BIG RAPIDS – Ferris State University’s top ranked soccer team won at least a stake in the third consecutive Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship when the Bulldogs drove to a 50-14 league road win over the Davenport Panthers at Meyering Field on Saturday Caledonia.
The Bulldogs went undefeated that year, going 9-0 overall and 6-0 in conference play by beating the Panthers for the second time this season. FSU opened a 20-0 lead in the first quarter and led 33-14 at halftime before knocking out DU to victory in the second half.
The Ferris State win was the 37th straight season triumph and the 30th GLIAC win in a row. It also marked the Bulldogs’ 21st straight road win. With a victory in the final of the regular season next Saturday, the Bulldogs would also crown a third undefeated season in a row.
The Bulldogs limited Davenport to just 94 yards overall offensive that day in a dominant win while scoring in all three phases of the game.
FSU jumped to the top on his first offensive drive of the afternoon early, moving 63 yards in just nine games, before senior quarterback Jared Bernhardt took the drive in less than with his first of three touchdowns on a 9-yard scoring run crowned five minutes in the slope.
Bernhardt pushed the lead to 13-0 with 5:01 to go in the first verse of a 33-yard TD run and ended a short 33-yard excursion with two games.
The lead grew to 20-0 after the first third when returner Tyler Minor scored a goal just a minute later in the first turn after a turn over with a 12-yard carry.
In the second quarter, Marcus Taylor of the Bulldogs returned a punt from 85 yards for a 13:26 result at halftime to make it a 27-0 game before DU finally hit the board 10 minutes before the end thanks to a diving attempt came to Seth Acda after a 27 yard scoring throw from Jake Jenson. There was a free game for the Panthers on a penalty with two FSU defenders taking cover from an Acda jump attempt after he was tipped by the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs reacted defensively, however, with just seven minutes remaining when Major Dedmond picked up a Davenport pass and sped 65 yards into the end zone to score his first college defensive score. That gave FSU a 33-7 lead, but Davenport cut the break lead to 33-14 when Nick Cain picked up a botched FSU fake boat and returned it 15 yards for a score on a fumble recovery return.
The Bulldogs opened the second half with a long 90-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 44-yard TD run by Bernhardt at 12:53 in the third. Ferris State later pushed the lead to 47:14 with only 1:12 in the period on Mylik Mitchell’s 11-yard scoring throw on Xavier Wade.
In the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs had the only goal of the game when Sy Barnett scored on a 29-yard field goal with 9:31 remaining in the competition.
In total, Ferris State recorded 396 yards of total offense, including 236 yards. Bernhardt paced FSU with 120 yards and three scores on the ground while completing nine of 15 passes for 73 yards. He shared the duties that day with both Mitchell and his QB colleague Evan Cummins.
Taylor led all Bulldog receivers with five grabs for 69 yards while CJ Jefferson had six catches for 37 yards.
Defensively, Ian Hall had the Bulldogs clocked with seven tackles, one tackle for the loss and a quarterback rush. Senior John Higgins had seven stops including two tackles for loss and one forced fumble.
The Bulldogs will be welcomed to their regular season finale in Wayne State on Saturday. The Senior Day competition is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids. With one win, the FSU can win the absolute GLIAC championship for the third time in a row.
