'Berg Tabbed Seventh in OAC Preseason Polls

Canton, Ohio – August 11, 2009 – The Heidelberg University football team was picked to finish seventh in the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference standings in a vote by league head coaches. The Berg was also tabbed seventh according to a pool of media, all of which were in attendance at the annual OAC Media Day held today, Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at the Professional Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

In the coaches’ poll Mount Union College received nine first-place votes and earned the top-spot followed by Otterbein College with one first-place vote. Ohio Northern University, Baldwin-Wallace College and Capital University rounded out the top-half of the conference. Sitting atop the Berg was John Carroll University, while Wilmington College was selected eighth followed by Muskingum University and Marietta College.

In a pool of 32 media members in attendance, Mount Union and Otterbein swept the top-two spots. The Purple Raiders received every first-place vote. Spots three through five contained Baldwin-Wallace, Capital and Ohio Northern, respectively. The media poll rounded out identical to the vote by the head coaches.

OAC Football Preseason Polls

“We are excited, along with everyone in the OAC, about the upcoming year,” said third-year head coach Mike Hallett. “We have a lot of players back with quality experience that will make us very competitive.”

Heidelberg returns 30 letter winners, including 15 starters, from its 2008 team that finished at 4-6 overall and 3-6 in the OAC. The Berg closed out the year victorious in three of its last four outings.

Heidelberg will feature one of its most athletic defenses led by two-time All-OAC performer senior Matt Grieves (Huron, Ohio / Huron) at defensive tackle. Joining Grieves on the line will be fellow classmate Mack Lee (Port St. Lucie, Fla. / Centennial), and juniors Chris Hogan (Springfield, Ohio / Kenton Ridge) and Chris Bowden (Springboro, Ohio / Springboro).

“I am in my final year and I have worked to step up my leadership role,” said Grieves who served has Heidelberg’s student-athlete representative at the OAC Media Day. “On defense I feel very strongly about the presence that we will have. We are pretty much all back and it will help come game day.”

All-league honoree junior Vaughn Klein (Galloway, Ohio / Central Crossing) and senior Justin Dawson (Westminster, Calif. / Golden West JC) will lead the linebackers. Adding depth at linebacker will be junior Sam Driscoll (University Heights, Ohio / St. Ignatius) and sophomores John Irwin (Westerville, Ohio / St. Francis DeSales) and Andy Fadenholz (Grafton, Ohio / Keystone).

Senior leaders Fran Cavotta (North Olmsted, Ohio / North Olmsted), a two-time All-OAC pick, Wayne Glisson (Huntington Beach, Calif. / Fountain Valley), and Julius Higginbotham (Elyria, Ohio / Elyria), along with sophomore Tony Gordon (Euclid, Ohio / Euclid) will keep Heidelberg’s opponents aerial attack under control.

Junior signal caller Andrew Miller (Dalton, Ohio / Dalton) returns for his second season at quarterback. As a sophomore, Miller set a new single-game record of five passing touchdowns at Muskingum and inked his name atop the single-season record book for passing touchdowns with 20. Helping to set the stage for Miller will be an offensive line led by junior Nathan Kater (Villa Hills, Ky. / Covington Catholic). Flanking Kater will be sophomores Paul Dunn (Tiffin, Ohio / Mohawk) and Derrick Arbogast (Tiffin, Ohio / Calvert), as well as junior Ryan Morgan (Elyria, Ohio / Elyria).

Looking to make a solid one-two combination out of the backfield will be the senior duo of Jemar Lewis (Bedford Heights, Ohio / Bedford) and Kenny Sims (Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights). Lewis is coming off a stellar junior campaign that saw him lead Heidelberg’s ground game and earn All-OAC honors, while Sims will look to battle back from an injury and return back to the all-conference list after a year hiatus. Junior Chance Ferrell (Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights) also returns after seeing significant playing time at full back a year ago, along with sophomore Jozy Hill (Bloomington, Ind. / Bloomington North) at tight end.

Heidelberg graduated two all-conference honorees at wide receiver, but has junior Mike Preston (Maple Heights, Ohio / Euclid) ready to add to his contributions from his first two years. Junior Mario Walton (Elyria, Ohio / Elyria), along with sophomores Mitch White (Wadsworth, Ohio / Wadsworth) and Clifton Powell (Detroit, Mich. / Bishop Foley) will look to back up Preston.

Returning for his third year at placekicker is Jesse Hawkins (Georgetown, Ky. / Scott County). He is a two-time all-conference honoree and owns the single-season record for made field goals, and is nearing the career mark after just two seasons.