'Berg Pulls Out a Thrilling Win at Marietta

The Heidelberg College football team turned its first half offensive woes into a second half offensive show that led to 19 unanswered points to end the ballgame and seal a 42-40 comeback victory over Marietta College in the Shrine Game at Don Drumm Stadium. Heidelberg improved to 3-6 overall and 2-6 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Pioneers fall to 2-7 overall and 1-7 against league foes.
 
Shrine Most Valuable Players, Marietta freshman quarterback Andrew Keller and Heidelberg sophomore quarterback Andrew Miller (Dalton, Ohio / Dalton), both had solid days under center. Keller completed 17-of-22 passes and threw for 214 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also ran eight times for 50 yards and another score. Miller completed 18-of-35 passes and threw for 245 yards with three touchdowns and one interception while adding 10 carries for 81 yards.
 
Marietta dominated the time of possession, holding onto the ball for 34:37. The Pioneers racked up 234 yards on the ground and 214 through the air to finish with 448 yards of total offense. Heidelberg, who had the ball for 25:23, finished with 450 yards of offense, running for 209 yards and passing for 241 yards. Heidelberg scored 39 of its points in the second half after picking up 336 yards of its total offense
 
Facing a 40-23 deficit freshman defensive back Tony Gordon (Euclid, Ohio / Euclid) recovered a Marietta fumble and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown to get things rolling for the Berg. The point after failed and left the Berg down 40-29.
 
Heidelberg’s defense forced a three-and-out on Marietta’s next possession to get the ball back with 3:26 left on the clock. On fourth down and 15 yards to go from the 36-yard line, Miller threw a pass to Mike Preston (Maple Heights, Ohio / Euclid), but the ball bounced off his body and into the hands of Lucas Bauer (Huron, Ohio / Huron), who was tackled at the six-yard line to keep the Student Princes’ drive alive. Miller then hit Elisson Dure (Orlando, Fla. / Winter Park) on a six-yard touchdown strike to inch closer, 40-35, with 1:47 on the clock.
 
Then, Heidelberg recovered an onside kick only to be called for a false start, which negated the play and moved the ball back to the 25- yard line. A second onside kick was also recovered by Preston on his team’s 39-yard line to keep Heidelberg’s hopes alive. Miller then began to march Heidelberg down the field. On third and goal from the eight-yard line, Heidelberg was called for offensive pass interference to move the ball back to Marietta’s 23. Marietta was then flagged for defensive pass interference on the next play to move the line of scrimmage back to the eight-yard line with 11 seconds remaining. Miller took advantage by hitting Preston for the game-winner from eight-yards out to give Heidelberg the dramatic 42-40 victory.
 
Jemar Lewis (Bedford Heights, Ohio / Bedford) led the Berg ground game with his third-straight 100-yard rushing outing, finishing with 120 yards in 20 carries. Preston had a team-leading six receptions for 49 yards, while Bauer had four catches for 91 yards.
 
Defensively, safety Shawn Shriver (Bellevue, Ohio / Western Reserve) picked up a career-high 12 tackles to lead the way. Of his 12 stops, 11 were solo. Linebacker Vaughn Klein (Galloway, Ohio / Central Crossing) added 10 tackles.
 
Heidelberg closes out its 2008 season in New Concord, Ohio Nov. 15 with a 1:30 game at Muskingum College.