MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College scored 20 fourth quarter points to come from behind and defeat Wilmington College Saturday (Oct. 4) evening at Don Drumm Stadium. The Pioneers improve to 2-2 on the season and 1-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Quakers drop to 0-4 overall and 0-3 in the OAC.
Freshman running back
Nick O'Neal (Mont Belvieu, Texas/Barbers Hill) was a one man wrecking crew rushing for 286 yards and five touchdowns. O'Neal, who carried the ball 42 times, scored the Pioneer's first two and last two touchdowns in the game.
Marietta scored on its first possession after forcing the Quakers to go three and out. The Pioneers started in Wilmington territory and marched 48 yards in six plays. O'Neal scored from five yards out to cap the drive and give MC a 7-0 lead.
Wilmington drove to the Marietta 13-yard line on the ensuing possession but came away empty handed after missing a 30-yard field goal. The Pioneers took over at their own 20-yard line and seven plays later O'Neal scampered 48 yards for his second touchdown of the game. The point after failed for a 13-0 Marietta lead.
Sophomore running back Chase Manica helped turn the momentum back in Wilmington's favor. The Quakers scored the next 21 points to take the lead, 21-13. Manica scored on runs of two yards and 35 yards, while quarterback Austin Jarbo ran for the third as WC took the lead into halftime.
Manica finished with 25 carries for 122 yards and three touchdowns.
Like a pair of heavyweight boxers going toe to toe, the teams traded scores until midway through the fourth quarter. Each scored three times with Wilmington leading 37-33 on a 28-yard field goal from Anthony Ruegg with 7:26 left in the game.
The Pioneers answered with a nine-play, 58-yard drive. O'Neal carried the ball on eight of the nine plays and accounted for 54 yards on the drive. He ran it in from four yards out to put Marietta in front for good.
Wilmington got a good return on the ensuing kickoff and put the ball in play at its own 38-yard line. However, four plays resulted in just two yards and Marietta took over on downs.
Five straight carries by O'Neal resulted in Marietta's final score of the game. O'Neal put the nail in Wilmington's coffin when he scored from three yards out on fourth down.
Pioneer quarterback
Lucas Havens (Granville Summit, Pa./Troy Area) completed 8-of-11 passes for 124 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Jarbo was 12-of-26 for 118 yards for the Quakers. He had one touchdown and was picked off twice. Jarbo rushed for 90 yards on 19 carries.
Defensive lineman
Joe Ortega (Fresno, Texas/Hightower) led the Pioneer defense with 11 tackles including 1.5 tackles for a loss. Linebackers
Daryl DeWindt (Lilburn, Ga./Meadowcreek) and
Cody Rice (Orrville/Orrville), along with defensive back
Tyrrell Kyle (Houston, Texas/Dekaney), each made 10 tackles. Rice and
Dalton Fix (Mansfield/Madison Comprehensive) each had an interception.
Wilmington linebacker Nick Williams, the leading tackler in the OAC, finished with 12 tackles. Fellow linebackers David Henry and David Branham each had 10 stops.
It will be Homecoming at Marietta College next week as the Pioneers host Baldwin Wallace University on Saturday (Oct. 11). Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
