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No. 10 Ohio Northern posts 10th consecutive win, tops Muskingum 36-0

More news about: Ohio Northern

By Tim Glon

| Box Score |

ADA -- The Ohio Northern defense limited Muskingum to three yards rushing as the No. 10 Polar Bears posted a 36-0 Ohio Athletic Conference football victory Saturday afternoon at Dial-Roberson Stadium.

Ohio Northern (3-0 Overall, 2-0 OAC) set a school record with its 10th consecutive victory. MU falls to 2-1, 1-1.

Northern won its last seven games in 2009 and has won its first three games this season.

Senior Brent Donley carried the ball 28 times for 143 yards and a TD and senior Kyle Simmons completed 12 of 23 passes for 155 yards and two TDs and ran 11 times for 51 yards and another score for ONU.

The Polar Bear defense limited the Muskies to just three yards rushing on 28 attempts and just 158 yards of total offense in the shutout.

Junior Chad Coward had seven tackles two sacks and returned a fumble 30 yards to lead the ONU defense, which finished the day with six sacks.

Northern out-gained MU 439-158 in total offense.

The Polar Bear defense registered the first points of the game when freshman Sean Denson sacked MU quarterback Jake Burns in the end zone for a 3-yard loss and a safety, making is 2-0 ONU with 2:59 left in the opening period.

Northern then took the ensuing free kick and marched 55 yards in 14 plays to go up 9-0 on a 9-yard pass from Simmons to junior Jay Priest with 12:10 left in the half.

ONU took the second half kickoff and drove 68 yards in eight plays for a third score. Simmons dove in from three yards out and it was 26-0 ONU with 11:23 left in the third.

Donley scampered in from 15 yards out and ONU was up 23-0 with 5:02left in the third.

Simmons then hit senior Ryan Fleming on a 17-yard TD strike and a 23-0 lead with 2:29 left in the third.

Northern ended the scoring when sophomore John Atkinson scored on a sweep from five yards out with 1:20 left in the game to make it a 36-0 final.

"It was an outstanding performance on both side of the ball," ONU head coach Dean Paul said. "Our defensive line played very well and did a great job of being discplined all day. On offense, we got good production for most of the afternoon and took advantage of our opportunities."

The 36-point performance marked the 11th consecutive game that ONU had scored 30 or more points, tying a school record set in 1998-99.

The Polar Bears will return to action next Saturday in a showdown of league leaders and top-10 foes when they travel to face No. 2-ranked Mount Union at 1:30 pm in Alliance.

Dec. 15: All times Eastern
Final
Cortland 38, at North Central (Ill.) 37
@ Salem, Virginia
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Dec. 9: All times Eastern
Final
North Central (Ill.) 34, at Wartburg 27
Box Score Recap
Final
Cortland 49, at Randolph-Macon 14
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