ADA, Ohio –The Baldwin Wallace University football team ended its 2017 season as it was defeated by Ohio Northern University in an Ohio Athletic Conference game by a final score of 42-25 inside Dial-Roberson Stadium.
Ohio Northern (7-3, 6-3), who won five of its last six games, improved to 13-29-1 in the all-time series and snapped a two-game losing streak. The Polar Bears finished tied for second in the OAC standings. BW (6-4, 5-4 OAC) closed out the season by winning five of its final seven games. The Yellow Jackets finished tied for fifth in the OAC standings.
The BW offense was led by junior quarterback Jake Hudson (East Lake, Fla.) as completed 13 of 19 passes for 125 yards and led the rushing attack with 101-yards on 13 carries with a long of 40 yards. Senior All-OAC running back Austin Smith (Broadview Heights/North Royalton) had 55 yards on 13 carries. Junior wide receiver Rob Wolfington (Rapids City, Mich./Elk Rapids) led the receiving corps as he made five grabs for 97 yards with a long of 60-yards. Defensively, freshman linebacker Brenton Miller (Carrollton) made a career-high and game-high tying 12 tackles. Senior linebacker Sean Nischwitz (Clinton/Green) tallied 10 tackles.
The Ohio Northern offensive attack was led by sophomore quarterback Anthony McFadden as he completed nine of 17 passes for 150 yards with one touchdown. Sophomore All-OAC running back Christiaan Williams led the rushing game with 179 yards on 30 carries with four touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Chad Rex led the air assault as he caught six passes for 94 yards with one touchdown. Defensively, senior All-OAC linebacker Zach Schmerge made a game-high tying 12 tackles.
The Polar Bears opened the scoring at 7-0 when Williams scored on a one-yard rush at the 9:59 mark of the first quarter. McFadden sparked the drive with a 60-yard rush. Junior kicker Chase Watson added the extra point. The Yellow Jackets cut into the lead at 7-3 when sophomore kicker Jimmy Marshall (Lakewood) converted his first career field goal when he put a 20-yard attempt through the uprights at 3:07.
Ohio Northern opened the second quarter scoring at 14-3 when Williams took a 36-yard rush to pay dirt at the 9:57 mark. Watson tacked on the extra point. BW cut the lead down to 14-10 when junior wide receiver Ty Gallo (Brooklyn Heights/Cuyahoga Heights) took the handoff and then threw a 71-yard strike to Hudson down the far sideline for the score at 8:00. Marshall added his first career extra point.
The Polar Bears scored the only points of the third quarter to extend its lead to 21-10 when McFadden scored on a seven-yard rush with 37 seconds remaining. Watson added the extra point.
The Yellow Jackets opened the final quarter of scoring and cut the lead down to 21-17 when junior quarterback Matt Lowry (Rocky River) scored on a designed five-yard run play at the 14:32 mark. Marshall tacked on the extra point. Ohio Northern answered back to push the lead back to 28-17 when Williams scored his third touchdown of the game on an eight-yard run at 10:17. Watson tacked on the point after. The Polar Bears added to its lead at 35-17 when Rex caught a 54-yard pass from McFadden at the 9:15 mark. Watson added the extra point. BW responded and cut the lead the down to 35-25 when Lowry scored his second touchdown of the game on a three-yard run at 7:18. Smith rushed in the two-point conversion. Ohio Northern sealed the game when Williams scored his fourth touchdown to extend the lead to 42-25 at the 2:31 mark. Watson added the point after.
The Yellow Jackets open the 2018 season on Thursday, August 31 when they will host Alma (Mich.) College in their only non-conference game of the year on the Tressel Field inside Finnie Stadium at 6 p.m. BW will open up 2018 OAC action with back-to-back home games against Otterbein University and the University of Mount Union on September 8 and 15.
