Cards Make Top-25 Preseason Polls
Written June 04, 2009

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – The Otterbein football team heads into the 2009 season ranked in the Top-25 by both Lindy’s and The Sporting News in a pair of preseason polls.

The Cardinals ranked 11th by Lindy’s and 25th by The Sporting News. Defending NCAA D-III champion and Ohio Athletic Conference opponent Mount Union checked in at No. 1 at Lindy’s and ranked second in The Sporting News.

“Being ranked nationally preseason is usually a reflection of your past season,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth. “Hopefully it reinforces our current expectations of our players and coaches as we head towards next season and provides motivation this summer.”

The recognition marks the first time in recent history that the team has been nationally ranked to begin a season.

The Cardinals, 9-2 overall and 8-1 in the OAC, made history last season, setting school single-season records for best start (8-0), most wins (9), and most points (427). Otterbein advanced into the NCAA Division III Football Championship for the first time in school history.

Six Players Named to OhioCollegeFootball.com Teams
Written March 03, 2009 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Six Otterbein players were named to OhioCollegeFootball.com NCAA Division III teams while head coach Joe Loth was selected Coach of the Year, the web site released Sunday.

The Cardinals landed one player on the first team and five on the second team.

Left tackle Andy Fries was named to the first team offense.

Running back Colton Coy, wide receiver Ryan Rowley and place-kicker B.J. Wanninger earned second team honors on offense. Middle linebacker Eric Burnsides and cornerback Chadric Woodfork were named to the second team defense. 

The complete teams can be accessed at http://www.ohiocollegefootball.com. Subscription to the site is free.

Coaches Name Rafferty MVP at Award's Banquet--69 Earn Letters
Written Jan. 27, 2009 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty was named the team’s Most Valuable Player at the annual football award’s banquet, which was held Sunday in Otterbein’s Rike Center.

Sixty-nine players received letters at the banquet.

Rafferty, a graduate student from Columbus (Dublin Coffman High School), ranked 10th in NCAA Division-III with a passing efficiency rating of 160.6. A second team All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) pick, Rafferty threw for 22 touchdowns in 2008, second best in the OAC. The quarterback was one of ten finalists for the 2008 Gagliardi Award, presented to the best player in NCAA Division III.

In addition to Rafferty, other players receiving special honors were: left tackle Andy Fries, Most Valuable Offensive Lineman; wide receiver Ryan Rowley, Most Valuable Offensive Skill; defensive end Mike King and middle linebacker Eric Burnsides, Co-Most Valuable Defensive Front Six; cornerback Chad Woodfork, Most Valuable Defensive Secondary; place-kicker and punter B.J. Wanninger, Most Valuable Special Teams; and fullback Brady Collins, Harry Ewing Award.

Fries, a senior from Norwalk, earned third team D3football.com All-America honors and was recipient of the 2008 Ken Wable Award, given to the most outstanding offensive lineman in the OAC.

Rowley, a junior from Grove City, earned first team All-OAC honors this season. He ranked third in receiving yardage (72.9 yards/game) and seventh in receptions (5.1/game) in the OAC.

King, a senior from Dresden (Tri-Valley), led the OAC with five fumble recoveries and led Otterbein with 8.5 tackles for a loss. He was also a first team All-OAC and a third team D3football.com All-North selection in 2008.

Burnsides, a senior from Columbus (Worthington Kilbourne), earned first team All-OAC honors and led the Cardinals in tackles, with 72, and finished second in tackles for a loss, with 8.0.

Woodfork, a junior from Columbus (South), made one interception in each of the first three games of the season. A first team All-OAC selection, the cornerback led Otterbein with four interceptions and six passes broken-up.

Wanninger, a senior from Cincinnati (LaSalle), led the OAC in points by a place-kicker, with 77. The first team All-OAC and third team D3football.com All-North pick set an Otterbein single-season record with 50 kicked extra points. Otterbein led the OAC in net punting (37.2 yards/punt).

