BEREA, OHIO – The Baldwin Wallace University football team opened its 2014 season with a 32-20 win today (Saturday, September 13) versus nonleague foe Bluffton University  on Community & Family Day on Tressel Field at The George Finnie Stadium.

 

For their efforts, BW junior running back Isaac Reed III (Lehigh Acres, Fla/ Lehigh) and senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference and Academic All-OAC linebacker Dan O'Brien (Warren/ Howland) were named as the co-Dick Miller BW Most Outstanding Player of the Game. Reed accounted for 176 all-purpose yards as he ran for a game-high 137 yards in 25 attempts with a touchdown and caught four passes for 39 more. O'Brien had a team-high 12 tackles, including three for loss, and had a safety in the first quarter to open the scoring.

 

The Yellow Jackets led 12-0 after one period, 19-0 at halftime and 19-7 after three periods. The Yellow Jackets outgained the Beavers, 454-258, including a 237-36 advantage in rushing yards.

 

With its win, BW is 1-0 overall and has a 5-0 all-time series advantage versus the Beavers (0-2 overall).  The Yellow Jackets open their OAC schedule next Saturday, Sept. 20 when they host Ohio Northern University (1-0) at Finnie Stadium in the 37th Annual Lee Tressel Shrine Classic at 1:30 p.m.

 

Offensively for BW and in addition to Reed, junior quarterback Tyler Moeglin (Canton/ St. Thomas Aquinas) completed 18 of 24 passes for 237 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The top receiver was junior wide receiver Mike Waggoner (Stow/ Stow-Munroe Falls) who had a team-high five catches for 76 yards. In addition to O'Brien, senior defensive backs Devonte Greer (Columbus/ Mifflin) and Kevin Krakora (Avon) had seven and six tackles, respectively.  Krakora also had a pass breakup and an interception. On special teams, sophomore placekicker Joe Simonis (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) led the way as he booted three of three field goals in his first collegiate start.

 

The Bluffton offense was led by senior QB Nick Sheehan who completed 23 of 41 passes for 222 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Sophomore Micah Roberson was the top receiver with a game-high 10 catches for 67 yards and a TD. The Beaver defense was paced by senior safety Brad Swavel with a game-high 15 tackles.

 

The Yellow Jackets opened scoring at the 12:01 mark of the first quarter and gained a 2-0 lead when senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC outside linebacker Dan O'Brien (Warren/ Howland) tackled a Bluffton ball carrier in the endzone following a bad snap from center. BW increased its lead to 9-0 less than two minutes later at the 10:08 mark when Moeglin threw a 13-yard scoring pass to senior QB-turned wide receiver Michael Slack (Casselberry, Fla./ Pine Castle Christian) and Simonis added the PAT kick.

 

The lead grew to 12-0 at 0:50 when Simonis connected on his first collegiate field goal from 22 yards out.

 

In the second quarter, BW added to its lead and made it 19-0 at 5:44 when sophomore transfer QB Robbie Plagens (Rocky River) replaced Moeglin for one play, and scored on a three-yard run in his first collegiate play and carry, and Simonis made the PAT kick. Moeglin returned to hold on Simonis' PAT kick.

 

In the third stanza, Bluffton closed the deficit to 19-7 at 7:02 when Nick Sheehan threw a 27-yard scoring pass to Donovan Brown  and Jordan Watkins added the PAT kick.

 

BW increased its advantage to 26-7 at 14:07 when Reed ran four yards to paydirt and Simonis connected on the PAT kick. Bluffton countered and made the score 26-14 when sophomore RB Dante Carroll scored from one yard out at 11:40 and Watkins made the PAT. The final BW two scores came in the way of a 21-yard Simonis field goal with 5:44 remaining to make it 29-14, and another from 23 yards with 2:30 left to grow the lead to 32-14.

 

Bluffton scored the final points of the game at 1:12 when Sheehan connected with senior WR Jack Tomlinson caught a 10-yard TD pass to make the score 32-20. The Beavers' two-point conversion pass failed.