Box Score



WESTERVILLE, Ohio—The Heidelberg University football team erupted for 24 points in the fourth quarter to defeat Otterbein University, 45-28, in what had been a close game Saturday in Westerville.
 
The Cardinals, behind three touchdown runs from running back Drew Ervin, led the Berg, 28-21 at halftime.
 
With the loss, Otterbein, 2-2 overall, fell out of a share of first place in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), dropping to 2-1 in the league. Heidelberg improved to 3-1 overall and 2-1 in the OAC. The Student Princes also retained the Rhine River Cup for the fourth straight year.
 
Otterbein scored the game's first two touchdowns on Ervin runs of 25 and 1 yards to lead 14-0 with 1:09 to play in the first quarter.
 
Heidelberg scored quickly though on the next series when quarterback James Mees hit his brother, Michael Mees, with a pass over the middle for a 79-yard touchdown, and the Berg trailed by just seven, 14-7, with 25 seconds to play in the first quarter.
 
The Cardinals took advantage of a couple of Heidelberg miscues—a fumbled punt return and an interception—both leading to touchdowns in the second period.
 
John Pyles recovered a fumbled punt return on the Heidelberg 39-yard line after the ball bounced and hit a Heidelberg player. Five plays later, Ervin plunged into the end zone from the 2-yard line for his third touchdown of the half and Otterbein led, 21-7, with 12:03 to play in the first half.
 
But on the very next series, Heidelberg's big-play offense came through again. Mees found wide receiver Donteea Dye wide open in the end zone for a 45-yard touchdown, making it a 21-14 game with 11:01 left to play in the first half.
 
Otterbein safety Josh Bischel picked off a Mees pass on the Berg's next possession, returning it 7 yards to the Heidelberg 46-yard line. Quarterback Brick Davis put together Otterbein's longest drive of the game, using up 5:41 on the 10-play series which ended in a 17-yard touchdown reception from Davis to slot receiver Ryan Thombs. Otterbein led, 28-14, with 1:34 remaining before intermission.
 
Heidelberg closed out the half, covering 53 yards in four plays, with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Mees to Dye, to pull back within seven, trailing, 28-21.
 
The two teams played through a scoreless third quarter before Heidelberg took command of the game with back-to-back interceptions that ended up resulting in scores. Mees threw a pair of touchdown passes, a 17-yarder to tight end Derek Hug, and a 9-yarder to wide receiver Christian Dominquez to give Heidelberg its first lead of the game, 35-28, with 13:05 to play in the game.
 
The Berg closed out the scoring with a Stephen Smith 27-yard field goal, and a 21-yard touchdown reception from Mees to running back Cartel Brooks.
 
Although Ervin did most of the scoring, Reid Hutchison led Otterbein in rushing, running for 94 yards on 16 carries. Ervin netted 66 yards and three TD's on 19 carries.
 
Davis finished with 185 yards and a touchdown on 15-of-32 passing, but threw three interceptions. The senior quarterback entered the game with zero interceptions in 83 pass attempts over his first three games of the season.
 
Logan Stepp led the Cards with five receptions for 54 yards. Thombs caught four balls for 55 yards, including a touchdown.
 
Bischel, 11 tackles, inside linebacker Preston Pearson, 10 tackles, and inside linebacker Austin Jones, 9 tackles, lead the Cardinal defense.
 
Otterbein remains at home Oct. 11 for the Hall of Fame game, hosting crosstown-rival Capital University. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.