MARIETTA, Ohio — Otterbein University scored on its first possession of the game and never looked back as the Cardinals defeated Marietta College, 48-14, Saturday (Nov. 11) afternoon at Don Drumm Stadium. Both teams finish the season with 6-4 overall records and 5-4 marks in the Ohio Athletic Conference.
Marietta's six wins are the most since the Pioneers went 6-4 during the 2006 season.
Cardinal senior quarterback Logan Stepp threw for two scores and ran for a pair of touchdowns as Otterbein built a 34-0 halftime lead. Stepp became the first player in OAC history to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in the regular season. Entering today's game, he needed 103 yards rushing to accomplish the feat and ended the day with 135 yards on 13 carries.
Stepp had a fantastic day throwing the ball completing 17-of-24 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns. Coupled with his two rushing touchdowns, the senior accounted for five of Otterbein's six scores this afternoon.
Marietta finally got on the board with just over five minutes left in the third quarter.
Darrien Fields (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa) connected with
Roger Walker (Palm Bay, Fla./Bayside) on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The scoring strike was the 21st of the season for Fields setting a new Marietta College single season record. Jason Vrable, who now serves as an assistant coach for the New York Jets, set the previous mark of 20 in 2006.
Fields finished the day completing 14-of-23 passes for 90 yards and one touchdown. He threw a pair of interceptions. The junior also ran the ball 11 times for 53 yards.
Walker scored both of Marietta's touchdowns in the game. He closed out the scoring with a 5-yard touchdown run with 1:19 remaining on the clock. Walker finishes his career with 52 total touchdowns, which is good for second place on MC's all-time list behind Dante Brown's 54 touchdowns.
Although he didn't surpass Brown for the career touchdown record, Walker did achieve a pair of impressive milestones in the game. The Florida native entered his final game needing 127 rushing yards to eclipse the 4,000-yard plateau and 193 all-purpose yards to go over 5,000 in his career.
Walker easily achieved both milestones. He carried the ball 30 times for 214 yards rushing and caught 5 passes for 75 yards giving him 289 all-purpose yards on the day. It was Walker's third straight 200-yard rushing game and gave him 1,492 for the season.
Prior to the game, Marietta honored its eight seniors. In addition to Walker, the Pioneers say goodbye to wide receiver
Alex Smith (Mansfield, Ohio/Mansfield Madison), offensive linemen
Eric Canterbury (Lewisburg, W.Va./Greenbrier East) and
Anthony Jalowiec (Grafton, Ohio/Midview), defensive linemen
Dalton Secrest (Beallsville, Ohio/Beallsville) and
Nate Thompson (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster), linebacker
Nick O'Neal (Mont Belvieu, Texas/Barbers Hill) and defensive back
Hunter Gallagher (Beaver Falls, Pa./Riverside).
Fans can follow all the Pioneer teams all year long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
