Marietta welcomes Heidelberg for OAC opener

Sept. 16, 2004
MARIETTA, Ohio - The Pioneers welcome Heidelberg to Don Drumm Stadium Saturday (Sept. 18) for the first Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) game of the 2004 season.

Saturday is Alumni Day at Don Drumm. A special ceremony celebratiing the dedication of the renovated stadium and the completion of the Fields Project is scheduled for half time. All business and individuals who helped make the vision become a reality will be recognized at the ceremony.

A tailgate, beginning at 4 p.m. outside the stadium, will lead up to the 6 p.m. kickoff. Ticket prices for the game are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and students and can be purchased at the stadium.

The Coaches: Marietta's Todd Glaser is in his second season with the Pioneers. Glaser earned his bachelor's degree from Wisconsin Eau-Claire in 1993. Heidelberg’s Brian Cochran is also in his second year as the Student Princes’ head football coach. Cochran is a 1990 graduate of John Carroll University.

On the Air: Saturday's football game is being broadcast live by WMRT - FM 88.3, Marietta College's campus radio station. The broadcast can also be heard online at www.mariettaonline.com.

Heidelberg Preview: Head coach Brian Cochran’s squad is looking to rebound from a disappointing 24-14 loss at home to Adrian (MI) Sept. 4. A 31-yard interception return for a score by sophomore Chad Packard (Brook Park/Midpark) tied the game at 14-14 late in the third quarter, but the Bulldogs outscored the Student Princes 14-0 down the stretch to pull out the 10-point victory. Sophomore Brett Hastings (Sullivan/Black River) led the Heidelberg rushing attack with 16 carries for 66 yards, while senior tailback Avaunte Miller (Cleveland/Shaw) added 51 yards on the ground. Freshman quarterback Steve West (Huron) finished 13-of 32 for 130 yards. Roc Patterson (Cleveland/Central Catholic) was the leading receiver for the Student Princes with five receptions for 53 yards. Heidelberg’s defense was led by senior linebacker Jeff Stiffler (Crestline) with a game-high 14 tackles, 11 of which were solo. Heidelberg, however, could not slow down the Adrian passing attack, which finished with 286 yards through the air in the win.

Marietta Preview: If Marietta expects to leave Don Drumm Stadium undefeated following Saturday's contest, history shows that they will need to play solid in all facets of the game. The Pioneers (1-0) tuned-up for their OAC schedule with a 13-8 victory over Dubuque (IA) Saturday (Sept. 4). Marietta never trailed in the game, scored all of its points in the second quarter and held on down the stretch for the five point win. Jason Curry (Akron/Springfield) put Marietta on the board first with 75-yard touchdown reception from sophomore Jason Vrable (South Park, PA) with 14:14 to go in the second quarter. Joe Webb (Monessen, PA/Ringgold) added a 1-yard run with 13 seconds to play in the half, giving MC a 13-0 lead after 30 minutes. Dubuque (0-1) blocked a Marietta punt for a safety with 10:32 remaining in the third quarter. The Spartans then scored a late touchdown to pull within a touchdown, but the Pioneers were able to sneak away with the victory. Vrable finished the afternoon 10-of-16 for 165 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He also gained 22 yards on five carries. Steven Wagner (Harwick, PA/Fox Chapel) was the Pioneers' leading rusher with 27 carries for 38 yards. Sophomore Jayson Adams (Beachwood, NJ/Monsignor Donovan) pulled in four catches for 45 yards and Darkeevin Peoples (Akron/North) added two receptions for 31 yards in the win. J.J. Wheeler (Zanesville) was the Pioneers' leading tackler with nine. Brett Munn (Newbury) made his presence felt all over the field Saturday. The senior co-captain finished with eight stops, broke up two passes, blocked a punt and stalled two Spartan drives with interceptions. Jeff Mast (Defiance) also collected eight tackles for the Pioneers.

ALL-TIME SERIES: The Student Princes and the Pioneers meet for 42nd time on the Saturday. Heidelberg leads the all-time series, dating back to 1917, 25-16. Marietta has lost three in a row to Heidelberg, including a 21-13 loss last year.

WEEK TWO OBSTACLE: The Pioneers look to start the 2004 season with two-straight wins, something they have not done since 1999, when MC opened the year with victories over Waynesburg (PA) and Muskingum.

ALUMNI DAY: MC welcomes all MC football alumni and friends who will be in attendance for Saturday's festivities. The coaching staff and players appreciate your support throughout the year and are happy to see you back on campus.

WELCOME DONORS: The Pioneers welcome all donors to the Fields Project that will be here for the game. A ceremony recognizing these individuals will be held at the half.

BRICKS: Everyone who contributes at least $250 to the Fields Project gets a personalized brick that will be placed at the entrance way on Green Street. Donations to the project are still being accepted. For more information or to make a contribution call 1-800-274-4704.

NEXT GAME: The Pioneers will travel to University Heights to battle John Carroll Saturday (Sept. 25) at 6:00 p.m. The Student Princes will host Capital Saturday at 1:30 p.m.