No. 15 Baker outlasts Pride in 37-17 final

DUBUQUE, Iowa - Facing their third divisional contender in the Heart of America Athletic Conference in their last four games, the Clarke University football team dropped a 37-17 game to No. 15 Baker University at home on Saturday afternoon.

The game came down to taking advantage of the opponent's turnovers as the Wildcats took the ball away from CU three times and scored 17 points off of those, most notibly a first quarter interception return for a touchdown by Zac Kramer for the second pick six of the season for the BU linebacker as he jumped a Carson Estrada quick pass and returned in 43 yards to make it 14-7 at the time.

The Pride struck first to take a 7-0 lead on their first offensive possession of the game when Malik Inabinette ran in his first touchdown on the ground in 2024 from three yards out to cap off an 11-play, 75-yard drive over nearly five minutes as the drive was sparked by a 38-yard carry from Mark Edwards IV to get Clarke deep into Wildcats territory.

Edwards IV would finish with a career-high 102 yards on 17 carries in his first start at running back while the Pride were a little shorthanded in the backfield as Edwards would add a second half run of 36 yards to help Clarke to another touchdown drive.

On three occasions throughout the game, Clarke was victimized by the running attack of Baker quarterback Truman Juelsgaard who ran in three touchdowns including BU's first score to answer Inabinette's opening-drive score to make it 7-7 after two drives then the two lone touchdowns the Wildcats scored in the second half to extend a lead as CU was attempting to mount a comeback from down 23-10 at halftime.

That second half started strong for the Pride, especially on the defensive side of the ball, as Juelsgaard was intercepted by Gabe Guyton on the second play to start the half for Guyton's team-leading fifth interception of the season but Clarke's offense couldn't take advantage as they were forced to punt, then trading punts with Baker to get the ball back.

That 36-yard run from Edwards IV would put the Pride near midfield after being pinned on their 11 yard line when Estrada would complete back-to-back passes to Roland Hazard Jr. for 15 yards on a third and 11 then for 39 yards for Hazard Jr.'s third receiving touchdown of the season to cut the score to a one-possession game at 23-17.

Forcing another Wildcats punt, Clarke would get the ball back with a chance to tie the game for the first time since the first quarter but Inabinette would be intercepted by PJ McCallop Jr. of Baker for the return to be taken inside of the red zone, setting up Juelsgaard's second rushing touchdown of the game to put BU back up 13 points.

Juelsgaard finished 14-of-28 passing for 208 yards and the one interception and only gained 34 net yards rushing with those three touchdowns as the Clarke passers finished a combined 13-for-31 for 131 yards and the one touchdown from Estrada to Hazard Jr. as Hazard Jr. finished with five receptions for 73 yards.

Both Bryan Valdes and Marcus Plair tied for the game-high with 11 total tackles each as Plair finished with 1.5 sacks, including a sack-fumble of Juelsgaard in the first half part of his four total tackles for a loss of 12 yards.

Clarke will play their final home game in a week when they host St. Ambrose University at Dalzell Field on Nov. 9 for a 1:00 p.m. CT scheduled kickoff with Pride Senior Day slated for pregame.