Orndorff engineers fourth-quarter comeback as C-SC opens North Division play with victory

CANTON, Mo. — Trailing by a point heading into the fourth quarter of its Heart of America Athletic Conference North Division opener, the Culver-Stockton College football team showed the poise expected of a team that has been in the trenches.

Junior quarterback Jase Orndorff directed a pair of crucial scoring drives and the Wildcats clamped down defensively on the NAIA’s top-rated passing offense to earn a 26-14 victory over Graceland on Saturday at Ellison Poulton Stadium.

Had it not been for a clutch fourth-down conversion, the comeback may not have materialized.

On C-SC’s second possession of the fourth quarter, the drive appeared to stall at Graceland’s 34-yard line. Facing fourth and 8, Orndorff connected with Mason Hackman for a 34-yard touchdown that gave the Wildcats a 19-14 lead with 9:46 to play.

After forcing the Yellowjackets to punt, Orndorff engineered a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive in which Hackman caught an 8-yard scoring toss to make it 26-14 with 3:47 remaining.

The Yellowjackets couldn’t answer. Graceland, which was averaging 375 yards passing per game, was limited to 218 yards through the air. Yellowjackets quarterback Donovan Anthony was intercepted once and sacked three times.

Orndorff completed 23 of 31 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns. C-SC’s Demarquez Johnson rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown.

C-SC (3-4, 1-0 Heart North) will play host to Clarke at 1 p.m. next Saturday.