Pioneers travel to Tiffin for OAC opener against Heidelberg
Marietta (1-0, 0-0 OAC) at Heidelberg (0-1, 0-0 OAC)
1:30 p.m. • Saturday, Sept. 17• Frost-Kalnow Stadium

Sept. 16, 2005
MARIETTA, Ohio - The Pioneers travel to Tiffin to take on Heidelberg Saturday (Sept. 17) for the first Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) game of the 2005 season.

Here is a look at both teams:

Heidelberg College: Head coach Brian Cochran’s squad is looking to rebound from a disappointing 61-14 loss at Adrian (MI) Sept. 3.

The Student Princes rank seventh overall in total offense in the OAC after week one. They are ranked fourth in passing, totaling 212 yards in their season opener, and eighth in rushing, finishing with 91 yards on the ground against Adrian. Heidelberg’s defense surrendered 582 yards in its loss, which ranked 10th among OAC schools.

The Student Princes used a trio of quarterbacks in week one. Bryan Prorok finished 9-of-16 for 98 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Steve West completed 4-of-12 attempts for 54 yards and threw one interception, while Shawn Martin went 2-of-6 for 60 yards in the loss. Chris Cola was the leading ground-gainer, finishing with five attempts for 42 yards and a score. Eric Hazlett pulled in a team-high five receptions for 82 yards. Kyle Prosser led the defense with 12 tackles, including 3.5 for a loss.

Marietta College: For the second straight season, if the Pioneers want to begin the season 2-0 they must pull out a victory at Heidelberg.

Marietta opened the 2005 campaign with a 25-7 win at home against Emory & Henry (VA) Saturday (Sept. 3).

After a scoreless first quarter, sophomore Clay Ream got the crowd and his teammates fired up midway through the second period when he tackled E & H’s running for a safety to give Marietta a 2-0 advantage. It was Marietta’s first safety since a game against Capital in 1997.

Following the free kick, the Pioneers put together a nine play, 48-yard drive, which was capped off with a four-yard touchdown run by senior Steven Wagner to give MC a 9-0 lead. Marietta threatened again following a Wasps’ touchdown, with 43-yard pass from sophomore Jason Vrable to Nic North as time expired, but North came up five yards short of a score and the Pioneers entered the half leading 9-7.

The Navy Blue & White carried their momentum into the third period, scoring on their first drive of the half on a 23-yard field goal off the foot of sophomore Nick Manson to give MC a 12-7 lead. Following another solid defensive stand, highlighted by sacks by both sophomore Brian Hahn and Ream deep in Emory & Henry territory, Wagner extended the lead to 18-7 with an 18-yard score on the first play of the drive. Junior Anthony Banks set up the final touchdown with a 19-yard interception return to the E & H 27 yard line. Six plays later, Vrable found sophomore Paul Cirino open in the middle of the end zone for a 16-yard score.

Overall, Marietta racked up 365 yards of total offense, with 163 yards on the ground and 202 yards through the air. The Pioneer defense held the Wasps, who averaged over 400 yards of offense in 2004, to 183 yards passing and negative six yards rushing in the win.

Vrable came off the bench in the second quarter to replace starter Jeremy Thornton and finished 11-of-16 for 197 yards and a TD. Thornton completed 2-of-2 passes for five yards.

Wagner, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2004, carried the ball 37 times for 146 yards and two scores. Cirino led all Marietta receivers with five grabs for 78 yards and a TD, while sophomore Chad McDaniel and Wagner each pulled in two receptions in the win.

Defensively, the Pioneers were led by Hahn, who finished with seven tackles, including two sacks. Banks added six stops for a defense that kept Emory & Henry from getting comfortable in the pocket all night.

GAME TIME: 1:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 17, Frost-Kalnow Stadium.

THE COACHES: Marietta’s Todd Glaser is in his third season with the Pioneers. Glaser earned his bachelor’s degree from Wisconsin Eau-Claire in 1993. Heidelberg’s Brian Cochran is also in his third year as the Student Princes’ head football coach. Cochran is a 1990 graduate of John Carroll University.

ALL-TIME SERIES: The Student Princes and the Pioneers meet for 43rd time on the Saturday. Heidelberg leads the all-time series, dating back to 1917, 25-17. Marietta snapped a three-game losing streak with a 31-8 victory a year ago.

NOTABLE: It is the third straight season Marietta will play in Tiffin. Last year’s game was moved from Marietta because of the flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan.

WEEK TWO OBSTACLES: The Pioneers look to start the 2005 season with two-straight wins, something last year, which was the first time since 1999.

GREAT COVERAGE: Saturday’s football game is being broadcast live by WMRT-FM 88.3, Marietta College’s campus radio station. Their broadcast can also be heard live online at www.mariettaonline.com.

NEXT GAME: The Pioneers return home Saturday (Sept. 24) to take on John Carroll on Football Alumni Day. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. at Don Drumm Stadium.