Article produced in collaboration between Reporters Anthony DiCerbo and Quinn Gable.
The victory bells rang out in Bexley after Capital defeated Defiance 41-7 on the football field this past Thursday night. For many, this victory was a long time coming.
Going into the game, Capital had been on a 14-game losing streak that dated back to the fall of 2018. The last win in the program’s history came on Nov. 10, 2018, when the team beat Muskingum 33-28– a whole 1,027 days ago.
A lot has changed since then, including the man in charge. This season’s win marks the first for head coach Brian Foos and his staff, and is hopefully the first of many.
This game also indicated the return of the traditional college football experience at Capital. This game was the first fall football game for Capital since the 2019 campaign. The recorded attendance reflects this, noting that the team earned this win in front of 1,400 fans.
Before kickoff, no one was really sure what to expect from either team. In their shortened 2020 seasons, Capital went 0-4 and Defiance went 2-5 in their seven games played.
Once the ball was kicked, though, the tone was set in Capital’s favor. The teams traded three and outs on their first drives, but multiple penalties set Defiance up from deep within their own territory. On the very next play, a bad exchange set up the Capital offense on first and goal; and from there, they never looked back.
Throughout the whole game, the Capital defense was stifling, forcing six turnovers. The lone Defiance score came in the third quarter while Capital was already up 34-0.
The offense was equally impressive, as it was seemingly able to score and create big plays at will. Even with the game decided, the offense was able to methodically move the ball down the field and kill the clock.
A lot of credit has to go to the coaching staff. The game plan was executed on the field and it was easy to see on both sides of the ball. The plan for offense: run the ball well, and take advantage of matchups on the outside. The plan for defense: stop the run and do not allow any big plays.
Leading the way on defense for Capital was fourth-year Jack Blaisdell, who finished the night with eight total tackles and two sacks. Also notching two sacks, was first-year Michael Hooffstetter, and fellow first-year Malik Davis had two interceptions on the night.
On offense, third-year Jonathan Williams led the way on the ground with 75 yards on 14 carries. Capital was led through the air by fourth-year Luke McCarrell and second-year Ben Everson. Together the two threw for 158 yards and three touchdowns. On the receiving end for many of those passes was fourth-year Kameron Lee, who finished the night with six catches for 83 yards and a touchdown, including a 45-yard touchdown connection from fourth-year Luke McCarrell to send Capital into halftime up 21-0.
The team has some time off before their next game. They head up to Tiffin, Ohio to take on Heidelberg on Saturday, Sept. 18. This game marks the start of the conference season for Capital.
