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Marietta College football shocks the Ohio Athletic Conference

Pioneers knock off No. 24 Heidelberg, 44-21

Photo courtesy of Nate Knobel Marietta College’s Roger Walker (1) carries the ball during a college football game against No. 24 Heidelberg Saturday at Don Drumm Stadium. Marietta won, 44-21.

Roger Walker gave all the credit to his line.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound running back rushed for 189 yards on 29 carries and four touchdowns to lead Marietta College to a 44-21 triumph over nationally-ranked Heidelberg University in a football homecoming game Saturday at Don Drumm Stadium.

“I was just trying to do what I can and what I do best,” said Walker, who was second in rushing yardage in the Ohio Athletic Conference going into the game. “But it’s not all me. It’s my offensive line, getting the holes for me and pushing down the piles and all that. I was just doing what I have to do to help the team.”

MC’s offensive line featured tight end Bobby Cashaw, right tackle Payton Henderson, right guard Michael Sturgill, center Brendan Mulholland, left guard Anthony Jalowiec, and left tackle Caleb Riggleman.

Marietta, now 4-3 overall and 3-3 in the OAC, snapped a nine-game losing streak in the all-time series against HU. The Student Princes, No. 24 in the D3Football.com Top 25 poll going into the contest, fell to 5-2 and 4-2.

“It’s awesome,” said Walker of the victory. “We prepped for this all week. We knew they (Student Princes) were going to be a tough team and coach asked us to do a couple of things and we answered him.”

Added MC outside linebacker Garrett Davis, “A lot of preparation went into that, a lot of film, a lot of board talk. So, we just took what we did during the week and executed how we should do today, and it worked out.”

Davis finished with a team-high eight tackles.

Pioneer quarterback Darrien Fields also had a fine day, completing 16-of-29 passes for 226 yards and two TD throws to Ryan VanMeter and Andrew Barker.

VanMeter was the top receiver with five receptions for 141 yards.

“Today was our day,” said fourth-year MC coach Andy Waddle. “Things seemed to work and clicked. The guys bought in and believed that we had an opportunity to do something special.

“We seem to play better on homecoming. I don’t know. We should have huge crowds every week.”

Heidelberg was quarterbacked by Tyler Stoyle, who completed 26-of-42 throws for 298 yards and one touchdown. He also caught a six-yard TD toss from Cameron Vocke.

Vocke rushed for 52 yards and also had 91 receiving yards. Demetrius Magee had a game-high eight receptions for the Berg.

Heidelberg received the opening kickoff and scored first on a trick play with Vocke passing six yards to Stoyle for a touchdown.

Marietta then scored 37 unanswered points to take command of the game. Walker got things going with a six-yard run to paydirt to knot the score.

Early in the second quarter, MC took the lead for good as it turned out when Fields hit VanMeter with a 69-yard scoring strike.

Before the period was over, Walker scored his second TD of the game on a one-yard run, and Jimmy Embrescia kicked a 28-yard field goal to give the Pioneers a 24-7 halftime lead.

With 5:29 left in the third quarter, Marietta stretched its advantage to 30-7 when Fields passed 22 yards to Barker in the end zone.

Early in the final period, Walker busted one for 44 yards and six points to make it 37-7. His fourth TD came on a one-yard run with four minutes remaining in the contest.

“I think he’s awesome,” said Waddle of Walker. “I don’t know what his stat line was, but I don’t care about that. The kid played with heart. He’s a force to be reckoned with.”

Heidelberg’s Vocke scored two fourth-quarter TDs, but it proved to be too little, too late.

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