WASHINGTON – Sophomore wide receiver
Isaiah Baxter (Riverside, Calif.) turned in a spectacular performance with eight receptions for a career-high 210 yards and a touchdown as the Gallaudet University football team defeated Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, 42-20, Saturday afternoon at Hotchkiss Field.
The Bison (2-5) celebrated Senior Day with their second consecutive victory on a gorgeous fall afternoon in the nation's capital. Under sunny skies, cool temperatures and a slight breeze, Gallaudet recognized five senior football players and members of the cheerleading senior class during a pregame ceremony before 314 spectators.
Gallaudet honored senior running back
Marcus Brown-Gabriel (Beeville, Texas), linebacker
Dawson Ethington (Baltimore, Md.), defensive linemen
Kelvin Benjamin (California, Md.) and
Andrew Suarez (Fairview, Texas), and offensive lineman
Caelan Linden (Los Angeles, Calif.). Linden, who is sidelined with an injury, participated in the Senior Day ceremony but did not play.
Baxter's 210 receiving yards eclipsed his previous career high of 159 yards set earlier this season against Anderson University. The performance established a new Gallaudet single-game receiving record for the program's modern era (2009-present).
Sophomore quarterback
Jayden DeFalco (Indianapolis, Ind.) completed 14 of 23 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns while adding a rushing score. The Bison finished with 436 yards of total offense.
Gallaudet opened the scoring midway through the first quarter when DeFalco connected with first-year wide receiver
Luke LeFors (Baton Rouge, La.) on a 13-yard touchdown pass. Brown-Gabriel followed with a seven-yard touchdown run to give the Bison a 14-0 advantage with 1:34 remaining in the opening quarter.
Thaddeus Stevens (3-5), which competes at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III level, answered with a 52-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Thomas McGinnis to Damoj Gray late in the first quarter to cut the deficit to 14-7.
The Bison extended their lead to 21-7 in the second quarter on a seven-yard touchdown run by DeFalco, set up by a 42-yard reception from Baxter. The Bulldogs responded just 12 seconds later with a 73-yard touchdown pass from McGinnis to Victor Schlosser.
Gallaudet answered before halftime as DeFalco found sophomore wide receiver
Darius Zarembka (Riverside, Calif.) over the middle for a 36-yard touchdown as he broke tackles en route to the end zone with 52 seconds remaining in the half. GU took a 28-14 lead into the locker room.
The Bison wasted little time adding to their lead in the third quarter. Baxter hauled in a 36-yard reception before Brown-Gabriel broke free for a 42-yard touchdown run to complete a two-play, 78-yard scoring drive that lasted just 46 seconds. The score gave Gallaudet a 35-14 advantage with 11:26 remaining in the third quarter.
Thaddeus Stevens pulled within 35-20 midway through the third quarter, but Gallaudet delivered the final blow early in the fourth. Facing third-and-14, DeFalco connected with Baxter for a 69-yard touchdown pass, down the far sideline, to extend the lead to 42-20 with 14 minutes left.
Brown-Gabriel finished with 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, his second consecutive 100-yard rushing performance. Zarembka added two receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown, while LeFors caught two passes for 10 yards and a score.
Ethington led the Bison defense with a game-high 10 tackles (three solo), including an eight-yard sack. First-year defensive back
Mark Gwynn III (Randallstown, Md.) recorded seven tackles, one pass breakup and returned an interception 43 yards, while sophomore defensive back
Tristian Littlejohn (Kannapolis, N.C.) added six tackles.
Suarez finished with five tackles (two solo) and a nine-yard sack in the fourth quarter, while Benjamin contributed three tackles (one solo). Gallaudet also received an interception from first year
Alex Ortman (Norway, Mich.), while first-year defensive lineman
Xavier Gamboa (Ontario, Calif.) blocked an extra-point attempt in the third quarter.
McGinnis completed nine of 24 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns for the Bulldogs. Schlosser led Thaddeus Stevens with three receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown, while running back Kahyear Whaley rushed for 60 yards on 12 carries.
BISON TRACKS
- Baxter's 210 receiving yards marked his third 100-yard receiving performance of the season and established a new career high and a top program mark.
- Gallaudet finished with 436 yards of total offense (273 passing, 163 rushing) and averaged 7.8 yards per play.
- Brown-Gabriel surpassed 100 rushing yards for the second consecutive game and the fourth time in his career. He also established a new season-high mark for rushing yards with 432 after he ran for 417 last season.
- Sophomore kicker Hawkins Morgan (Whitesboro, Texas) converted all six extra-point attempts.
- The Bison defense recorded two interceptions, two sacks and a blocked extra point while holding the Bulldogs scoreless in the fourth quarter.
- Gallaudet has scored 87 points in its last two games after last week's 45-34 Homecoming victory over Coppin State University's club football team.
- The Bison have now won two consecutive games for the first time since the 2024 season.
- The result and individual statistics count toward Gallaudet's program records but are not included in official NCAA statistics or standings. Gallaudet remains 0-5 against NCAA opponents this season.
UP NEXT
Gallaudet will have a bye week before returning to action Saturday, Nov. 7, when the Bison travel to La Plume, Pa., to face Keystone College (1-5). Kickoff is scheduled for noon at Keystone's Turf Field Athletic Complex.
