 530-yards of total offense and allowing only 20 points on the defensive end. Cook led this offensive onslaught with stats to the tune of 19-22 passing for 292-yards and two touchdowns, as well as five rushes for a total of 57 yards. Warfield and Butz chipped in as well, with three and two scores , respectively.
The Flyers now move to (3-3) on the season and (2-1) in PFL play. They move on to face a tough PFL opponent next Saturday when they travel to California to take on top-ranked San Diego at 5 p.m.
Photos courtesy of Griffin Quinn.