PHOTO GALLERY
WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Scoring was at a premium once again Saturday afternoon inside Memorial Stadium, and unfortunately the Otterbein football team would come up just short this time in a 13-7 loss to Ohio Northern as part of Homecoming weekend.
The Cardinals, playing in front of a standing-room only crowd of more than 3,400 fans, fall to 1-3 overall on the season while the Polar Bears remain undefeated at a perfect 4-0. Ohio Northern received 43 votes in the latest D3football.com national poll earlier this week.
ONU took the opening kickoff on a 10-play drive for an early lead, ultimately settling for a 30-yard field goal from Chase Watson with 10:44 on the clock. Otterbein's offense was forced to punt twice in the first period and then had an unfortunate turnover to begin the second, with quarterback
Steven Irwin nicely maneuvering 16 yards across midfield on a third down before the ball was stripped from behind and recovered by the defense.
Ohio Northern parlayed that momentum into a long touchdown pass, getting a 45-yard strike from Anthony McFadden to Anthony Amison during a 3rd-and-12 in which Cardinal nose tackle
Nigel Chatman nearly had a sack off the edge. The home crowd wanted a holding penalty whistled, but to no avail as the visitors held a 10-0 lead by halftime.
The Cardinal offense continued to struggle in the third quarter with drives ending in a punt, a failed attempt on fourth-and-inches just across midfield, and a tough interception near the same spot on the field shortly thereafter.
Otterbein continued to plug away and eventually strung together a near seven-minute scoring drive, this time converting a fourth-and-short at the goal line when Irwin pitched to running back
Orlando Burgy on a nice misdirection option.
David Hoyle's extra point was true, making the contest 10-7 with 13:54 left in regulation.
Neither team did much with the football down the stretch until ONU pushed through with its back against the wall, beginning a drive at its own nine-yard line but going 72 yards in just 3:05 of game time before Watson buried a 36-yard try between the uprights.
Otterbein had one last offensive chance, achieving one first down before a string of four-straight incompletions turned the ball over. The Polar Bears ended up gaining eight yards on a 3rd-and-2 to put the game away.
ONU finished with a 328-223 edge in total offense and had a 34:23 time of possession. Otterbein was just 2 of 15 on third down while the visitors were 7 of 19.
Senior linebacker
Jake Harper made a career-high 12 tackles in pacing the defense, which played well once again despite being on the field regularly.
Ryan Tuchow and
Niall Lewison each had 11 stops for a unit that secured 10 pass breakups, eight tackles for loss and five sacks.
Senior wide receiver
Payton Vanderkooi, who missed the first three games of the year with an injury, returned at less-than 100 percent to fight through and lead the Cards with five catches for 51 yards. Irwin carried 15 times for 66 yards and Burgy, making the first start of his career, rushed 17 times for 64 yards and the TD.
Otterbein will remain at home next weekend, hosting No. 1-ranked and defending national champion Mount Union for kickoff at 1:30 p.m.
