DeLAND, Fla. – Let me attempt to write in behalf of Steve Englehart and his Presbyterian College football team.

It was about damn time.

The Blue Hose released a month of pent-up frustrations on the unsuspecting Stetson Hatters, steam-creasing their labors by a score of 42-14 at Spec Martin Municipal Stadium.

“Today was a great feeling of victory, and I’m incredibly proud of the fight that our players have shown in the past month,” said Englehart. “It’s been a long few weeks with close defeats, but our guys just kept showing up and going to work. They never quit.

“Our staff asked them to play with precision today, and I think we did that on all units. This was a complete team win, and one that I’m especially fond of, considering everything that they’ve been through recently.”

Both Antonio Wright and Quante Jenings rushed for 106 yards. How often does that happen? At PC? Two with over 100 is rare. How about exactly 106 apiece?

Collin Hurst completed 14/22 passes for 297 yards. Jalen Patrick tossed in a trick play for 35 more.

Dominic Kibby only caught three passes … for 127 yards. Wright and Nathan Levicki each caught three more but for reasonable numbers. Wright returned a kickoff for 34 yards. It was the 15^th receiving touchdown in Kibby’s college career, moving past Terrence Butler for the most in Presbyterian’s Division I (2007-present).

Last season, Kibby broke the Blue Hose record for longest pass play from scrimmage with a 93-yard catch-and-run at Butler. On Saturday, he added a yard and is now responsible for PC’s two longest receptions in at least modern history.

Alex Herriott and Jacob Thornton each totaled seven tackles. Caleb Francis intercepted a pass for the third time in as many games.

(Monte Dutton photo)

In its previous four Pioneer Football games, Presbyterian (3-6, 1-4) had lost, in ascending order, by 11, six, seven and three points. In a sense, the Blue Hose wiped the slate clean. It lost four games by a total of 27 points, then won the next by 28.

Stetson (2-5, 0-3) had a second-quarter drive dominated by penalties. On third-down-and-30, the Hatters converted on an interference call but failed on fourth down deep in PC territory.

Presbyterian led, 35-7, at halftime, piling up 397 yards of total offense. The Blue Hose looked like a team that could play with anyone else in PFL.

Which they have. They just didn’t beat any of them until Saturday.

The teams scored a touchdown apiece in the third quarter and took it to the house.

For the game, Presbyterian rolled up 693 yards of offense, split between 329 on the ground and 334 through the air.

That’s the highest number of rushing yards that Presbyterian has ever recorded against a Division I opponent (third-most in any game since 2007).

Englehart’s club posted its highest-ever point total in a PFL game, simultaneously allowing the fewest number of points in any of their 29 in the league.

Ezra King only punted twice. One was 48 yards (Monte Dutton photo)

Stetson scored touchdowns in its first drives of the game and third quarter. A mild rally turned again when Brady Meltz was intercepted at the goal, and Presbyterian reassumed complete control when Hurst hit Kibby for a 94-yard touchdown pass that pushed the Blue Hose lead to 42-14.

Stetson, by the way, hasn’t won a homecoming game since 2018. Given the needless penalties, the Hatters added insult to injury.

The teams scored a touchdown apiece in the third quarter and took it to the house.

Stetson finished with 287 yards passing – Meltz was 27/54 with a TD and two interceptions — but only 72 on the ground.

The Blue Hose head back home next Saturday to face Dayton at 1 p.m.

Take a look at the stats here.

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Wellpilgrim.com is trying its best – translation: I’m trying – to describe the highs and lows and avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Highs and lows are inevitable because all the games have a loser and a winner, and  Wellpilgrim.com is trying its best – translation: I’m trying – to describe the highs and lows and avoid the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

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