HIRAM, Ohio – Allegheny junior Jake Wilson became the NCAA Division III all-time leader in single-season kick return yards, but the Gators were hampered by big plays throughout the afternoon in a 42-14 loss to Hiram at Henry Field.  

The Terriers amassed 541 yards of total offense, and scored three touchdowns of 37 yards or longer, as they broke open a one-score game by tallying the final three touchdowns of the afternoon, including a pair in the fourth quarter.
 
Despite the loss, it was a memorable day for Wilson, who returned four kicks for 83 yards, setting a new Division III record for kick return yards in a single season, as he now has 1,059, 20 more than the previous mark set in 2012 by Mike Schroeder of Knox College.
 
The Gators' Logan Lee completed 15 passes for 162 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with Ben Bachik and Alex Victor each tallying four catches and a score apiece.   
 
Hiram showcased a strong running attack, gaining 338 yards, led by Danny Robinson, who ran 14 times for 232 yards and two touchdowns, while teammate Isaiah Jones had 11 carries for 59 yards and three scores.
 
Neither team needed much time to put their first points on the board.  Just three plays into their first possession of the day, the Terriers scored the game's first touchdown, a 59-yard catch-and-run by Akili Tate just over three minutes into the quarter.

Allegheny quickly answered right back with seven points of their own.  On the second play of the ensuing drive, Tyler Balla broke loose for an 18-yard run, before Lee found John McFarland on a third-and-three for a 34-yard pass over the middle to set up first-and-goal.  Two plays later, Lee rifled a touchdown pass to Alex Victor in the front corner of the end zone, and after Ben Ziolkowski's extra point, the game was tied at seven just 5:26 in.

An interception by Craye Nehler halted Hiram's next trip, but the Gators were unable to make the Terriers pay for the miscue, and punted it back.  Hiram then needed little time to take the lead, as on the third play of their next possession, Robinson sprinted 60 yards down the sideline for a touchdown to make the score 14-7 with 5:33 left in the half.

The Gator defense came up with another big play on Hiram's next possession, as Corey Laskey snuffed a Hiram fake punt attempt with a backfield tackle near midfield, but the offense was unable to capitalize on the short field.  After another Allegheny punt, the Terriers quickly added to the lead, needing just three plays for a 75-yard scoring drive, capped off by a 38-yard run by Jones in the closing seconds of the quarter to make the score 20-7.

The teams traded punts in the opening stages of the second quarter, before the Gators made it a one-score game midway through the stanza.  Taking advantage of great field position as a result of a 48-yard Tyler McLaughlin on the series before, Allegheny took over at the Hiram 33.  A trio of runs by Balla netted 10 yards, before Lee completed passes to Bachik and Balla to set up first down at the 16.  Lee and Bachik hooked up yet again, with the rangy receiver pulling in a perfect fade pattern from Lee in the end zone.  Ziolkowski's extra point pulled the Gators to within six, 20-14, with 7:25 left in the first half.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Allegheny duo of Deangelo Logan and Zi'Tear Wilson teamed up to force and recover a Hiram fumble at the Terrier 10-yard line, but the Gators gave it right back to the Terriers with a fumble on the first play of the next series.  Hiram made the most of the second chance, marching 81 yards on 11 plays in 4:27 to push the lead to 27-14 with 2:40 left in the half, which is how the score would remain at the intermission.

Neither team found the end zone in a fast-moving third quarter, but the Terriers scored on each of their first two possessions of the final stanza, with an 81-yard run by Robinson and a one-yard plunge by Jones, to account for the final score.

Balla led the Gators with 42 rushing yards, while Victor added 30 on five carries. McFarland gained a team-leading 57 receiving yards.  Defensively, Adrian Garcia had nine tackles, while Travis Thomas recorded eight tackles, including a sack.  The Gators tallied a season-best nine tackles behind the line of scrimmage, with Thomas (2.0), Justin McClain (1.5), Will Aeschbacher (1.0), Ben Capella (1.0), McLaughlin (1.0), Colten Buzard (1.0), and Laskey (1.0) all contributing.

Allegheny will now close out the 2016 campaign with a pair of home dates, beginning with a Saturday, Nov. 5 matchup against Ohio Wesleyan beginning at 1 p.m. at Frank B. Fuhrer Field.