Team efforts leads Pioneers past Quakers, 27-14
Eight season and three career records set in victory

Nov. 4, 2006
WILMINGTON, Ohio — All three facets of Marietta College's football team made valuable contributions Saturday (Nov. 4) afternoon to help the Pioneers defeat the Wilmington College Quakers on the road, 27-14. Marietta's defense forced five turnovers and allowed just one score, its offense racked up 421 yards and four touchdowns and the special teams blocked a field goal attempt and returned a kickoff for the game-winning score in the fourth quarter.

The victory improves Marietta's record to 6-3 overall and 5-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. It also secures the Pioneers a winning season. The Quakers, meanwhile, fall to 3-6, 3-5 in the OAC).

Marietta set five individual single-season school records, three team single-season records and three individual career records in the game.

Senior quarterback Jason Vrable (South Park) broke the school record for individual passing attempts (also a team record) and tied the mark for touchdown passes in a season. The lefty completed 23-of-43 passes and threw for 297 yards with two touchdowns. He was picked off three times, the third game that has happened this season.

Vrable, the school record holder in every career passing category, now tops the list in every single-season category as well. This season, he has completed 190-of-342 passes, while throwing for 2,672 yards and 19 touchdowns (also a team record). For his career, Vrable is now 483-of-869 for 5,929 yards and 40 touchdowns.

Marietta wide receivers Jason Curry (Akron/Springfield) and Chad McDaniel (Wooster/Triway) also set records Saturday. The duo each broke the school's previous single-season record for receiving yards, which was 720. McDaniel, who caught four passes for 58 yards against the Quakers, now holds the record with 741 receiving yards. Curry, who pulled in seven receptions for 135 yards, is right on McDaniel's tail with 729 receiving yards.

Curry also tied Marietta's career record for receiving touchdowns (19) with a 73-yard reception in the second quarter. The senior, who is currently second on the all-time list for receiving yards, also moved into third place on the receptions list after Saturday's game.

Curry also set two new standards with his foot, as the punter is now the Pioneers' all-time leader in punts (202) and punting yards (7,355).

On Saturday, senior Nic North (Madison, Wis./East) led Marietta with eight receptions for 70 yards, while senior tight end John Bokat (Carmichaels, Pa./Geibel Catholic) added two catches for 23 yards and one touchdown.

The Pioneer ground game totaled 29 carries for 124 yards. Vrable once again led the way with seven rushes for 70 yards. Senior fullback Corey Jacobs (Glenshaw, Pa./North Hills) added 14 carries for 35 yards and a five-yard TD run.

Marietta's defense forced a pair of fumbles and picked off three passes in the game. One of the fumbles came just before Wilmington's quarterback crossed the goal line at the end of the first half. The ball was recovered by junior Pete Hashman (St. Marys, W.Va.) for the turnover. Senior J.J. Wheeler (Zanesville/Maysville) led the team in tackles with 11 and picked off two passes, including one in Marietta's own end zone. Junior Brian Hahn (Upper Sandusky) added eight tackles and a fumble recovery, while junior Grant Cowell (Perrysville/Loudonville) had one interception, which he returned for 34 yards to set up the Pioneers' second touchdown.

Marietta finished with 421 yards of offense, while Wilmington had 393. Both teams had 21 first downs. The Pioneers had a slight edge in time of possession, holding onto the ball for 32:53 while on defense for 27:07.

Wilmington opened the game with a seven play, 44-yard drive that ended when Marietta's special teams blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt.

Marietta took a 7-0 lead on the 73-yard pass from Vrable to Curry with 5:37 left in the second quarter. The game went into halftime with the Pioneers leading 7-0 thanks to the Quaker fumble on the goal line in the final minute of the half.

Wilmington quickly tied the score at 7-7, when Chad Otte intercepted Vrable's first pass of the second half and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. Otte finished the day with three interceptions.

Marietta broke the 7-7 tie with Jacobs' five-yard run at the 13:21 mark of the fourth quarter.

The Quakers tied the game at 14-14 two possessions later when Brent Scherz made a spectacular catch in the end zone. He was able to tip the ball over the Pioneer defender and then hold onto the ball for the 31-yard score.

Marietta stole the momentum on the ensuing kickoff when freshman Rich Castagna (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) returned the ball 86 yards for the touchdown to give the Pioneers the lead for good, 20-14. It was Marietta's first kick return for a TD since 2004.

Vrable gave Marietta some insurance when he connected with Bokat for a nine yard score on the Pioneers' next possession.

Marietta closes out the season with a home game against top-ranked Mount Union (9-0, 8-0 OAC) Saturday (Nov. 11). The Pioneers will recognize their 12 seniors before the 1:30 p.m. kickoff at Don Drumm Stadium.

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.