Football

Box Score | Updated Season Statistics

Brett Thompson Was Named the 2011
Frank Roppolo B-W Player of the Game

BEREA, OHIO --  The  Baldwin-Wallace College football team defeated Ohio Northern University, 20-6, today (Saturday, October 15, 2011) in an Ohio Athletic Conference game before 5,950 Homecoming fans on Tressel Field at The George Finnie Stadium.  This game was televised by SportsTime Ohio and can be seen today, Sunday, Oct. 16 at 3:00 p.m.

Offensively, the Yellow Jackets ran for 293 yards and had 371 yards of total offense.  The trio of junior “wildcat” quarterback Andrew Dziak (Maple Heights/ Parma Padua Fransiscan), junior running back Tyler Lohr (Kent/ Roosevelt) and freshman RB Willie Jackson (Citrus Springs, Fla./ Crystal River) combined for 285 of the rushing yards. Lohr had a career-high 137 yards in 25 attempts for his fourth 100-yard effort this season, including third straight. Dziak had 88 yards in 12 attempts with a touchdown. Jackson had 60 yards in nine attempts and caught a screen pass for 21 more, including a key first down.   

With their victory, the Yellow Jackets improved to 5-1 overall and 4-1 in the OAC. The loss drops the ONU to 3-3 overall and 2-3 in the OAC and remain tied with Cleveland cross-town rival John Carroll University for second place in the OAC and one game back of league-leader the University of Mount Union (B-W's Nov. 5 opponent in Alliance).  B-W led 13-6 after one quarter, at halftime and after three quarters.

B-W got on the scoreboard first when senior outside linebacker Brett Thompson (Shelby) intercepted a pass that was deflected by senior middle linebacker Matt Higginbotham (Uniontown/ Lake) and Thompson returned the ball a school-record 95 yards for the touchdown. The previous record return was a 90-yarder for a TD by Scott Goodwin versus Marietta College in a game in 2007. Sophomore Chris Mohler (Kent/ Roosevelt) add the PAT kick for a 7-0 lead at the 7:27 mark.

ONU returned the ensuing kickoff 41 yards to get great field position at the B-W 48-yard line.  The Polar Bears travelled 48 yards in 11 plays in 5:29 to score when sophomore running back Justin Buenger ran three yards to paydirt at the 1:59 mark. But the PAT kick failed and B-W led, 7-6.

Tyler Lohr Rushed for his Third
Straight 100 Yard Plus Game

The Yellow Jackets came right back following a 32-yard kickoff return by sophomore wide receiver and speedster Josiah Holt (Elyria/ Grafton Midview) to travel 59 yards in four plays and scored when Dziak found the endzone on a nine-yard run with 40 seconds left in the first stanza. The drive took  just 1:07 with Dziak leading the way. Unfortunately for the Jackets, the PAT kick hit the right upright and was no good. B-W led, 13-6.

Following a defensive stand early in the final quarter, B-W took over the ball and increased its lead to 20-6 with 6:36 left in the contest when junior quarterback Ryan O’Rourke (Avon) threw a “slip pass” to Holt who rambled 28 yards untouched to the endzone. Mohler’s PAT kick capped an 8-play and 74-yard drive in 4:02.

In addition to its trio of runners, O’Rourke completed 5-of-13 passes for 78 yards, including the TD to Holt.  Holt was the top receiver with two grabs for 33 yards and the TD. The defense was led by Mentor High graduates and seniors Ryan Dugan, at safety, and Max Wagner, at tackle. Dugan had a career-high 16 stops and Wagner had a career-high 11. In addition, senior end Derron Hamilton (Euclid) had his Division III-leading 11th quarterback sack as B-W recorded four and had two takeaways (ONU turnovers).

ONU was led by the running of Buenger who had a team-high 96 yards in 26 attempts. Starting QB Tyler Rue completed 5-of-7 passes for 34 yards with the interception by Thompson before leaving with an injury. Freshman QB Matt Flynn completed 6-of-16 aerials for 52 yards with an interception. The top receiver was senior Jay Priest with four catches for 22 yards.  The Polar Bear defense was led by senior safety Chad Coward with 10 tackles.

The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Saturday, October 22 when they travel to Wilmington, Ohio to play the Wilmington College Quakers at 1:30 p.m. B-W leads the all-time series, 9-3. Fans can listen to that game live on B-W campus radio station WBWC, 88.3 FM, or via the WBWC Internet web site at www.wbwc.com.  Fans also can follow the game live with LIVE STATS on the B-W web site at www.bw.edu/athletics/ and then look for the Gameday box on the schedule portion of the athletics homepage.

FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics