Tiffin, Ohio – September 26, 2009 – The Heidelberg University football team faced an early 16-0 deficit to visiting John Carroll University tonight and could not overcome its as the Berg suffered a 30-27 setback in an Ohio Athletic Conference contest played at Frost-Kalnow Stadium in Tiffin, Ohio. The win improves the Blue Streaks to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in the OAC, while the Berg stands at 1-2, 0-2.
Despite the loss, Heidelberg wide receiver Mike Preston (Maple Heights, Ohio / Euclid) recorded his third-straight 100-yard receiving game, finishing with 126 yards on five receptions. Connecting with Preston was fellow classmate and quarterback Andrew Miller (Dalton, Ohio / Dalton). Miller completed 12-of-26 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. It was the third-straight outing that Miller has eclipsed 200 yards passing.
Aside from Preston, Miller completed passes to Clifton Powell (Detroit, Mich. / Bishop Foley), Mitch White (Wadsworth, Ohio / Wadsworth), Anthony Washington (Douglas, Wy. / Douglas) and Kenny Sims (Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights). Powell finished with two touchdowns, marking his first collegiate scores. White followed Preston with 63 yards.
Heidelberg’s ground game was led by Jemar Lewis (Bedford Heights, Ohio / Bedford). Lewis had 74 yards in 15 carries.
For the game, John Carroll held a slight advantage in total offense, 367-331. On the ground, JCU held a 126-97 advantage.
Defensively for the Berg, Wayne Glisson (Huntington Beach, Calif. / Fountain Valley) finished with a game-high 11 stops marking his second double-digit tackle game on the year. Of his 11 tackles, nine were solo stops. Matt Grieves (Huron, Ohio / Huron) had nine tackles followed by Justin Dawson (Westminster, Calif. / Golden West JC) with eight. Forcing JCU into two turnovers was Jared Ruffing (Bellevue, Ohio / Seneca East) and Travis Coates (Columbus, Ohio / Beechcroft) with an interception apiece.
John Carroll took an early 16-0 lead courtesy of two first quarter touchdowns and a safety to start the second quarter.
Following the safety, Heidelberg forced a JCU punt and went 74 yards in two plays to put some points on the scoreboard. Setting up an eventual Lewis 11-yard rushing TD was a 63-yard reception from Miller to White. Jesse Hawkins (Georgetown, Ky. / Scott County) converted the point after with 12:48 left before halftime.
After over 12 minutes of scoreless football, John Carroll scored from 12 yards out to extend its lead to 23-7 with 31 seconds left in the opening half. But Heidelberg did not go away. Miller found Preston across the middle of the field for a 47-yard reception to set up a Sims eight-yard rushing touchdown. A failed two-point conversion gave JCU a 23-13 lead at the intermission.
Heidelberg struck first in the second half when Powell scored his first collegiate TD, a five-yard reception, with 10:48 left in the third and pulled the Berg within three, 23-20. After trading possessions, JCU scored a one-yard touchdown to push its lead back to 10, 30-20.
In the fourth quarter, Heidelberg held the Blue Streaks scoreless, but could not overcome its 10 point deficit from the start of the quarter. With 3:47 left in the game, Miller led the Berg 72 yards in nine plays for another Powell touchdown, but that would be as close as the Berg could get.