Collins, a senior from Galena (Olentangy), garnered the Harry Ewing Award for his leadership and dedication to Otterbein football, both on and off the field of play.

Fries Earns D3football.com All-America Honors
Written Dec. 22, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Andy Fries, a senior offensive tackle from Norwalk (Norwalk High School), was named third team All-America by D3football.com, the web site release Saturday.

The senior captain received the Ken Wable Award this season, presented to the most outstanding offensive lineman in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Fries graded out at 82 percent and allowed just one pass sack in 2008. He was also named first team All-OAC.

The Cardinal offensive unit ranked second in the OAC in rushing (187.7 yards/game) and scoring (38.8 points/game); and third in total offense (378.4 yards/game) this season. Otterbein ranked 14th in scoring, 49th in rushing, and 63rd in total offense among all teams in NCAA Division III.

The Cardinals, 9-2 overall and 8-1 in the OAC, made history this season, setting school single-season records for best start (8-0), most wins (9), and most points (427); and advanced into the NCAA Division III Football Championship for the first time in school history. Otterbein’s lone regular-season loss came at the hands of national champion Mount Union.

Three Named to D3football.com All-North Region Team
Written Dec. 10, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—D3football.com named three members of the Otterbein football team to its All-North Region team, released today by D3football.com.

Andy Fries, a senior offensive tackle from Norwalk (Norwalk High School), earned second team honors. The senior captain received the Ken Wable Award this season, presented to the most outstanding offensive lineman in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). Fries was also named first team All-OAC. He graded out at 82 percent and allowed just one pass sack in 2008.

B.J. Wanninger, a senior place-kicker/punter from Cincinnati (LaSalle), and Mike King, a senior defensive end from Dresden (Tri-Valley), earned third team honors.

Wanninger, a first team All-OAC pick this season, leads the OAC place-kickers in scoring with 77 points. He made nine of 12 field-goal attempts, including a 23-yarder in overtime at John Carroll in the final game of the season, sending Otterbein to its first appearance in the NCAA Division III Football Championship. Wanninger averaged 40.3 yards a punt as Otterbein concluded the season ranked third in net punting in NCAA D-III.

King, who also earned first team All-OAC honors this season, leads the OAC with five fumble recoveries. The captain made 48 tackles, including 21 unassisted. King led his team with 8.5 tackles for a loss of 38 yards. He was credited with four pass sacks.

Rafferty Named One of Ten Finalists For Gagliardi Trophy
Written Nov. 26, 2008 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty has been named one of ten finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, recognizing the nation’s top well rounded Division III football player. The award has been in existence since 1993 and recognizes the top individual achiever in athletics, academics and community service.

Rafferty, who was selected to the 2008 All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) second team, ranked 12th in the country with a passing efficiency rating of 160.6. This season, he threw for 1,990 yards and 22 touchdowns, which ranked him second best in the league. The Columbus native also finished the season holding a .580 completion percentage and only tossed five interceptions.

This past weekend, Rafferty threw for 336 yards and five touchdowns--both career highs--on 20-of-42 passing in a loss to Franklin in the first round of the NCAA D-III playoffs.

An offensive player will most definitely receive the honor next month in Salem, Virginia, as nine quarterbacks and one running back make up the finalists.

In addition to Rafferty, this year’s finalists include: Augsburg quarterback Jordan Berg, Hartwick quarterback Jason Boltus, Hardin-Simmons quarterback Justin Feaster, Millsaps quarterback Juan Joseph, Mount Union quarterback Greg Micheli, Franklin quarterback Chad Rupp, North Central running back Dominic Sulo, Washington and Jefferson quarterback Bobby Swallow and Case Western Reserve quarterback Dan Whalen.

For the second year in a row, Division III football fans are able to cast a ballot for the Gagliardi Trophy. The combined votes of fans through this voting page will count as one vote towards the final result.

