Ohio Wesleyan 17, Oberlin 14

Oct. 3, 2009

Sophomore kicker Trey Stalnaker (Lithia Springs, Ga./Landmark Christian) booted an 18-yard field goal with :16 left in regulation time to lift Ohio Wesleyan over Oberlin in North Coast Athletic Conference action on Saturday at Selby Field.

With the score tied at 14-14, the Bishops took over on their own 38-yard line with 3:03 left in the game. Freshman halfback Isaac Morris (Clarksville, Tenn./Northeast) came through with a 12-yard gain on third-and-10 to pick up one first down, and on second-and-6 from the Oberlin 46, it was sophomore quarterback Keegan Varner (Westerville/Central) scrambling for 10 yards and a first down, and an Oberlin personal foul at the end of the play gave the Bishops a first down at the Oberlin 21-yard line.

Varner then gained 5 yards and Morris 6 more for a first-and-goal at the Yeomen 10-yard line. Varner picked up 2 yards on first down, and after a Bishop time out with :27 left, freshman halfback Stephen Haynes (Crestview, Fla./Niceville) took an inside handoff and burst inside the Oberlin 1-yard line with :19 remaining. Stalnaker came on and drilled the 18-yard kick through the uprights with :16 left, giving the Bishops the lead.

The Yeomen called a fair catch on the ensuing kickoff and got the ball on their own 41-yard line with :16 to go, but on the first play from scrimmage, senior linebacker Sam Bixler (Denver, Colo./South) picked off Joey Zebelian's pass to seal the win.

Ohio Wesleyan moved the ball early in the game, but it was the Yeomen who would draw first blood. On their first drive of the game, the Bishops moved from their own 14-yard line to the 44-yard line in 4 plays, but on third-and-6 from the 44, Oberlin's Drew Mixter intercepted a pass from freshman quarterback Mike Bashioum (Wyano, Pa./Yough) and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown for a 7-0 Oberlin lead.

The Bishops answered immediately with another march downfield, getting a 6-yard gain from freshman halfback Bryan Hoover (Sciotoville/Portsmouth East) on third-and-2 from their own 44, then moving the chains again when freshman fullback Woody Earls (New Lebanon/Dixie) fielded a pass from Bashioum and got the necessary 5 yards on third-and-5 from the Oberlin 45. Bashioum and Earls connected again, this time for 11 yards and another first down, before Haynes reeled off gains of 10 and 8 yards to put Ohio Wesleyan on the Oberlin 10-yard line. From there, Bashioum picked up 6 yards and Earls gained 3 before Bashioum went over from 1 yard out and Stalnaker tacked on the conversion to tie the game at 7-7.

Sophomore defensive tackle John Warrell (Lakewood) recovered an Oberlin fumble at the Yeomen 28-yard line early in the second quarter, and the Bishops took advantage of the opportunity. Bashioum picked up 3 yards on first down, Hoover went around the left end for 14 yards, and Earls covered the final 12 yards to give the Bishops a 14-7 lead.

The Yeomen also took advantage of a short field later in the quarter, after a Robin Witjes punt return set them up at the Bishop 28-yard line. Junior defensive tackle Taylor Smith (Marengo/Highland) dropped Adam Lowther for a 4-yard loss on second down, countering Lowther's 4-yard gain on first down, but on third-and-10, Zebelian found Ryan Harvey open near the left sideline and Harvey maneuvered around the pylon to tie the game at 14-14.

The defenses took over from there, with both Oberlin, then Ohio Wesleyan stopping the other on a fourth-down try late in the second period.

Oberlin threatened in the fourth quarter, moving to a first down at the Ohio Wesleyan 47-yard line. Three straight rushes by Sean Curtis resulted in 9 yards, and on fourth-and-1 from the Bishop 38-yard line, freshman linebacker Tyler Swary (Pandora/Pandora Gilboa) and freshman defensive end James Huddleston (Pontiac, Mich./Saint Marys Preparatory) wrapped up Curtis for no gain, giving the Bishops the ball on downs and setting up Ohio Wesleyan's deciding scoring drive.

Earls and Hoover shared the Bishop rushing lead with 53 yards apiece, Hoover's in 10 carries and Earls's in 11 tries. Morris finished with 48 yards on 13 rushes. Varner completed 5 of 11 passes for 58 yards and Bashioum completed 6 of 8 passes for 51 yards. Hoover and Earls also shared the receiving lead with 3 catches apiece, with Hoover's covering 70 yards and Earls's going for 20 yards.

Curtis led the Yeomen with 67 yards in 22 rushes. Zebelian completed 10 of 19 passes for 110 yards, with C.J. Holman making 5 catches for 50 yards.

Swary led the Bishop defense with 11 tackles. Bixler finished with 10 stops, including 2 for loss, and a forced fumble and a pass breakup in addition to the game-clinching interception. Huddleston finished with 8 stops, including 1 for loss, and senior defensive end Britan Tolliver (Croton/Johnstown Northridge) had 6 tackles, including a pair of sacks and 3 for loss.

Dane Stritt and Solomon Turner led Oberlin with 12 tackles apiece, with Stritt adding 1 1/2 tackles for loss. Eric Enrico added 11 stops, and Tyler Lewis contributed 9 tackles, including one for loss, and intercepted a pass.

Box Score