Mitch Casey Photography

Football visits Heidelberg Saturday at 1 p.m.

11/4/2009 11:11:00 AM

MARIETTA, Ohio — The 2009 Marietta College football season continues in week 10 when the Pioneers make the trek to Tiffin, Ohio, for an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) match-up with host Heidelberg University. The 1 p.m. game will be played at Mayer Field, marking the first time in nearly 60 years that an OAC football came will be contested on Heidelberg's campus. [Game Notes (PDF)]

Here is a look at both teams:

Heidelberg University: Led by third-year Head Coach Mike Hallett, the Heidelberg University football team enters the game looking for its third straight win. Heidelberg ranks fifth in the OAC in scoring, averaging 25.0 points. The Student Princes rank sixth in total offense (350.6). They are fourth in passing (212.6) and seventh in rushing (138.0). Heidelberg is the fourth-least penalized team in the OAC, giving up an average of 53.8 penalty yards in 2009. The Student Princes have converted 20-of-28 red-zone chances (18 touchdowns) and 30-of-104 third down opportunities this season. Heidelberg is controlling the clock for 29:08 while on defense for 30:52. The Student Princes have collected 146 first downs, while their defense has also allowed 182.

Junior Andrew Miller has completed 110-of-221 passes and thrown for 1,701 yards with 17 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Senior Jemar Lewis is the teams' leading rusher, averaging 84.0 yards with 5 touchdowns on 118 carries in 2009. Junior Mike Preston is pacing the receivers with 38 catches for 659 yards and 5 touchdowns.

The Student Princes defense is allowing 35.4 points per game, which ranks 10th in the OAC. Heidelberg has surrendered 188.4 yards on the ground and 249.6 yards through the air, which rank eighth and ninth, respectively, in the OAC. The Student Princes, who have a +2 turnover margin, have compiled 12 sacks and 44 tackles for loss to go along with 7 interceptions this season. They have allowed their opponents to convert 39-of-42 red zone chances (33 touchdowns). Opponents have converted 46-of-101 third-down opportunities against Heidelberg.

Senior Wayne Glisson leads the squad and is ranked sixth in the OAC with 67 total tackles. Senior Matt Grieves is right behind him with 63 total stops. Junior Jessie Hawkins has hit 2-of-6 field goal attempts, while sophomore Tommy Cobus is averaging 36.6 yards on 36 punts. Heidelberg is averaging 17.8 yards on kickoff returns and 6.4 yards on punt returns in 2009.

Marietta College: Head Coach Jeff Filkovski's Marietta College football team is looking build off its upset of #7 Otterbein and avenge last year's heart-breaking loss to Heidelberg. Marietta is averaging 14.6 points and 300.5 yards this season, which rank 10th and ninth, respectively, in the OAC. Of those yards, 134.4 come on the ground and 166.1 are through the air. The Pioneers are ranked eighth in rushing offense and ninth in passing offense. Marietta has converted 45-of-100 third down and 17-of-22 red-zone chances (15 touchdowns). The Pioneers enter with a -15 turnover margin. Marietta leads its opponents in time of possession, holding onto the ball for an average of 30:37, while on defense for 29:23. The Pioneers are the second-least penalized team in the OAC, giving up an average of 51.0 yards.

Sophomore quarterback Andrew Keller (Cincinnati/Glen Este) is 103-of-170 passing, throwing for 1,165 yards. He has thrown 8 touchdowns and 5 interceptions in 7 games. Senior Lamar Hunter (South Euclid/Brush), the OAC's leading rusher, paces the ground attack with 172 rushes for 802 yards. Hunter has rushed for 5 touchdowns this season. Junior Cory Kriechbaum (Marietta/Marietta) has pulled in a team-best 30 receptions for 255 yards, while sophomore Chad Walker (Spring Hill, Fla./Central) has caught 28 passes for 444 yards and sophomore Jahmaal Jones (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale) has added 24 catches for 302 yards. The trio has combined for 5 touchdowns.

Marietta enters the week ranked fifth in scoring defense, giving up 25.6 points per week. The Pioneers rank third in total defense. They are allowing 326.1 yards per game. The Pioneers rank sixth against the run (167.4) and third against the pass (158.7). Marietta has recorded 17 sacks and 45 tackles for loss to go along with 4 interceptions this season. The Pioneers have allowed their opponents to convert 24-of-30 red zone chances (17 touchdowns). Opponents have converted 47-of-107 third-down and 6-of-15 fourth down opportunities against Marietta.

Senior George Davis (Warren/Newton Falls) leads the Pioneers with 50 stops, while sophomore Dan Starr (Senecaville/Buckeye Trail) is second with 48 hits. Marietta's punters are averaging 32.5 yards on 30 punts. The Pioneers averaging 15.8 yards on kickoff returns and 8.2 yards on punt returns in 2009.

MARIETTA NOTES

THE RECORDS: Saturday marks the 10th week of the 2009 season. Marietta College enters the game 3-5 overall and 2-5 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Heidelberg University is also 3-5, 2-5 in league play.

GAME TIME: 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 7, Mayer Field in Tiffin, Ohio. Saturday will be the first time in nearly 60 years that Heidelberg plays an OAC football game on campus.

