Raiders shutout Pioneers for second straight year on gridiron

Oct. 16, 2004
ALLIANCE, Ohio - The Marietta College football team fell 57-0 to No. 1 Mount Union this afternoon (Oct. 16) at Mount Union Stadium, as the Raiders won their 100th straight regular season game.

The Pioneers (3-3, 2-3 OAC) could not get anything going against the seven-time national champions. Mount Union (6-0, 5-0 OAC) held Marietta to 123 total yards and six first downs, while it racked up 634 total yards and moved the chains 33 times in the win.

The Raiders did not punt all day and scored on every drive except the three, while Marietta punted 10 times and missed one field goal attempt.

Steven Wagner (Harwick, PA/Fox Chapel) was held to just 28 yards on 14 carries in the game. Mount Union's running attack totaled 346 yards and was led by Rick Ciccone with 12 carries for 87 yards and Aaron Robinson with eight rushes for 74 yards.

Sophomore quarterback Jason Vrable (South Park, PA) finished 7-of-1 for 97 yards in the loss, while his counterpart Zac Bruney went 20-of-26 for 252 yards and six touchdowns.

Chris Sidick (Cecil, PA/Canon McMillan) pulled in three grabs for 33 yards and freshman Chad McDaniel (Wooster/Triway) had two catches for 47 yards.

Drew Hanley was Mount's leading receiver with four catches for 76 yards and two scores. Bruney found 11 different targets on the day.

Jason Curry (Akron/Springfield) average 35.0 yards per punt, with a long of 49 yards. Bobby Lemasters (Winfield, WV) missed a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Senior Nate Brownrigg (Zanesville/Philo) led the defense with 13 tackles, including one for a loss. Thadd Sharrett (Circleville), the Pioneers' leading tackler on the year, finished with 12 stops. Marietta's defense forced two fumbles, the only turnovers on the day.

Mike Gibbons made 13 tackles to lead the Raider's defense, which had three sacks in the win.

Marietta will look to bounce back from its two straight losses to nationally ranked teams when it visits Muskingum Saturday (Oct. 23) for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff with the Muskies.