Box Score

PHOTO GALLERY

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein University football team finished its season on a high note Saturday afternoon, flying past Marietta College by a score of 49-21 in front of a home crowd at Memorial Stadium.

The Cardinals finish the season and 5-5 overall and 5-4 against the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), good enough for a fourth-place tie with Ohio Northern University in the league standings.

Marietta (3-7, 3-6 OAC) drove down the field to start the game, converting a pair of timely third downs before the Cardinal defense held strong to force an incompletion on a fourth-down pass.

Neither side hit the scoreboard in the first quarter, but the Otterbein offense eventually hit the scoreboard early in the second by finishing off an eight-play, 70-yard drive with a 3-yard pop pass from quarterback Logan Stepp to wide receiver Julian Lowe.

The Pioneers responded to tie the game just a few minutes later, embarking on a lengthy 11-play, 84-yard series and finding the end zone on a 9-yard tote from powerful running back Roger Walker.

The Cardinals countered with 14-unanswered points before intermission, beginning when running back Christian Johnson busted through the middle for a 52-yard touchdown. The play came directly after Lowe returned a kickoff up near midfield.

Otterbein then delivered a tough blow to the Pioneer defense just prior to halftime, moving 91 yards in just 1:12 of game action to ultimately punch in a 4-yard score from running back Isaiah Richmond. He and Johnson had a combined 11 carries for 106 yards in the opening half.

The Cards fought off a hailmary attempt from Marietta to end the second quarter, and then received a long kickoff return from junior Hunter Joseph to begin the third. That play led to a 16-yard touchdown strike from Stepp to Lowe, running the lead to 28-7 and never looking back.

The Pioneers sliced the gap to 28-14 midway through the third quarter, but Otterbein answered almost immediately with a 21-yard connection from Stepp to slot receiver Payton Vanderkooi. Stepp then hooked up with Joseph on a 15-yard scoring play early in the fourth quarter to give the Cards a four-touchdown advantage.

Otterbein racked up 411 yards of total offense and went 6 of 9 on third down, with Stepp completing 18 of 23 passes for 222 yards and four touchdowns. He finishes the year at 25 total touchdowns (17 passing, eight rushing), just three interceptions, and a league-best 2,687 yards of total offense.

Johnson registered 87 yards and a pair of scores while Stepp added 74 on the ground. Lowe tallied game-highs of nine grabs and 107 yards while Joseph hauled in five for 76. Lowe finishes tied atop the OAC in receptions (56) and third with eight receiving TD's on the year. Joseph ends the fall campagn second amongst OAC wideouts in yardage per game (86.3).

Senior Nick Toledo, playing in his final college game, tied with fellow linebacker Jake Harper for a team-best nine tackles in the winning effort. Senior Anthony Wene chipped in eight for the final outing of his time wearing the Tan and Cardinal.

Walker led the Pioneer offense from start to finish, carrying 30 times for 179 yards and all three Marietta touchdowns. It was his seventh-straight game over 100 yards.

Quarterback Darrien Fields hit on 23 of 38 passes for 206 yards as Marietta held the ball for 34:16 of game time. The visitors had 385 yards of total offense but were just 1 of 4 on fourth-down chances.

Prior to kickoff, Otterbein recognized Toledo, Wene and fellow seniors Dalton Jarvis, Will McCollister, Joe Iafelice, Joe Batey, Jalen Liggins, Tyler Cook, Steve Clum, Justin Henry and P.J. Svigel for their contributions to the program.