Latif Adams was the sizzling spark for the Westminster College Blue Jays offense.
The Westminster sophomore running back gained 165 yards and scored twice, while also finishing with 87 receiving yards and a touchdown as the Blue Jays outlasted MacMurray (Ill.) College in a 24-22 UMAC win Saturday at Priest Field.
The victory was the second in a row for Westminster, which improved to 2-1 on the season and 2-0 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference. MacMurray dropped to 0-2 both overall and in conference play.
Adams - who had 18 carries as the Blue Jays piled up 287 yards on the ground - scored on a 32-yard run with 3 minutes, 15 seconds left in the first quarter to help tie the game at 7-all. He also bolted 25 yards for a touchdown at the 8:13 mark of the second quarter to put Westminster in front 17-10.
Sophomore quarterback Trent White then connected with Adams on a 27-yard scoring pass with 9:11 to play in the third quarter, giving the Blue Jays a 24-16 advantage. Adams finished with four catches.
White was 19-of-28 passing for 216 yards and an interception as Westminster - which committed three turnovers - accumulated 480 yards of total offense. Junior wide receiver Mike Washington also had a team-high five receptions for 43 yards.
Senior kicker Kevin Ludwig supplied his fourth field goal of the season for Westminster, this one from 43 yards out with 13:41 remaining in the second quarter to tie the game at 10-all.
Patrick Hall rushed for a game-high 184 yards on 30 carries for MacMurray, which piled up 401 yards of total offense. Hall's 11-yard touchdown run brought the Highlanders within 24-22 with 4:46 to go in the third quarter. MacMurray went for the two-point conversion to tie the game for a third time, but Coy Dorothy's pass attempt failed.
The Highlanders' first score came when Hall fumbled at the Blue Jays' 1-yard line after a 5-yard gain and Zach Mudd recovered the ball in the end zone with 5:01 left in the first quarter to make it 7-0.
Dorothy - whose 24-yard touchdown pass to Jorian Clemons with :07 remaining brought the Highlanders within 17-16 at halftime - completed only 11-of-26 passes for 114 yards and one interception. Dorothy was sacked four times by the Westminster defense.
Grant Cooper accounted for MacMurray's other score on a 27-yard field goal with :27 to play in the first quarter.
The Blue Jays travel to Greenville (Ill.) College for a UMAC matchup at 1 p.m. Saturday.