ADA, Ohio — Ohio Northern University engineered a game winning touchdown drive in the final minute of the game to come from behind and defeat Marietta College, 34-33, Saturday (Oct. 2) afternoon. The loss drops Marietta to 2-2 overall and 2-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Polar Bears improve to 4-1 on the season and 3-1 in the OAC.
Trailing 33-27, the Polar Bears took possession of the ball on their own 32-yard line with 57 seconds left on the clock and no time outs. Senior quarterback Brody Hahn completed three of four passes moving the ball to the Marietta 33-yard line.
Hahn picked up 24 more yards on a scramble giving ONU first and goal at the nine. Following an incompletion in the endzone, Hahn connected with Austin Eick in the back right corner for the 9-yard touchdown evening the score, 33-33.
Dom DiFalco split the uprights with the extra point putting the Polar Bears in front, 34-33, with 18 seconds left in the game.
Ed Manning sealed the victory for Ohio Northern when he intercepted Marietta's second pass of its final possession.
The back-and-forth game was thrilling from start to finish. Each team scored on passes of 80-plus yards. Hahn completed 24-of-44 passes for 441 yards and four touchdowns to lead ONU. Marietta quarterback Connor Vierstra was 19-of-28 for 264 yards and two scores. Logyn Ratliff also tossed a 38-yard touchdown pass for the Pioneers.
Bryce Agnew carried the ball 32 times for 148 yards and one touchdown. He also caught four passes for 109 yards and a score. Agnew extended his streak of 100-yard rushing games to six straight.
DiFalco hit a 22-yard field goal early in second quarter to give Ohio Northern the early 3-0 lead. The Pioneers responded with a 6-play, 75-yard scoring drive to go on top, 7-3. Ratliff hit Logan Ranft on a 38-yard TD strike to cap the drive.
A pass interference penalty against Marietta on third down extended Ohio Northern's ensuing possession. Hahn made Marietta pay for the extra set of downs and hit Jack DiMarco on a 54-yard touchdown pass for a 10-7 lead with 1:27 left in the first half.
Marietta made a special teams mistake on the kickoff and the Polar Bears recovered the ball on the Pioneer 25-yard line. ONU picked up 19 yards on a pass from Hahn to Chase Rose moving the ball to the 5-yard line.
Two negative rushes left Ohio Northern with a third and goal from the 9-yard line. Hahn and Eick hooked up for the touchdown giving ONU a 17-7 lead at halftime.
Following a 45-minute lightning delay at the start of the second half, Marietta scored on two straight possessions to take a 20-17 lead. Agnew ran the ball in from 11 yards out for the first touchdown, but the Pioneers missed the extra point.
After forcing Ohio Northern to punt, Vierstra completed a short pass to Agnew who broke free for an 83-yard touchdown. The extra point made it 20-17, Marietta.
The lead was short-lived as ONU needed one play to reclaim the lead. Hahn found Eick open for an 80-yard touchdown and a 24-20 ONU lead.
Once again, Marietta answered right back. Vierstra completed 3-of-4 passes on the next drive posting completions of 27, 7 and 28 yards. The final 28-yard completion went to Ranft for six points. The point after made it 27-24 Pioneers as the game headed to the fourth quarter.
The Pioneers extended the lead when Vierstra capped an 11-play, 34-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. Marietta missed its second extra point of the game and led, 33-24, with 11:27 left in the game.
Ohio Northern trimmed the lead to 33-27 on a 40-yard field goal from DiFalco with 8:33 left on the clock.
Marietta turned the ball over on its next possession when Vierstra was picked off near midfield. But the Pioneer defense held strong and Ohio Northern failed on fourth down giving the ball back to MC with 4:32 left in the game.
A steady dose of Agnew on the ground coupled with a 21-yard Viertsra to Maguire Morris moved the ball to the ONU 32-yard line. Marietta's drive stalled giving Hahn and the Polar Bears the ball on their own 32-yard line with 57 seconds left setting up the winning drive for Hahn.
Marietta returns home to host Heidelberg University next Saturday (Oct. 9). Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. on Youth Football Day at Don Drumm Stadium.