WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein closes out the 2010 season in an Ohio Athletic Conference matchup at Wilmington Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
The Cardinals, 5-4 overall, will be shooting for their third-consecutive winning season, a feat not accomplished since Otterbein strung together four winning seasons from 1979-82. In addition, an Otterbein victory would give the senior class 28 career wins, which would tie the school record set by the class of 1962.
“I am proud of our senior class and everything they have accomplished to this point in their careers,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is in his eighth season at his alma mater. “I know they are excited to be playing for something in this game, even if it is not post-season competition.”
The Cardinals, locked in a four-way tie for fourth place in the OAC at 4-4, come into the game off a thrilling 21-14 victory at Marietta last Saturday. Junior quarterback Austin Schlosser capped off a three-play, 45-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds to play in the game. Senior cornerback Anthony Korpieski blocked a Marietta 37-yard field goal attempt to set up the game-winning drive.
“The Marietta win was a classic example of how important special teams are,” Loth said. “They helped us in beating Marietta as much as they hurt us in losing to Baldwin-Wallace.” Otterbein gave up two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a 35-34 loss at B-W Oct. 9.
Wilmington, meanwhile, comes into the game in search of its first win of the season. The Quakers, under first-year head coach Ken Minor, dropped a 44-6 decision at 11th-ranked Ohio Northern last Saturday in Ada. All-America senior linebacker Bryce Martin made 14 tackles along with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the loss.
Despite its 0-9 record, Wilmington has had several close games in OAC competition this season, including losses to Capital, 10-7, at home Sept. 18, Muskingum, 3-0, on the road Oct. 2, and Marietta, 31-28, at home Oct. 16.
“Wilmington has a senior-laden defense that flies to the ball,” Loth said. “Offensively, they have been getting progressively better in running the football. They have two very talented running backs. We are in no way overlooking them.”
Otterbein senior running back Colton Coy, who turned in his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season with 111 last week at Marietta, will be going for his second-straight 1,000-yard season. Coy enters the game with 953 rushing yards and has an opportunity to challenge the Otterbein single-season record of 1,070 set by Don Mollick in 1993.
Coy holds down the 34th spot in NCAA Division III with an average of 106 rushing yards a game. He also shares 56th place in scoring, averaging 8.0 points a game.
Junior defensive back Dominic Jones continues to lead the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 31.1 yards a return, and shares 52nd in tackles for a loss, 1.44 a game. Other players ranking high in NCAA Division III include Korpieski, who shares 15th place for interceptions, averaging .67 a game; and senior place-kicker David Brewer, who shares 19th for field goals made, averaging 1.0 a game.
