Marietta football routes Wilmington 48-7

Oct. 30, 2004
MARIETTA, Ohio - On the day before Halloween, the treats came early and often for the Marietta College football team as they rolled past Wilmington 48-7 this evening (Oct. 30).

The Pioneers (5-3, 5-3 OAC) scored a touchdown in each of their first four possessions and racked up 435 total yards in route to the lopsided victory.

Junior Steven Wagner (Harwick, PA/Fox Chapel) put the Pioneers on the board with a four-yard run with 11:18 to play in the first.

Senior Chris Sidick (Cecil, PA/Canon McMillan) scored the first of his three touchdowns with 2:44 to go in the frame with a 11-yard reception from sophomore Jason Vrable (South Park, PA). Sidick was the first Pioneer to score three touchdowns since Wagner in the 2003 season opener.

Freshman Joe Webb (Monessen, PA/Ringgold) scored his second touchdown of the year, a two-yard run, to give MC a 21-0 lead to end the first quarter. The scoring drive was setup by an Anthony Banks (Colonial Heights, VA) interception.

The Pioneers gave the Quakers a trick on its next possession, when Sidick threw a pass to sophomore Jason Curry (Akron/Springfield) for a touchdown, only to have it called back for holding. Sidick responded with a 75-yard touchdown run on the next play to put MC ahead by four scores.

Wilmington (3-5, 3-4 OAC) finally forced a punt on the fifth possession. Marietta forced a three-and-out and then Wagner scampered 68 yards on the first play to extend the lead to 34. The extra point was missed.

Marietta entered the half with a 34-0 lead and kept the momentum by scoring touchdowns on its first two drives of the third quarter.

Vrable connected with Curry on a 51-yard pass for the first score and then Sidick raced eight yards for the Pioneers' final touchdown of the night.

Wilmington finally found the end zone with 7:03 to play in the game, when Corey Smith (Leechburg, PA/Kiski Area) scored on an 11-yard run.

The Pioneers finished with 311 yards on the ground and 148 through the air. Wagner finished with 11 carries for 122 yards and Sidick had four rushes for 105 yards. They became the first duo to eclipse the century mark in the same game since 1989 when Marietta had three people reach that mark in the same game. Webb added 63 yards on 16 carries. seeing his first extensive duty since a week one injury.

Curry led the receivers with three grabs for 62 yards, while Mike Valiante (Wadsworth) also pulled in three catches for 22 yards in the win.

Vrable finished the night 12-of-15 for 145 yards and two touchdowns.

Sidick had one kick-off return for 37 yards and is now three returns and six yards shy of becoming the NCAA Division III's all-time leader in kickoff return and kickoff return yards, respectively.

Sophomores J. J. Wheeler (Zanesville/Philo) and Scottie Nelson (Hartwell/St. Vincent-St. Mary) led MC with five tackles each. Nelson also had an interception, as did Mike Ramthun (Springfield/Southeastern).

The Pioneers held Wilmington to 67 yards rushing and 131 yards passing in the win.

Marietta, which has clinched at least a .500 season, will look for its sixth win of the year and third-straight when they Baldwin-Wallace Saturday (Nov. 6) at 1:30 p.m.