MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – The Millsaps football team was bested at Berry College, 45-7 inside Valhalla Stadium on Saturday.

Millsaps (5-4, 3-3 SAA) was quarterbacked by freshman Cole Canatella (22-of-33 passing). He threw for 141 yards and a touchdown, while adding 14 yards on the ground.

Freshman tight end Kaiden Reese hauled four receptions for 34 yards, including a receiving score. Senior Connor Ladner caught five passes for 44 yards, while sophomore Willie Elliott garnered two catches for 29 yards.

Freshman Chase Jacobs rushed the ball 10 times for 15 yards. Classmate Connor Babin booted two kickoffs an impressive 129 yards (64.5-yard average) in special teams.
 
Berry (7-2, 5-1 SAA) held the Millsaps offensive to eight first downs on the afternoon, but struggled to maintain the Millsaps freshman return duo of W.H. Carver and Anthony James Jr. Carver returned four kicks for 77 yards as James Jr. ran one kick back 21 yards.

Seniors Darren Labit and Nicholas Eaton (0.5 TFL) led the Majors with six tackles each. The trio of junior Nehemiah Coalson (0.5 TFL, two quarterback hurries), freshman Micah McKay, freshman Myles Johnson (1.0 TFL) and sophomore Tre Jones all recorded five tackles. Jones also added an interception.

Additionally, sophomore Zabian Boutan (1.0 TFL) netted four tackles.

Berry scored on its opening drive, but were stopped with a Jones interception on the ensuing possession early in the first quarter.

The Vikings began the second quarter with a three-yard rushing touchdown for a 13-0 advantage. An extra point try was missed, which was a common theme throughout the day.

Millsaps followed by going for it on 4th-and-short on a fake punt in Major territory, but Berry stopped the opportunity and scored on the ensuing drive from a passing play 26 yards out.

The Vikings added two more first-half touchdowns, missing another point-after try, to lead 33-0 at the half.

Back-to-back Berry field goals with just under four minutes and 1:14 remaining made it 39-0 in a low-scoring second half.

The Majors continued to fight on and opened the fourth quarter at the Millsaps 39-yard line. Canatella rushed 11 yards on a long second down before connecting with an Elliott on a long 18-yard passing play to move the sticks.

Canatella then found Reese for 18 yards and again with a 14-yard passing touchdown to put Millsaps on the scoreboard.

Berry followed by eating up half the fourth quarter and scored another touchdown of its own, but again missed the point-after try. The Vikings held from there to claim a 45-7 win in Georgia.

Millsaps will return to Harper Davis Field to host Trinity next Saturday, Nov. 16. The matchup will double as Senior Day, which will take place prior to the 1 p.m. kickoff. Live video and live stats will be provided at gomajors.com.


To keep up to date with everything surrounding the football program this year follow the Majors on X and Instagram, like Millsaps Majors Athletics on Facebook or visit gomajors.com.

Founded in Jackson, Mississippi in 1890, Millsaps College is a national liberal arts college dedicated to academic excellence, open inquiry and free expression, the exploration of faith to inform vocation and the innovative shaping of the social, economic and cultural progress of our region. Consistently ranked as one of the best values in higher education, Millsaps has been praised by Colleges That Change Lives, The Princeton Review, Forbes Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, The John Templeton Foundation, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges.