Pioneer football closes season with 45-17 loss to No. 1 Purple Raiders
Marietta's Vrable leaves his mark on OAC's single-season passing lists

Nov. 11, 2006
MARIETTA, Ohio — Top-ranked and undefeated Mount Union College visited Marietta College on Saturday (Nov. 11) afternoon for a Senior Day showdown at Don Drumm Stadium. The Pioneers (6-4, 5-4 OAC) put together a solid performance, but fell 45-17 to the power Purple Raider (10-0, 9-0 OAC) machine.

Before the game was over, however, Marietta accomplished a couple of feats. The Pioneers scored 10 points in the opening quarter, the first time Mount Union allowed a score in the frame. They also accumulated the most points by any team against the Purple Raiders this season.

Marietta's Jason Vrable (South Park, Pa.) closed out his career by moving into sixth place on the OAC's single-season passing attempts list (375) and ninth on its single-season passing yards list (2,845). Vrable, the single-season and career record holder in every Pioneer passing category, finished the year by completing 12-of-33 passes and throwing for 173 yards. He had one touchdown and a pair of interceptions. For the season, Vrable went 202-of-375 (.539) and threw for 2,845 yards with 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. In his career, he completed 495-of-902 passes for 6,102 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Senior wide receiver Jason Curry (Akron/Springfield) had one catch for 31 yards in the game and finished the season with a school-record 766 yards receiving and eight touchdowns on 46 catches. He concluded his career tied for the school record in touchdown receptions (19), while second in receiving yards (1,835) and third in receptions (122).

Senior Nic North (Madison, Wis./East) had two grabs for 32 yards in his final game with the Pioneers. North wrapped up his career tied for fifth in receptions (118) with current Pioneer assistant coach Brian Haines and fourth in receiving yards (1,363).

Sophomore Garrett Banks (Barberton) led the ground game with eight carries for 34 yards and the receivers with four catches for 54 yards. He also scored a touchdown both ways, running for a 15-yard scored in the first frame and pulling in a 21-yard TD in the fourth quarter.

Mount Union finished with 587 yards of total offense, including a school-record 503 yards rushing. Marietta had 235 total yards. Both teams turned the ball over twice and the Purple Raiders dominated the time of possession 38:14 to 21:46.

Justin Wray led the ground attack with 19 carries for 189 yards, while Nate Kmic added 24 carries for 175 yards. Both scored two touchdowns on the ground. Quarterback Greg Micheli, who added 49 yards rushing, completed 5-of-9 passes for 63 yards and one score, while Mike Jorris went 2-of-6 for 21 yards in the win. Pierre Garcon pulled in a team-high four catches for 56 yards and also scored on a 27-yard reverse.

Defensively, Marietta was led by junior linebacker Brian Hahn (Uppers Sandusky) with a game-high 11 stops. Senior Lonnie Meyers (Cumberland, Md./Fort Hill) and juniors Clay Ream (Burbank/Northwestern) and Grant Cowell (Perrysville/Loudonville) each added nine stops. Meyers also had a 35-yard interception return and Ream had two tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries.

Mount Union was paced by Joseph Millings with five tackles, while Tony Deriggi and Anthony Ursetti each had an interception.

The Purple Raiders took the opening kickoff and marched seven plays and 43 yards, all on runs by Kmic, to take a 7-0 lead. A Mount Union interception on Marietta's first drive set up its second score, a nine-yard pass from Micheli to Garcon.

Marietta bounced back on its next possession with an eight-play, 40-yard drive that ended with a 30-yard Pat Lane (Cutler/Warren Local) field goal. Meyers then picked off a Jorris pass on Mount's ensuing possession and Marietta capitalized with a 15-yard TD run by Banks to make the score 14-10 after the first frame.

Mount Union added 17 points in the second quarter on runs by Kmic (one yard) and Wray (14 yards) and a 18-yard field goal by Mike Zimmerman to take a 31-10 halftime lead.

The Raiders scored 14 more points in the third period with both touchdowns coming on 27-yard runs by Garcon and Wray, respectively.

Marietta closed the scoring with 3:49 to play in the game when Vrable found Banks open in the front corner of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown.

The Pioneers set five single-season team records in 2006 and finished in at three-way tie for fourth place in the OAC. Marietta set a new passing standard for attempts (380), completions (203), yards (2845), touchdowns (20) and first downs (119).

A reminder that Marietta will host its final First and Ten luncheon on Monday (Nov. 13) at 12 p.m. in the Trustee's Conference Room of Ban Johnson Arena. Admission is $7 and all are welcome.