Four players will be named regional winners on December 11, with the trophy being presented to the winner on December 18.

Otterbein Bows Out of NCAA Playoffs
Written Nov. 22, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein’s historic season came to an end Saturday at the hands of visiting Franklin, who erupted for 48 points in the second half on its way to a 62-45 win in the first round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship.

The 18th-ranked Grizzlies, who improved to 10-1, advance to the second round of the NCAA playoffs and will play at North Central, a 44-23 winner today over Thomas More, next Saturday. Otterbein, ranked 10th by D3football.com, finishes the season at 9-2.

It was a tale of two halves. Both teams scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter and the score stood at 14-14 at intermission.

In the second half, the offenses began to click. The two teams combined for 44 points while the lead changed hands five times in the third quarter.

Otterbein took its final lead of the game, 31-28, on a 22-yard scoring strike from junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty to junior wide receiver Ray Welch with 2:50 to play in the third quarter.

Franklin, scoring on four of its next five possessions, regained the lead for good with a 23-yard pass from senor quarterback Chad Rupp to senior wingback Logan Deffner, making it 34-31 with 1:33 remaining in the third period. The Rupp to Logan combination was a familiar one on the day as the pair accounted for five Franklin touchdowns in the game.

It was still a three-point game early in the fourth quarter. Otterbein sophomore running back Colton Coy caught a 6-yard pass from Rafferty to narrow Franklin’s lead to 41-38 with 12:49 to go in the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies, however, scored the next 21 points to put the game out of reach.

Rupp finished the day with 527 yards and seven touchdowns on 41-of-62 passing. He also rushed for 49 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown run. Deffner and senior wide receiver Kevin Lynch, each made 10 receptions in the game. Deffner tallied 164 yards along with the five TD’s.

Otterbein’s Rafferty completed 20 of 42 pass attempts for 336 yards and five touchdowns—both season highs. The quarterback scored on a 10-yard run, finishing with 13 yards on nine carries.

Coy and junior wide receiver Tanner McCormick each caught a pair of touchdowns. Coy caught three balls for 20 yards, including TD’s of three and six yards. McCormick tallied five receptions for 96 yards, including touchdowns of 41 and 14 yards.

Junior running back Eric Yates ran for 49 yards on 14 carries for the Cardinals, who rushed for a season-low 71 yards.

Senior Class Helps Program Make History
Written Nov. 17, 2008 b Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – The Otterbein football team will do something this weekend that it has never done before—take the field in postseason play. After finishing with a 9-1 record this season, the 10th-ranked Cardinals will host Franklin (IN) in the opening round of the NCAA Division III football championship. 

Head Coach Joe Loth will also be coaching in his first career playoff game, and is very familiar with the road the program has had to travel in order to arrive at this point.

“We’ve gone from a last-place program to making the playoffs in six years,” said Loth. “It hasn’t been easy, but the journey has been exciting. We have recruited very good players and worked hard to develop them. We’ve been able to retain the majority of good players and it has led to a winning formula.”

One of those players is senior offensive lineman Andy Fries, who has been a crucial member of an offensive unit that recently set the school record for most points in a season.

“Offenses have times where people complain about getting the ball, but nobody on our team is really too greedy,” explained Fries. “The guys understand that the offense has certain spots where it’s going to hit or miss. Everybody knows their role and it works really well because of that.”

However, many football fans love to say that defense wins championships. This season the Cardinal defense has accepted the challenge of competing week in and week out in an extremely tough Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC).

"We have linchpins at every position,” said senior linebacker Eric Burnsides. “Guys have stepped up and made plays when they’ve needed to at every layer of our defense. If you look at our tackling statistics this season, they are much more spread out than they have been in the past.”

The success on both sides of the ball has created excitement within the locker room for both the players and coaches.

"I think our guys are as excited as any team that has made the playoffs,” Loth said. “The opportunity and the reward of having a successful season allows us to keep on playing.”

