MARIETTA, Ohio — Muskingum University drove the length of the field and scored the winning touchdown with 65 seconds left in the game to defeat Marietta College, 35-31, Saturday (Oct. 18) afternoon. The loss drops Marietta to 3-3 on the season and 2-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Muskingum moves to 3-3 overall and 3-1 in the OAC.
 
Following a Marietta punt, the Muskies put the ball in play at their own 1-yard line with just over three minutes left in the game and trailing the Pioneers, 31-28. On fourth and three from their own 38-yard line, Muskie quarterback Garrett Gurney hit Jeremy Smith for a 51-yard catch and run down to the Marietta 11-yard line. After a short rush, Gurney found Riley Woodie open in the right flat for a 9-yard game winning touchdown with 1:05 left on the clock.
 
Any hopes of a Pioneer comeback were thwarted when Lee Burkett intercepted the Pioneers' first pass of the ensuing drive. The Muskies went into victory formation and ran out the clock to regain the Shrine Trophy that Marietta had held for eight years.
 
Marietta led 31-21 entering the fourth quarter and appeared to score a touchdown on a 22-yatd pass from Joe Tenta (Palm Bay, Fla./Heritage) to Dalton Miller (Grove City, Ohio/Bishop Ready). However, Muskie defensive back Jacques Marcellus knock the ball loose as Miller extended it over the goal line. The play was ruled a fumble and a touchback for Muskingum.
 
Muskingum responded with a 17-play, 80-yard scoring drive to get within three points, 31-28. Gurney capped the drive with an 8-yard scamper for the touchdown.
 
Muskingum opened the scoring on the first drive of the game. The Muskies covered 78 yards on eight plays with John Christopher Gore scoring on a 4-yard pass from Gurney. Marietta answered with a 10-play scoring drive that resulted in a 3-yard Benny Lewis (Sanderson, Fla./Baker County) touchdown run.
 
The Muskies added touchdowns from Gurney on a 15-yard run and David Westrick on a 27-yard pass, while Marietta got a 36-yard field goal from Nathaniel Demuth (New Philadelphia, Ohio/New Philadelphia) and a 1-yard touchdown run from Vante' Hodges (Horn Lake, Miss./Horn Lake) as Muskingum led 21-17 at halftime.
 
The third quarter was all Marietta as Lewis added his second touchdown of the day on a 10-yard run. Tenta made it 31-21 with a 10-yard scoring strike to John Sierputowski (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor). But the fourth quarter belonged to Muskingum as the Muskies scored the final 14 points of the game.
 
Tenta completed 22-of-34 passes for a career=high 322 yards and one touchdown. Sierputowski had six catches for 95 yards and Kenyon Franklin (Gallipolis, Ohio/Gallia Academy) had six receptions for 95 yards as well. Hodges rushed for 59 yards on 20 carries.
 
Gurney completed 31-of-51 passes or 390 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 30 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. Woodie carried the ball 20 times for 79 yards and caught four passes for 32 yards and a touchdown.
 
Marietta travels to Baldwin Wallace University next Saturday (Oct. 25). Kickoff is set for 2:00 p.m.
 
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 X and Instagram.