Owings Mills, Md. (October 18) – In front of a spirited Homecoming crowd at Mustang Stadium, the Stevenson football team delivered a thrilling performance on Saturday afternoon, narrowly falling 29–28 to the Misericordia Cougars in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) action, that came down to the final play.
The Mustangs (4–3, 3–3 MAC) came out strong on both sides of the ball, opening the scoring midway through the first quarter. Senior quarterback
Jordan Adams capped a seven-play, 62-yard drive with a 10-yard rushing touchdown, giving Stevenson the early 7–0 advantage. The defense held steady through much of the opening frame, led by
Thomas Fisher and
Terae Franklin, before Misericordia found the end zone late to even the score at 7–7.
In the second quarter, a Mustang turnover gave the Cougars a short field and a quick 14–7 lead, but Stevenson responded with poise. Behind the power of senior running back
Louis Clouser, the Mustangs put together a 10-play, 63-yard drive. Clouser finished the series with a one-yard plunge into the end zone to knot the score 14–14 heading into the half.
After the break, Misericordia reclaimed the lead on a short touchdown pass, but Stevenson quickly answered. Adams connected with
Stephen Tatum on a 25-yard strike midway through the third quarter, tying the game at 21–21 and igniting the Homecoming crowd. The defense built on that momentum, forcing back-to-back punts and keeping the Cougars in check.
Early in the fourth, Adams found the end zone for the second time, finishing off a determined 75-yard drive with a 9-yard rush that put the Mustangs back in front 28–21. Stevenson's defensive front continued to apply pressure late, highlighted by big stops from
Gabriel Shanks,
Michael Hall, and Franklin. Despite Misericordia scoring as time expired and converting the 2-point conversion, the Mustangs' all-around effort showcased their resilience and ability to compete wire-to-wire.
Adams led the offense with 208 passing yards and three total touchdowns (two rushing, one passing), while Clouser posted 113 yards on the ground and a score. Tatum led the receivers with 56 yards and a touchdown, and
Dillon Johnson added 90 receiving yards on eight catches. On defense, Fisher posted a game-high 12 tackles, with Shanks contributing 1.5 sacks and eight total stops.
Stevenson hits the road for its next match up, traveling to Delaware Valley for a MAC contest scheduled for noon on Saturday, October 25.