The excitement has not only been built in the locker room, but around campus as well.

“Professors have encouraged us to keep it going and tell us how proud they are,” Fries said. “It really makes a difference because in past years they may have just been trying to be nice with encouragement. This season we know they really mean it.”

While many around campus are proud of the entire program, a special appreciation should be held for the senior class. Since coming to Westerville as freshman, the class has posted a 25-15 record, which is the best since the 1977 freshman class. They have also finished in the top half of the OAC three out of their four years, something that has only been done one other time, 23 years ago.

“The program has come a long way since we arrived,” said Fries. “We went 7-3 our freshman year and had high hopes for the next season, but then went 4-6. This has all been a reflection of what our senior class is about. We had two rough seasons as sophomores and juniors, but we’ve gotten back to where we’ve wanted to be.”

It was the possibility of rewarding experiences that drove Burnsides to become a Cardinal.

“I was hoping that by the time I was a senior we would make it to the playoffs,” said the Columbus native. “One reason I wanted to come to Otterbein is because I felt it’s a lot harder to build a program than to hop on a train that’s already moving with a full head of steam. Everything has fallen into place for us.”

Come Saturday, many on the team know they will be creating a special memory for Cardinal fans and members of the Westerville community who have watched the program blossom.

“There were good teams at Otterbein back when the playoffs were not around, but it’s still incredible,” Fries explained. “Fifty years down the road when we come back and watch, we’ll be able to say we were that first class that made a difference in the school's football program.”
 

Wanninger and King Earn OAC Player of the Week Honors
Written Nov. 17, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—B.J. Wanninger, a senior place-kicker/punter from Cincinnati (LaSalle High School), and Mike King, a senior defensive end from Dresden (Tri-Valley), earned Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) player of the week honors in football, the OAC released today.

The pair came up with big plays in overtime to lift 10th-ranked Otterbein to a 20-17 win over John Carroll Saturday in University Heights. Wanninger kicked a 23-yard field goal to open the first overtime period, and King recovered a John Carroll fumble to seal the win for Otterbein.

Wanninger, who was named the special team’s player of the week, hit both of his field goal attempts, and both of his extra-point attempts against the Blue Streaks. Wanninger nailed a 25-yard field goal in the third quarter to give the Cardinals a 17-7 lead.

King, who was named defensive player of the week, finished the game with eight tackles, including two for a loss of 11 yards.

Cards to Host Franklin in NCAA Opening Round
Written Nov. 16, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The 2008 Otterbein College football team continues to make school history, becoming the first team from the college to advance into the NCAA Division III Football Championship.

The Cardinals, one of six teams to receive an at-large bid, will host Franklin (IN) Saturday, beginning at noon in Memorial Stadium.

Otterbein, under sixth-year head coach Joe Loth, wrapped up the regular season with a 20-17 single-overtime win Saturday at John Carroll. The Cardinals finished at 9-1 overall, and in second place at 8-1, one game behind Mount Union, in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC).

Franklin, under sixth-year head coach Mike Leonard, closed out the regular season with a 34-0 win over Hanover (IN) Saturday at home. The Grizzlies, 9-1 overall, earned an automatic bid into the playoffs by winning the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championship with a perfect 7-0 record.

The two teams share one common opponent. Franklin opened the 2008 season with a 42-35 home win over Baldwin-Wallace.

Cards Hold off John Carroll 20-17 for School Record 9th Win
Written Nov. 15, 2008 by Ed Syguda

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, OHIO—Otterbein’s record-setting ninth win of the season went down to the wire as the Cardinals turned back John Carroll, 20-17, in single overtime Saturday afternoon in University Heights.

Mike King returns the fumble in overtime.

Senior place-kicker B.J. Wanninger kicked a 23-yard field goal in the first overtime period and the Cardinal defense held. On John Carroll’s ensuing possession, Eric Burnsides stripped junior quarterback Jeff Javorek of the ball and senior defensive end Mike King recovered the loose football to seal the deal and a potential at-large bid to the NCAA Division III Football Championship.

