Marietta College knocks off rival Muskingum College 30-10
Vrable sets Pioneers' career record for pass yards and touchdowns

Oct. 7, 2006
MARIETTA, Ohio — Senior quarterback Jason Vrable’s season-long tour of rewriting Marietta College’s football record book was once again a hit Saturday night (Oct. 7, 2006), but the Pioneers’ defense is what stole the show in a 30-10 victory over conference rival Muskingum at Don Drumm Stadium.

Vrable (South Park, Pa.), a southpaw who has started the past three seasons, broke Aaron Conte’s 10-year old mark for career passing yards by completing 15-of-25 passes for 269 yards and three scores. He was also picked off once.

Vrable has now thrown for 5,024 yards in three-plus years with Marietta. With five games remaining in 2006, Vrable should set a lofty standard as the first Pioneer to eclipse 5,000 yards in a career. He has completed 120-of-202 for 1,767 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Vrable also broke Shawn Taylor’s career record for touchdowns with 33. Taylor’s old mark was 31.

Vrable got the Pioneers (3-2 overall, 2-2 Ohio Athletic Conference) in the lead first with a 9-yard scoring pass to senior Jason Curry (Akron/Springfield). Curry and Vrable hooked up again in the second quarter as Marietta led 14-3 at halftime of the annual Marietta Shrine Game.

Curry finished with four receptions for 54 yards, while senior Nic North (Madison, Wis./East) hauled in four passes for 89 yards, including a 44-yarder. Junior Chad McDaniel (Wooster/Triway) had just two receptions, but the second was a clutch 55-yard scoring strike in the fourth quarter that sealed the win for Marietta.

Muskingum (1-4, 0-4) pulled within seven points with 10:08 to play when Andre Nash found Matt Lilly over the middle for a 5-yard TD strike. While the Muskies had the momentum after stopping the Marietta offense three-and-out on its next possession, the Pioneers answered the next time they had the ball on McDaniel’s score.

On Muskingum’s first play after Marietta’s score, junior linebacker Brian Hahn (Upper Sandusky) stepped in front of an Andre Nash pass and returned it 33 yards for another score.

Hahn paced the Pioneers’ strong defensive effort with 11 tackles and one sack. Junior linebacker Carter Shaver (Trotwood/Waynesville) added 10 stops for a Marietta defense that allowed just 196 yards of total offense.

Grant Cowell (Perrysville/Loudonville), Anthony Banks (Colonial Heights, Va./Thomas Dale) and J.J. Wheeler (Zanesville/Maysville) each had seven tackles as the Pioneers held Muskingum to 98 yards rushing.

Marietta’s sophomore kicker Pat Lane (Cutler/Warren) had a 26-yard field goal, and just missed a 43-yarder that struck the right upright.

Vrable was named the Shrine’s Most Outstanding Player for Marietta, while Steve Howard was named Muskingum’s MOP. Howard finished with 51 yards on 20 carries.

Marietta is back in action at Don Drumm on Saturday (Oct. 14) against John Carroll during the Pioneers’ Homecoming.

All of the action can be heard locally on WMRT-FM 88.3, WMOA-AM 1490 and online, through Stretch Internet, at pioneers.marietta.edu/onlinebroadcasts.