Game Book | 7-Game Season Stats
MARIETTA, Ohio—Sophomore second-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference running back Germany Woods (Cleveland/Lakewood St. Edward) rushed for a game-high 226 yards and sophomore running back/kick returner Cartel Brooks (Kokomo, Ind./Galion) had 191 rushing yards on just 11 carries to lead the Heidelberg University football team past Marietta, 42-20, today in a conference game at Don Drumm Stadium in Marietta, Ohio. The Student Princes defeated the Pioneers for the fourth consecutive year and improve to 29-20 all-time against Marietta.
The Berg scored three touchdowns in each of the second and fourth quarters. Both Woods and Brooks rushed for two scores.
The game was broadcast live on the ‘Berg Athletics Network (http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/heidelberg.portal) and an archived recording of the broadcast will be available.
Fifth-year head coach Mike Hallett’s team improves to 5-2 overall, 4-2 in the OAC and 2-1 in road contests. Marietta falls to 2-5 overall and 1-5 in the OAC.
The rushing attack accounted for a season-high 456 of the offense’s 530 total yards. Defensively, the Berg limited Marietta to just 33 rushing yards and got to Pioneer quarterbacks for a season-high eight sacks. Sophomore linebacker Adam Cepik (Lodi/Cloverleaf) and junior defensive lineman Andy Lovins (Clinton Township, Mich./Lakeshore) each had two sacks.
Woods has rushed for 100 or more yards in five of seven games this season and in nine of his last 11 contests dating back to last season. The last time the Berg had two 100-yard rushers was coincidentally against Marietta on Nov. 7, 2009 when current graduate assistant coach Jemar Lewis and Kenny Sims had 169 and 103 yards, respectively.
The Pioneers took a 7-0 lead with 2:43 on the clock in the first quarter after quarterback Andrew Keller found Tannon Roberts for a 69-yard TD pass. Nathan Zarnoski’s point-after-touchdown attempt was good.
After the teams traded possessions, freshman quarterback Michael Mees (North Ridgeville) put the Berg on the board at the 9:03 mark of the second quarter with a seven-yard TD run--his second in as many games—to cap a seven-play, 76-yard drive. Junior kicker Dan Kilger’s (Novi, Mich./Novi) PAT tied the score, 7-7.
Marietta answered on its ensuing drive when Keller again connecting with Roberts, this time for a 59-yard pitch-and-catch, on a drive that went 72 yards in four plays. Zarnoski’s extra point gave the Pioneers a 14-7 with 7:34 remaining in the opening half.
The Student Princes assumed possession with 5:34 left in the second quarter and Brooks took the ball 63 yards to pay dirt on the first play of the drive. Kilger again tied the score, 14-14, with his PAT.
With the first half clock ticking down, Woods gave Heidelberg its first lead of the game at 21-14 with just 29 seconds left in the period with a one-yard plunge into the end zone. Woods keyed the 12-play scoring drive, providing 64 of the 67 yards on 10 carries.
On their opening possession of the third quarter, the Pioneers traveled 67 yards in 14 plays, but a 20-yard field goal attempt by Zarnoski missed.
Both teams traded punts throughout much of the third quarter, until Keller scored on a one-yard rush on the last play of the period, culminating a five-play, 70-yard drive. Senior linebacker Andy Fadenholz (Grafton/Keystone) blocked Zarnoski’s PAT to preserve a 21-20 Student Prince lead.
The Berg’s ensuing drive started the fourth quarter. Woods led the offense down field with 34 more rushing yards, but on fourth down-and-seven from the Marietta 12-yard line, Kilger’s 29-yard field attempt sailed wide left.
Mees hooked up with junior wide receiver Josh Lynch (Dayton/Meadowdale) for a five-yard TD pass with 9:11 to play to extend the Berg’s lead to 28-20. Kilger again provided the PAT. The TD toss was the 13th of the season for Mees, and the second TD reception of the season for Lynch.
Woods and Brooks gave the Student Princes insurance TD’s with a three-yard rush at the 3:36 mark and an 83-yard scamper with 1:14 seconds left.
Junior cornerback Justin Suddeth (Akron/Warren Howland) totaled a game-high-tying 11 tackles. Cepik tallied eight stops and sophomore linebacker Dawson Gore (Bellevue) and junior linebacker Craig Sykes (Centerburg) each had seven hits. Sykes also made his team-leading fourth interception. Junior defensive back Larry Massey (Detroit, Mich./Groves) also had an INT, his second of the year.
Marietta was led offensively by Keller, who was 26-of-49 passing for 412 yards with two TD passes and a TD run. Chad Walker had game-highs of 10 receptions and 143 yards. Jake Green had 11 tackles for the Pioneers.
Woods now has 913 rushing yards in 171 attempts, averages 130.4 yards per game and 5.3 per rush and has five rushing TDs.
Heidelberg returns to the gridiron Saturday, Oct. 22 when it hosts Wilmington College at 1:30 p.m. at Mayer Field in Tiffin. The Quakers lost to Baldwin-Wallace College earlier today, 75-0, in Wilmington. Tiffin-area youth football players will receive free admission to the game, and their parents can purchase two tickets for the price of one, with their football jerseys.