Heidelberg Falls To Ohio Northern 47-3 On Senior Day

The Heidelberg College football team lost to Ohio Northern 47-3 in the last home game of the 2006 season. The Polar Bears snap a four-game losing streak and improve to 5-4 overall and 4-4 in the Ohio Athletic Conference while the Berg falls to 0-9, 0-8  in conference play.

Ohio Northern got off to a quick start on its first possession, but a Heidelberg goal line stand kept the game scoreless. The Polar Bears returned the opening kick off to midfield and four plays later had first and goal at the Heidelberg five. Three straight runs for four yards put the ball at the one for an Ohio Northern fourth down. Jeff Busching tried to dive over the left side of Heidelberg’s defensive line but was denied the score by senior Dan Fossa (Stow, Ohio / Aurora) and freshman Matt Grieves (Huron, Ohio / Huron).

Heidelberg could not move the ball out of the shadow of their own endzone, but a 61-yard punt by sophomore Jimmy May (Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Darby) pushed the Polar Bears back top their own 34. Six plays later, Travis Stephens put Ohio Northern up 6-0 on a five-yard run with 5:13 remaining in the quarter.  The extra-point sailed wide right.

With the Student Princes trailing 20-0 right before intermission, the offense gained some momentum with two third-down conversions. The Tricolor faced a third and two at their own 35 when sophomore Chris Cola (Strongsville, Ohio / Strongsville) found a seam for four yards and a Heidelberg first down.

After an 8-yard completion by junior quarterback Bryan Prorok (Baltimore, Ohio / Liberty Union) to sophomore Lucas Bauer (Huron, Ohio / Huron), Prorok found sophomore wide receiver Kenny Sims (Garfield Hts., Ohio / Garfield Hts.), who broke a tackle and gained 39 yards up the left sideline to the Ohio Northern 14. Three plays later, senior Craig Smith (Rittman, Ohio / Rittman) booted a 27-yard field goal that split the uprights and cut the Polar Bear deficit to 20-3 at half.

The Student Princes were led in passing by Prorok, who connected on five of 15 passes on the day for 102 yards and one interception. Cola led all Heidelberg rushers with 22 carries for 82 yards. Anchoring the Heidelberg defense was sophomore Branden Jakubcin (Huron, Ohio / Huron), who finished with seven solo tackles and nine overall, including two tackles for loss. Junior Chris Strawser (Circleville, Ohio / Circleville) and sophomore Brian West (Huron, Ohio / Huron) added eight tackles apiece. Senior Brandon Grim (Litchfield, Ohio / Buckeye) tallied the lone Heidelberg sack.

Heidelberg returns to action Saturday for its season-finale against Muskingum. Game time in New, Concord, Ohio, is set for 1:30 p.m.