Game Notes
WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein University football team closes out the 2011 season with a two-game home stand, beginning with the Pioneers of Marietta College this Saturday in Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Both teams come into the game with identical records, each 2-6 overall and 1-6 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). The Cardinals have lost four OAC games—with two going into overtime—by six points or less this season.
“I think our guys—even with the adversity we faced this year—have done a great job in preparing week to week to get ready for the opponent we’re playing next,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is in his ninth season at his alma mater. “We have to finish strong, especially the seniors. This is their last opportunity to play college football.”
The Cardinals closed out a two-game road trip that started with a 17-13 win at Muskingum University Oct. 22 and ended with a 42-0 loss at No. 2 ranked University of Mount Union last Saturday in Alliance. Otterbein senior linebacker Shane Centers, ranked second in the OAC for most tackles, tallied a game-high 16 at Mount. Senior defensive back Anthony Korpieski turned in one of his best performances of the season, intercepting a pass, forcing and recovering a fumble, and making seven tackles.
Marietta, under fourth-year head coach Jeff Filkovski, fell behind quickly before gaining traction in a 56-35 loss at Ohio Northern University last Saturday. Down 28-0 early in the second quarter, Marietta senior quarterback Andrew Keller engineered scoring drives in four of Marietta’s next five possessions to pull within seven, trailing 35-28 with 9:45 to play in the third quarter. Keller finished with 294 yards and four touchdowns on 26-of-54 passing.
Marietta and Otterbein feature the top two passing attacks in the OAC. Otterbein, averaging 262.4 passing yards a game, leads the league. The Pioneers sit second with an average of 251.8 yards. Otterbein senior quarterback Austin Schlosser continues to lead the OAC in passing efficiency (148.8) and total offense (264 yards a game).
Cardinal senior wide receiver Trey Fairchild, who leads the OAC with 961 receiving yards, is closing in on the Otterbein single-season record for receiving yardage, 1,203 yards, set by Ben Streby in 1999. Fairchild continues to lead NCAA Division III in all-purpose yardage, averaging 225 yards per outing.
Following Marietta, Otterbein takes on Wilmington College Nov. 12 in Westerville.
