Pioneers upset No. 20 Polar Bears on the road 16-6
Marietta's defense leads team to first victory over Ohio Northern since 1995

Oct. 21, 2006
ADA, Ohio — Senior quarterback Jason Vrable (South Park, Pa.) threw a pair of touchdowns and Marietta's defense kept Ohio Northern out of the end zone to help the Pioneers upset the 20th-ranked Polar Bears 16-6 on their home field Saturday (Oct. 21) afternoon.

Marietta's victory, the first over a ranked opponent in a decade and the biggest of first-year Head Coach Curt Wiese's career, improved its record to 4-3 overall and 3-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. It is the Pioneers' first win over the Polar Bears since 1995. Ohio Northern, who has now lost three straight, falls to 4-3, 3-3 in the OAC.

Ohio Northern compiled a 12-play, 77-yard drive on its second possession of the game, but came away with just three points when Marietta's defense held strong in the red zone. The Polar Bears had a first-and-goal at the nine, but three straight short gains on the ground forced the field goal attempt, a 20-yard attempt by Jake Heaphy that was good.

The Pioneers went three-and-out on the following possession, but a 41-yard Jason Curry (Akron/Springfield) punt was downed at the two-yard line, pinning the Polar Bears deep in their own territory. Marietta's defense came through on the second play when senior safety Anthony Banks (Colonial Heights, Va./Thomas Dale), Marietta's single-game, single-season and career leader in interception return yards, picked off an Adam Quirk pass at the ONU 10 and returned it inside the 20. A personal foul after the play placed the ball on the seven-yard line.

Vrable made the Polar Bears pay when he connected with Curry in the back of the end zone from 10 yards for the touchdown, the 18th of Curry's career, which moves him within one of the all-time record. Sophomore Pat Lane's (Cutler/Warren Local) extra point gave Marietta a 7-3 lead.

The Pioneers took the lead into the locker room, something they have done only one other game in 2006, despite totaling just 38 yards of offense in the first 30 minutes.

All four third-quarter possessions, two by each team, resulted in punts, and Marietta took its four-point advantage into the final quarter.

Vrable led the offense on a 15-play, 87-yard drive to start the fourth, which was capped by a seven-yard touchdown pass to junior Chad McDaniel (Wooster/Triway) with 9:50 remaining in the game. The drive lasted just under eight minutes. Lane's extra point attempt failed to make the score 13-3 in favor of the visiting Pioneers.

Ohio Northern, who was coming off losses to No. 1 Mount Union and No. 4 Capital in straight weeks, showed its character by following up the Marietta touchdown drive with a long drive of its own. The Polar Bears marched 80 yards on 15 plays and took six minutes off the clock. Unfortunately for Ohio Northern, Marietta's defense made another huge stand and held it to a field goal, making the score 13-6.

The Pioneers recovered the ensuing on-side kick attempted and put the nail in the coffin when Vrable surprised the ONU defense by hitting McDaniel on a 32-yard strike, which placed the ball inside the Northern red zone. Marietta worked the clock down under 90 seconds before Lane kicked a 25-yard field goal to put the lead back to 10 points. Northern ran out of time on its next possession and Marietta began its celebration.

Vrable, who finished 15-of-25 for 153 yards, left yet another mark on the Marietta's record book, breaking the record for career passing attempts in the win. The lefty signal caller now holds the school's career record for every passing category„Ÿattempts (790), completions (447), yards (5,346) and touchdowns (36)„Ÿand is moving in on all of the single-season records. The OAC's top passer has already set the single-season record for passing yards (2,089) in 2006.

Marietta's three main receivers accounted for all 15 grabs. Curry led the way with six catches for 52 yards, senior Nic North (Madison, Wis./East) added five receptions for 44 yards and McDaniel finished with four grabs for 57 yards.

Freshman George Davis (Warren/Newton Falls) paced the Pioneers' ground game with nine carries for 31 yards, while sophomore Garrett Banks (Barberton) added six carries for 10 yards. Marietta finished with 49 yards rushing in the game.

The Pioneer offensive line allowed just two Polar Bears' sacks; ONU came in with a league-leading 20 sacks. Marietta had 202 total yards of offense and finished with no turnovers for the first time all year.

Ohio Northern, who finished with 309 total yards, rushed for 139 yards without its leading ground gainer R.J. Meadows. Adam Bogner picked up the load with 17 carries for 93 yards. The Polar Bears' quarterback Adam Quirk attempted just two first quarter passes, one which was intercepted by Banks, before being replaced by Jeff Pankratz, who finished 17-of-30 and threw for 170 yards. Ben Wittwer led ONU's receivers with five catches for 48 yards.

Marietta's defense was led by sophomore linebacker Dana Blair (Canal Winchester) and junior linebacker Brian Hahn (Upper Sandusky) with 10 tackles each. Blair had a game-high nine solo stops. Sophomore linebacker Grant Cowell (Perrysville/Loudonville) added nine tackles and senior Bryan Adams (Beachwood, N.J./Mosignor Donovan) made the most of his lone hit by collecting Marietta's lone sack of the day.

Lenny Trusnik, Ohio Northern's leading tackler on the season, finished with a game-high 11 stops, while Aaron Esposito added nine in the loss.

All of the action can be heard locally on WMRT-FM 88.3, WMOA-AM 1490 and online, through Stretch Internet, at pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.