Ohio Wesleyan 37, Hiram 7

Nov. 3, 2007

Freshman quarterback Mike Fisher (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) and junior quarterback Andy Boff (Defiance/Tinora) combined for nearly 300 yards passing and senior split end Zach Dennis (Jefferson) had the Bishops' biggest receiving day in nearly 6 years as Ohio Wesleyan defeated Hiram in North Coast Athletic Conference action on Saturday in Hiram.

For the second straight game, the Bishops took the opening kickoff and scored less than 2 minutes into the action. On the first play from scrimmage, Fisher hit Dennis for 51 yards and a first down on the Hiram 10-yard line. Two plays later, Fisher found junior tight end Terrance Raeford (Brookline, Mass./Chesire Academy) on a 13-yard scoring strike, and junior Chris Kras (Aurora) added the point after for a 7-0 Bishop lead with 13:32 left in the first quarter.

The Bishops turned the ball over on their next 2 possessions, with the first setting up a field goal attempt by Hiram's Derek Rieg which fell short from 37 yards, but Ohio Wesleyan answered when junior defensive tackle Julian Strother (Warren/Kennedy) intercepted Trevor Henderson's pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown, giving Ohio Wesleyan a 14-0 lead in the waning minutes of the first quarter.

A pair of Fisher-to-Dennis connections, gaining 15 and 34 yards, highlighted Ohio Wesleyan's next drive, with Fisher also picking up a pair of 5-yard gains and junior running back Zack Rojek (Buffalo, NY/City Honors School) carrying 4 times for 11 yards. The drive stalled at the Hiram 10-yard line, however, and Kras came on and booted a 27-yard field goal to stretch the Bishop lead to 17-0 midway through the second quarter.

Henderson drove the Terriers downfield again, first moving the chains with a third-down strike of 17 yards to Glenn Campbell, then finding Campbell again for 10 yards on a fourth-and-2 call from the Ohio Wesleyan 24. The Bishop defense held, though, stopping first Nick Haigh and then Henderson for no gain before a 4-yard scramble by Henderson set up fourth down from the Bishop 10. Pat Majernik came on for a 26-yard field goal try, but the kick sailed wide right and Ohio Wesleyan took over.

Boff then drove the Bishops downfield, hitting Dennis for 8 yards and a first down before finding Raeford for 10 yards and a first down, junior running back Kyle Adams (North Canton/Hoover) for 15 yards and a first down, and then Dennis again for 22 yards and a first down. Adams ran twice to set up first-and-goal from the Hiram 10, and after Boff found Adams for 5 more yards, Dennis scored on a 5-yard run. Kras followed with the point after for a 24-0 Ohio Wesleyan lead with :21 left in the half.

Boff led another scoring drive in the third quarter, with Rojek picking up one first down before Boff hit junior split end Grant Geib (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) for 7 yards on third-and-7 from the Hiram 45 for another first down. Freshman running back Mickey Geis (West Palm Beach, Fla./Seminole Ridge) broke loose for 13 yards and Boff hit Dennis for 9 more and a first-and-goal at the Terrier 10. Carries by Rojek and Boff moved the ball to the Hiram 1, and junior running back Jerell Cephas (Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial) took it the final yard to give Ohio Wesleyan a 31-0 lead.

Fisher and Dennis combined on a 43-yard connection on Ohio Wesleyan's next possession, and runs by Rojek and Gies gave the Bishops a first down at the Hiram 15, setting up a 15-yard scoring run by Rojek the stretched the Ohio Wesleyan lead to 37-0 early in the fourth quarter.

Henderson drove the Terriers once more, converting on 4 straight third-down situations to bring Hiram to the Ohio Wesleyan 12-yard line. Henderson found Michael Paes for 7 yards to set up a third-and-3 at the Bishop 5, and Henderson then connected with Mervyn Jones on a 5-yard pass that put Hiram on the scoreboard with :10 to play.

Fisher completed 6 of 7 passes for 162 yards and a touchdown, while Boff completed 13 of 19 passes for 130 yards. Dennis made 10 catches for 219 yards, recording the Bishops' first 200-yard receiving performance since Joe Clinton caught 8 passes for 248 yards against Allegheny on Nov. 10, 2001. Dennis' 219 receiving yards also ranks fourth on the Ohio Wesleyan single-game list. Rojek led Bishop rushers with 56 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

Junior linebacker Tommy Saunders (Gallipolis/Gallia Academy) led the Bishop defense with 10 tackles, including 1 for loss, and forced a fumble. Sophomore defensive back Rylan Mitter-Burke (Marlborough, Mass./Marlboro) made 5 stops, intercepted one Terrier pass and broke up another; while senior linebacker Chad Ellis (Dublin/Scioto) had 5 tackles, including 1 for loss. Junior defensive end Britan Tolliver (Croton/Johnstown Northridge) had 3 tackles, including a sack and 2 for loss.

Matt Wilson led Hiram rushers with 32 yards on 6 carries. Henderson completed 26 of 41 passes for 207 yards, with Campbell making 7 catches for 51 yards.

Tom Canitia had 15 stops for Hiram, while Humphrey Caswell made 11 tackles, including 2 sacks.

Box Score