The 32-team field for the NCAA championship will be announced Sunday between 3 and 3:30 p.m., Eastern Time, by ESPNews, which can be found on some cable systems, DirectTV at channel 207, and Dish Network at channel 142.

With the win, Otterbein improved to 9-1 overall and concluded the regular season in second place in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) at 8-1. Nine wins is an Otterbein single-season record. John Carroll dropped to 5-5 overall, finishing in a three-way tie for fifth place in the OAC at 4-5.

“We knew we were going to have to earn this win against John Carroll,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is in his sixth season at his alma mater. “I was extremely proud of our guys, on both sides of the ball. We battled to the end and we pulled off a crucial victory.”

The 14th-ranked Cardinals took a 17-7 lead into the fourth quarter on a pair of scoring strikes of seven and two yards from junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty to senior wide receiver Dan Gendron, both coming in the second quarter. Wanninger added a 25-yard field goal with 2:02 to play in the third quarter.

Ryan Rowley comes down with a reception.

John Carroll scored 10 points in the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime. Senior place-kicker Josiah Kedzior hit a 23-yard field goal and Javorek scored on a 4-yard run with 3:43 to play in the game.

Otterbein finished the day with 313 yards of total offense. Rafferty, despite the rain and sleet, completed 17 of 30 pass attempts for 199 yards and two touchdowns in the win. He also rushed for 35 yards on 15 carries.

Sophomore running back Colton Coy rushed for 68 yards on 18 carries as John Carroll held the Cardinals to 114 rushing yards. Otterbein entered the game averaging almost 209 yards an outing.

Junior wide receiver Ryan Rowley made five receptions for 74 yards, including a long of 35 yards. Gendron finished with 44 yards and two touchdowns on four receptions.

Cards Travel to John Carroll for Final Regular-Season Game
Written Nov. 14, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, seeking to gain a spot in the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs, closes out regular-season play at John Carroll Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

The 14th-ranked Cardinals, in the midst of a record-setting season, sit second in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) at 7-1, holding a full three-game lead over a pack of five schools, including John Carroll, that share third place at 4-4. Otterbein, 8-1 overall, needs just one more win to set a school record for most wins in a season.

Although Otterbein has a lot riding on this game, Otterbein head coach Joe Loth has cautioned his players to keep things in perspective.

“We have to treat this like any other game,” said Loth, who is in his sixth season at his alma mater. “We have to go out there and do the things we have been doing all year long to win games.”

Otterbein comes into the game off a 49-20 loss to top-ranked Mount Union last Saturday in Westerville. Sophomore running back Colton Coy led the Cardinals with 75 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries, and also threw a 4-yard touchdown pass. Senior middle linebacker Eric Burnsides made eight solo tackles along with four assists.

John Carroll, meanwhile, lost its third-straight game, 15-14, at Muskingum last Saturday. The Blue Streaks, under 10th-year head coach Regis Scafe, led the Fighting Muskies, 14-0, with 14:50 to play in the second quarter.

After opening OAC play with a 21-17 loss at league-rival Baldwin-Wallace, The Blue Streaks rattled off wins over Heidelberg, 17-15, Wilmington, 31-17, Marietta, 31-6, and Capital, 13-3, before setbacks against Ohio Northern, 21-14, and Mount Union, 41-7.

“John Carroll might have the second-best defense we’ve faced so far this season,” Loth said. “We have to be ready for their hurry-up, no huddle offense they used last week against Muskingum.”

Otterbein heads into the game sitting first or second in 10 major team categories in the OAC. The Cardinals lead the OAC in net punting (37.0 yards/return), punt returns (10.4 yards/return), kickoff returns (23.9 yards/return), turnover margin (plus 1.7/game), and sacks allowed (1.0/game).

