BEREA, Ohio – Senior quarterback Tyler Moeglin (Canton/ Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas) threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Baldwin Wallace University (3-2, 3-1 OAC) football team defeated Ohio Athletic Conference rival Marietta College (1-4, 1-3 OAC) by a 38-0 count on Tressel Field at The George Finnie Stadium on Homecoming before a crowd of 3,755. With its win, BW leads 33-5 in the all-time series that dates back to 1974 and has won nine straight games against the Pioneers.
The game was tied 0-0 after one quarter, BW led 14-0 at halftime and 21-0 after three periods. The Yellow Jackets had a 414-213 advantage in total yards, including a 254-103 advantage through the air.
For BW, Moeglin completed 15 of 22 passes for 222 yards with two TD's and no interceptions. He also ran for 15 yards and his seventh rushing TD of the season. Sophomore running back Adam Blake (Alliance/ Marlington), who was the Frank Roppolo Homecoming Player of the Game, led the running game with 55 rushing yards in nine attempts with a touchdown and caught a pass for 25 more yards. Juniors Bryon Cook (Tallmadge) and Tyler Wolf (Fremont/ Ross) were the top receivers. Cook caught two passes for 51 yards and two TD's. Wolf caught three Moeglin aerials for 36 yards. The Yellow Jacket defense was led by sophomore linebacker Sam Groff (Waynesburg/ Sandy Valley) with eight tackles.
MC QB Lucas Havens completed 11 of 27 passes for 103 yards. The running game was led by sophomore Nick O'Neal with 54 rushing yards in 11 attempts. Five separate Pioneers each caught a pair of passes. The Pioneer were led on defense by freshman outside linebacker Jeremy Pratt with a game-high 13 tackles.
After a scoreless first quarter, BW gained a 7-0 lead at 3:03 of the second stanza when Moeglin ran four yards to the endzone to complete a 9-play and 85-yard drive. Junior Academic All-OAC placekicker Joe Simonis (Hinckley/ Medina Highland) booted the PAT.
BW junior linebacker Brian Stepp (North Royalton) blocked a Pioneer punt on their next possession and the Yellow Jackets capilitalized and extended their lead to 14-0 with 27 seconds left before halftime when Blake ran two yards on a direct snap for the score. Simonis made his second PAT boot.
In the third quarter, BW moved ahead 21-0 at 13:21 when Moeglin tossed an 8-yard scoring pass to Cook and Simonis added the PAT to complete a quick, 3-play and 44-yard drive. A 39-yard second half kickoff return by Blake paved the way to the score.
In the fourth quarter, Simonis pushed the lead to 24-0 when he connected on a 32-yard field goal at 13:28. The score completed the longest drive of season of 17 plays and 73 yards in a whopping 9:39 time of possession.
The Jackets grabbed a 31-0 lead at 9:20 when Moeglin threw 43 yards to Cook for his fifth TD grab of the season and Simonis added his fourth PAT. The score completed a 5-play and 70-yard drive in 2:40.
BW scored its final TD when senior backup QB Robbie Plagens (Rocky River) ran two yards with 4:05 left in the game and Simonis made his fifth PAT boot for a 38-0 lead. The drive was 8 plays and 70 yards in 3:46.
The Yellow Jackets return to action next Saturday, October 17 when BW hosts Wilmington College in the 38th Annual Lee Tressel Shrine Classic at Finnie Stadium at 1:30 p.m.
