HILLSBORO, Kan. – Saturday's Senior Day almost felt like it had come too soon, like time had just slipped by, and that's exactly how it felt after watching Bluejay Football throughout the season. This year's group, both seniors and underclassmen felt like a special group, and Senior Day this season meant the close of an incredible season filled with adversity and resilience, and proving doubters wrong.
 
Despite marking the end of the 2024 season, this year's Senior Day was the perfect tribute to the players, coaches, and families that poured in so much to this team, as the Bluejays gave the Ottawa University Braves a hearty Hillsboro welcome, sending them back to Ottawa with a 20-7 loss.
 
Tabor got off to a hot start after an Ottawa punt got caught in the wind, with the Braves downing the ball at the 1-yard line, giving the Bluejays excellent field position and paving the way for a Willie Green touchdown run. The Braves worked to get their drive going, having no luck getting anywhere after playing two downs, but the biggest blow to the OU offense came as the Braves' Taylor Eggers threw to a perfectly positioned Kourtney Craig to give the Bluejays possession once again. Moises Haynes punched in the second score for TC, giving Tabor a solid 12-0 lead with 5:30 left to play in the first half. Both teams had chances to score before time ran out, but the score stuck at 12-0 heading into the second half of play.
 
The chance came for Ottawa to cut their deficit and climb back into the game, as they cut the Bluejays' lead to five with an 18-yard pass from Eggers to Keavian Long with eight minutes to play. Tabor answered right back, with Green making the connection to Kobie Sheriff to all but seal the game. 
 
Green looked arguably the best he had all season, connecting on 10 of 15 passing attempts and throwing for one touchdown, recording 127 yards on the afternoon. Cameron Collier quietly ran for 113 yards on the day, helping the Bluejays earn valuable field position.
 
The biggest story of the afternoon might have been the announcement that Brooks Gardner passed an almost decade-old record set by Jake Schenk back in 2005, becoming the all-time leader in tackles, recording 352 throughout his career, passing Schenk's record of 342.
 
Bluejay Football ends their season with a 6-5 overall record and a 4-1 record in the KCAC Bissell Division, marking the 16^th team in Tabor Football history to finish the season with a winning record. After being picked tied for third in the KCAC Bissell Division Preseason Coaches' Poll, TC outperformed those expectations and took a second-place finish outright.
 
Be sure to stay up to date with all information regarding Bluejay Athletics by following us on X at @gotaborbluejays, on Instagram and Facebook @taborbluejays, and on our official athletic website, taborbluejays.com.
 
Tabor College is a Christ-centered institution located in Hillsboro, Kansas. The Bluejays are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and compete in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).