John Carroll Tops Heidelberg In OAC Opener For Both Teams, 42-7

For the second-straight week the Heidelberg College football team showed a strong passing game, but it was not enough as it suffered a 42-7 Ohio Athletic Conference setback to host John Carroll University today at Don Shula Stadium in University Heights, Ohio. John Carroll improved to 1-0, while the Berg falls to 0-2 on the young season.

Freshman wide receiver Paris Hilliard (Lorain, Ohio / Admiral King) worked with the one-two quarterback combination of juniors Bryan Prorok (Baltimore, Ohio / Liberty Union) and Steve West (Huron, Ohio / Huron) to record 122 yards on five catches. Hilliard and Prorok connected on a 72-yard completion as part of an 11-play 90-yard drive that led to a 14-yard TD pass from Prorok to sophomore wide receiver Kenny Sims (Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights) for the Berg’s lone score of the game.

The first quarter featured a defensive battle between Heidelberg and John Carroll. Both sides went three and out on their opening drives. Although Sims did find an opening in the Blue Streak special teams, returning the opening kickoff 30 yards.

John Carroll cracked the scoreboard first with a four-play, 70 yard drive that was highlighted by a two-yard pass from Mark Petruziello to Joseph Konrad at the 5:31 mark in the opening quarter. The first quarter would wrap up similar to the way it began as both sets of defense forced their opposition to punt.

The Blue Streaks tallied two more scores in the second quarter to push its lead to 21-0 at the intermission. JCU scored on a 26-yard run by Matthew Divis and a one-yard run courtesy of Michael Bogden.

Following the intermission, JCU scored on its first possession, but the Berg offense stepped up and began to control the clock. The third quarter saw Heidelberg have control of the ball for a total of 10:39. Prorok began to go to work in the final minutes of the third quarter and went on to produce a TD with Sims early into the fourth quarter to cut the JCU lead to 28-7. John Carroll went on to score on its next two possessions to push the final score to 42-7.

Prorok finished the day completing 15-of-26 passes for 167 yards and one touchdown while West went 8-for-19 for 92 yards. Sims and Joe Richardson (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio / Cuyahoga Falls) joined Hilliard as Prorok’s and West’s main targets with five catches a piece.

Fran Cavotta (Highland Heights, Ohio / North Olmsted), Brian Betlejewski (Maple Heights, Ohio / Trinity) and Chris Strawser (Circleville, Ohio / Circleville) led the Berg defense with five tackles apiece. Strawser also recorded a sack for a loss of 10 yards.