No. 16 Ohio Northern slips by Marietta 14-7
Brian Hahn ties career high with 15 stops

Oct. 20, 2007
MARIETTA, Ohio — An illegal motion penalty on the goal line negated a game-tying fourth quarter touchdown and allowed No. 16 Ohio Northern to pull out a 14-7 victory over the Marietta College football team Saturday (Oct. 20) afternoon.

The win improved the Polar Bears' record to 5-2 overall and 4-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Pioneers fell to 1-6 overall and 1-5 in league play.

Both teams put on a defensive display for the Marietta Homecoming crowd Saturday. Marietta, playing its fourth ranked team of the season, had its chances throughout the afternoon but could not pull off the upset for a second straight year.

All of the scoring game in the second quarter. Ohio Northern opened the frame with a 15-yard scoring strike from freshman Kyle Simmons to freshman Sam Amidon. The touchdown capped a nine-play, 69-yard drive, and the extra point gave the Polar Bears a 7-0 lead.

Marietta responded with an eight-play, 60-yard drive on the ensuing possession to tie the game at 7-7. Sophomore quarterback Dexter Hughes (Woodsfield/Monroe Central) found junior running back Garrett Banks (Barberton) open down the right side and hit him with a 12-yard pass for the touchdown.

Ohio Northern went three-and-out on its next possession. Marietta junior Alan Tracewell (Williamstown, W.Va.) returned the punt to the Polar Bear 25-yard line, but a personal foul sent the ball back to the 40-yard line. The Pioneer drive stalled on the 34-yard line, and junior kicker Pat Lane (Cutler/Warren Local) just missed a 51-yard field goal attempt. The kick had the distance but drifted to the left.

The Polar Bears took advantage. A 64-yard pass from Simmons to Amidon on second and 13 put ONU into the red zone at the five-yard line. Simmons then used a quarterback sneak on fourth and goal from the one yard line to give his team the 14-7 lead with 3:33 to play in the half.

Ohio Northern's defense secured the game late in the fourth quarter. Marietta once again started with good field position after forcing a three-and-out. Hughes moved the team from the ONU 43 all of the way down to the one-yard line. The Pioneers thought that they scored when Hughes hit sophomore Marty Mueller (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) with a 14-yard pass, but he was ruled out-of-bounds at the one. On second down, a sweep to senior Joe Webb (Monessen, Pa./Ringgold) appeared to tie the game again, but the illegal motion penalty on Marietta took the points off the board. The Pioneers failed to convert their next three plays and turned the ball over on downs at the six-yard line. From there, ONU ran out the clock on the 14-7 win.

The Polar Bears out-gained the Pioneers 302-221 in total offense. Marietta had 15 first downs and Ohio Northern finished with 14. The Polar Bears held onto the ball for 30:33, while the Pioneers had it for 29:27. ONU had the only turnover, a fumble on its first possession of the game.

Hughes finished the day 17-of-28 and threw for 169 yards and one touchdown. He was not intercepted. Simmons went 8-of-11 and threw for 141 yards and a score. He also ran for another. Starter Jeff Pankratz went 3-for-6 and threw for 22 yards.

Webb paced the Pioneers' ground attack with 18 carries for 52 yards. The tandem of junior R.J. Meadows and Adam Bogner combined for 145 yards on the ground for the Polar Bears. Bogner had 21 carries for 80 yards, and Meadows carried the ball 11 times for 65 yards.

Sophomore Ryan Dawson (Parkersburg, W.Va.) pulled in a team-high six receptions for 57 yards. Senior Chad McDaniel (Wooster/Triway) added three catches for 34 yards. He is now third all-time with 1,633 receiving yards and tied for third in career receptions with 122. Amidon caught six passes for 109 yards.

Four players finished with double-digit tackles. Senior Brian Hahn (Upper Sandusky) tied a career high with 15 total hits, including three for loss and one sack. Junior Grant Cowell (Perrysville/Loudonville) added 11 stops. Senior Pete Hashman (St. Marys, W.Va.) had a big play for the defense, blocking a field goal attempt in the third quarter. Chane Porter and Gabe Washington both had 12 hits to lead ONU. Porter finished with four tackles for loss and two sacks.

Marietta returns to action Saturday (Oct. 27) when it takes on Heidelberg College in Tiffin at 1:30 p.m.