THE COACHES: Marietta's Jeff Filkovski is in his second season as the leader of the Pioneers. He is the former signal caller for the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe. Filkovski, who earned his bachelor's degree from Allegheny College in 1991, led the Gators to a national championship in 1990. Heidelberg's Mike Hallett is in his third year as the Student Princes' head football coach. The 1994 graduate of Mount Union College has a 11-18 record at Heidelberg.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Saturday marks the 47th time that the two teams will meet on the gridiron. The series, which Heidelberg leads 26-20, began in 1917 with Marietta winning 3-0. Marietta has taken four of the last five meetings.

LAST MEETING: Heidelberg scored 3 touchdowns in the final 7 minutes to sneak past host Marietta 42-40 on Nov. 8, 2008. Andrew Keller (Cincinnati/Glen Este) completed 17-of-22 passes and threw for 214 yards while running 8 times for 50 yards. Lamar Hunter (South Euclid/Brush) had 13 carries for 71 yards, while Jahmaal Jones (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale) caught 5 passes for 67 yards. Cody Andrews (Carmichael, Pa./Carmichaels Area) led the defense with 8 stops.

LAST GAME FOR MARIETTA: Andrew Keller (Cincinnati/Glen Este) orchestrated a game-winning touchdown drive in the final minutes to help Marietta upset #7 Otterbein 25-22 at Don Drumm Stadium. Keller completed a career-high 25 passes in 43 attempts and threw for a career-best 287 yards and 1 TD. He also ran for another score. Lamar Hunter (South Euclid/Brush) added his fourth 100-yard game, finishing with 26 carries for 146 yards and 1 TD in the win. Chad Walker (Spring Hill, Fla./Central) caught a career-best 10 passes for 145 yards, including the game-winner, a 17-yard reception in the corner of the end zone with 59 seconds on the clock. Joe Williams (Akron/Archbishop Hoban) led the defense with 10 tackles and a blocked field goal, while George Grady and Adam Tate (Chesterhill/Federal Hocking) added 8 hits in the win.

LAST GAME FOR HEIDELBERG: The Student Princes won for the second time in as many weeks with a 17-14 victory at Wilmington College. Jemar Lewis and Kenny Sims both ran for over 100 yards. Lewis finished with 168, while Sims added 111.

OAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Congratulations to sophomore Andrew Keller (Cincinnati/Glen Este), who was named the OAC's Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts against Otterbein.

LIVE STATISTICS: Follow all of the action in Marietta by tracking live statistics at http://herald.heidelberg.edu/statcrew/fb/xlive.htm.

SMS SCORES: Marietta fans can receive scores and alerts directly on their cell phone by signing up at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/member/sms_signup.aspx.

PIONEER NEWSLETTER: Want all of the latest athletics news sent directly to your e-mail? If so, sign up at http://pioneers.marietta.edu/subscribe.aspx. Fans can choose which sports they would like to follow.

STAY UP TO DATE: Visit http://pioneers.marietta.edu to stay up to date with all of the Marietta College athletics news.

MEDIA GUIDES NOW ON SALE: Pioneer fans can now purchase 2009 fall sport media guides. They will be made available at all home contests and in the athletics office.

NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT: The OAC has 4 teams ranked in the d3football.com Top 25: Defending champion #1 Mount Union, #15 Otterbein, #13 Capital and #17 Ohio Northern.

NATIONAL REPRESENTATION: Marietta's roster currently features 84 total student-athletes—48 from Ohio, 9 from Pennsylvania, 8 from Florida, 7 from West Virginia, 2 from California, Maryland and Texas and 1 from Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts and South Carolina.

CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED: Marietta College will have two captains during the 2009 season: senior defensive back George Davis (Warren/Newton Falls) and senior offensive lineman Chris Carter (Amesbury, Mass./Amesbury).

GETTING OFF TO A QUICK START: Marietta will look to get off to a fast start out of the locker room after struggling in the first half in recent years. The Pioneers were out scored 87-26 in the first quarter and 108-20 in the second quarter of 2008. So far in 2009, Marietta has been out scored 64-20 in the first quarter and 63-23 in the second quarter.

GALAXY PIZZA PLAYER OF THE GAME: Congratulations to Andrew Keller (Cincinnati/Glen Este), who was named the Galaxy Pizza Player of the Game against Otterbein. This week's winner will be announced on Saturday.

CONTROLLING THE CLOCK: Marietta will look to dominate the time of possession in 2009. Last year, the Pioneers led in time of possession in 7 games. This year, Marietta has led in time of possession in 4 of 8 games, holding onto the ball for an average of 30:37 while on defense for 29:23.

TURNOVERS: Marietta needs to improve its turnover margin. In 2008, the Pioneers ranked 10th in the OAC and 233rd in NCAA Division III with a -21 turnover margin. This year's turnover margin currently stands at -15.

THIS WEEK IN THE OAC: There is a full slate of 1:30 p.m. games on the OAC schedule this week: Baldwin-Wallace plays host to Wilmington, Mount Union welcomes Otterbein, Muskingum visits John Carroll and Ohio Northern in at Capital.

84TH SEASON OF OAC PLAY: Saturday's game will continue Marietta's 84th season of football in the OAC. The Pioneers, who joined the league in 1926, are 171-312-11 (.357) all-time in Conference play.

NEXT GAME: On Nov. 14, Marietta will close out its season at #1 Mount Union College, and Heidelberg will play host to Muskingum. Both games will kick off at 1:30 p.m.

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS: Mark your calendar for Jan. 26, 2010, as the world famous Harlem Globetrotters will be playing at Ban Johnson Arena beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the Marietta College Cashier's Window as well as at Peoples News (Marietta, Belpre, Parkersburg) and at www.ticketweb.com.

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