No. 19 Football posts third consecutive victory with 41-10 win at Marietta

Jake Heaphy

By Tim Glon

| Box Score |

MARIETTA -- No. 19 Ohio Northern scored on five its first six possessions and Jake Heaphy drilled a pair of long field goals, including a school-record 50-yarder, as the Polar Bears posted a 41-10 victory at Marietta Saturday afternoon at Don Drumm Stadium.

The Polar Bears improve to 4-2 overall and are 3-2 in Ohio Athletic Conference play, while the Pioneers fall to 2-4, 1-4.

Brent Donley carried the ball 18 times for 86 yards and two TDs and Kyle Simmons completed 13 of 18 passes for 226 yards and 3 TDs and ran eight times for 56 yards to lead the Polar Bears.

Jay Priest caught 4 passes for a career-high 111 yards and a TD and Heaphy made field goals of 44 and 50 yards for ONU.

Heaphy has now made a school-record 24 field goals in his career and is an impressive 7 of 11 on attempts of 40 or more yards.

Lamar Hunter carried the ball 26 times for 152 yards and Kyle Shackle completed 17 of 29 passes for 127 yards and a score to lead the Pioneers.

"Any time you make a long road trip and play a quality opponent, it is a good test for your team," ONU head coach Dean Paul said. "I felt we were ready to play. Marietta did a nice job with their game plan and we had trouble getting off the field on defense at times. But our offense made several big plays and our defense made enough for us to get the job done."

Ohio Northern got on the board first when Heaphy nailed a 44-yard field goal on the Polar Bears' first drive. ONU marched 66 yards in 8 plays and went up 3-0 with 5:23 left in the first period.

Northern extended its lead to 10-0 when Donley plowed in from 5 yards out with 54 seconds left in the first period. Northern marched 58 yards in six plays for the score.

The Pioneers got on the board when Kyle Cardwell hit a 30-yard field goal with 9:18 left in the half, capping a 15-play, 63-yard drive that used up 6:31 off the clock.

Northern made it 17-3 with 4:06 left in the half when Simmons hit Ryan Fleming on a 36-yard bomb, capping a 9-play, 57-yard drive.

The Polar Bears extended their lead on the first possession of the second half when Donley plowed in from a yard out. Heaphy's PAT was good and Northern led 24-3 with 11:34 left in the third period.

Vince Calloway intercepted Shackle on Marietta's next possession and returned it 26 yards to the MC 16-yard line.

It took Northern six plays, but the Polar Bears scored when Simmons hit Evan Elliott on a 1-yard TD pass on a fourth and goal and it was 31-3 ONU with 11:34 left in the third. 

Marietta pulled within 31-10 when Shackle hit Zach Lashaway on a 1-yard TD pass with 14:14 left in the game.

Northern put the game away when Simmons hit Jay Priest on a 55-yard TD pass to put the Polar Bears up 38-10 with 8:58 left in the contest.

Heaphy drilled a school-record 50-yard field goal with 3:18 left in the contest to make it 41-10 ONU.

Northern out-gained MC 388-297 in total offense.

Gabe Washington had 11 tackles and two passes broken up to lead the ONU defense.

The Polar Bears will return to action next Saturday at home against John Carroll at 1:30 pm at Dial-Roberson Stadium.