MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College dropped a 34-21 decision to visiting Denison University Saturday (Sept. 3) night at Don Drumm Stadium. The Pioneers cut a 20-point deficit to six in the fourth quarter but couldn't complete the comeback.
Nick O'Neal ran the ball in from three yards out to make it 27-21 in favor of Denison with 5:08 left in the game. The score was O'Neal's second of the game as he dove in from the two earlier in the period for Marietta's first points of the game.
The Big Red used a 10-play, 62-yard scoring drive to ice the game. Cody Farley capped the drive with an 8-yard scamper to pay dirt with just 52 seconds left on the clock. Conor Dunn added the point for a 34-21 lead.
Farley chewed up the clock in the second half rushing for 125 of his 170 yards in the game after halftime. He carried the ball 25 times and gained ground on every carry.
Denison got on the board first when quarterback Canaan Gebele ran the ball in from four yards out with 4:47 left in the opening period. Dunn converted the point after for a 7-0 lead.
Dunn added a pair of field goals in the second quarter extending the margin to 13-0 at halftime. Dunn hit on kicks of 25 and 39 yards. The second one coming as time ran out in the half.
After a scoreless third quarter, Gebele hit David Weimar on a 4-yard scoring strike early in the fourth for a 20-0 lead. Gebele's first touchdown pass of the season ended a 12-play, 83-yard drive for DU.
Marietta responded with its best drive of the night. The Pioneers marched 73 yards in 12 plays with O'Neal diving in for the score. Jimmy Embrescia hit the extra point making it 20-7 with 9:18 left in the game.
Denison's Joel Lohoua took the ensuing kickoff on his own 13-yard line and sliced through Marietta's coverage unit for an 87-yard touchdown return. Dunn's kick made it 27-7.
Needing points quickly, the Pioneers went into their bag of tricks. Receiver Nick Hineman took a lateral from quarterback Darrien Fields and then threw a perfect strike to Roger Walker streaking down the far sideline for a 70-yard touchdown.
Farley started Denison's next possession with runs of 27 and 6 yards. With the Big Red on the move again, senior defensive lineman Aaron Johnson blew through DU the line and collided with Gebele and Farley in the backfield knocking the ball loose. Johnson recovered the fumble breathing life back into the Pioneers.
Marietta took over on its own 42-yard line and Fields promptly connected with Hineman for a gain of 29 yards. Following an incomplete pass, Field hit Jared Deep for 26 more giving MC a first and goal at the Denison three. O'Neal finished the drive with his second scoring run of the night to get within six, 27-21.
O'Neal finished with 61 yards rushing on 13 carries and two touchdowns. Walker ran the ball 12 times for 52 yards.
Fields, who took over for starter Kevin Caballero in the second half, completed 9-of-22 passes for 111 yards. Hineman had seven receptions for 85 yards.
Gebele threw for 264 yards on 24-of-31 passing. Weimar was his favorite target catching 10 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown.
Marietta is off next week before traveling to No. 1 ranked Mount Union on Saturday (Sept. 17) for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.
Comeback bid falls short as Marietta falls to Denison
/seasons/2016/boxscores/20160903_m6kc.xml
2016
Denison
34
Marietta
21
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denison (1-0) | 7 | 6 | 0 | 21 | 34 |
| Marietta (0-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 21 |
Sep 03, 2016