The Cards rank second in rushing offense (208.9 yards/game), scoring offense (40.2 points/game), passing efficiency (165.6), scoring defense (15.0 points/game), and pass efficiency defense (109.7).

Nationally, in NCAA Division III, the Cardinals rank among the top 15 in scoring offense (13th), net punting (4th), kickoff returns (15th), turnover margin (6th), passing efficiency (9th), and sacks (10th). Junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty sits eighth, nationally, with a pass efficiency rating of 169. Gendron ranks 21st in kickoff returns, averaging 27.4 yards.

Last season in Westerville, John Carroll tripped up Otterbein, 35-33, in a game that wasn’t decided until after three overtime periods.
 

Cards Fall to Top-Ranked Mount Union
Written Nov. 8, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Top-ranked Mount Union took over first place in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) with a 49-20 win over 12th-ranked Otterbein Saturday afternoon in Memorial Stadium.

Mount Union QB Greg Micheli just gets the pass off, avoiding a sack from blitzing linebacker Corey Spellman.

The Cardinals, 8-1 overall and 7-1 in the OAC, slipped into second place with a full three-game lead over a pack of five schools locked in a tie for third place, each 4-4 in league play. Otterbein is scheduled to close out regular-season play next Saturday at John Carroll (5-4, 4-4), who lost today, 15-14, at Muskingum.

Otterbein’s bid for an upset win turned sour at the start as the Cardinals fumbled on the opening kickoff. Mount Union covered 31 yards on two plays, culminating with a 22-yard scoring strike from senior quarterback Greg Micheli to junior wide receiver Cecil Shorts and the Purple Raiders led, 7-0, 48 seconds into the game.

The Cardinals countered quickly, mounting a nine play, 70-yard drive, capped off by a 1-yard run by sophomore running back Colton Coy to tie the score at 7-7 with 8:31 to play in the first quarter.

The Purple Raiders scored on their next four possessions, however, and led, 35-13 at the half.

Senior running back Nate Kmic opened and closed Mount Union’s four scoring possessions with runs of 56 and one yards. The other two scores came from Micheli, a 10-yard run, and Shorts, a 16-yard reception. Otterbein’s Coy broke up the Mount Union scoring with a 1-yard rushing touchdown with 11:33 to play in the second quarter.

Kmic and Shorts each scored again in the second half, extending Mount Union’s lead to 49-13 with 14:07 to play in the fourth quarter. Junior wide receiver Tanner McCormick caught a 4-yard pass from Coy for Otterbein’s final score with 5:12 remaining in the game.

Mount Union, who leads NCAA Division III in total offense and total defense, finished with 514 yards of offense. Otterbein ended the day with 190 yards of total offense, with 117 yards coming on the ground.

Coy led the Cardinals with 75 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. He also threw a 4-yard touchdown pass. Junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty threw for 69 yards on 4-of-12 passing, and ran for 29 yards on six carries.

Kmic and Shorts tallied three touchdowns apiece for the Purple Raiders. Kmic finished with 166 rushing yards on 25 carries while Shorts caught nine balls for 170 yards. Micheli completed 20 of 27 pass attempts for 297 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior middle linebacker Eric Burnsides made eight solo tackles along with four assists to lead the Otterbein defense.

Pair Selected to ESPN The Magazine Academic Team
Written Nov. 6, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—B.J. Wanninger, a senior from Cincinnati, Ohio (LaSalle High School), and Nicholas Stelzer, a sophomore from Delaware, Ohio (Hayes High School), were named to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV teams in football as selected by the College Sports Information Director’s of America (CoSIDA), released today by CoSIDA.

Wanninger was named to the first team and is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration. Stelzer earned second team honors.

Wanninger, a three-year starter, handles the place-kicking and punting duties for the 12th-ranked Cardinals. He leads the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) in scoring by a place-kicker, averaging 7.2 points a game. He has made six of nine field-goal attempts, and 40 of 43 extra-point attempts.

The place-kicker is majoring in life science and has made the Otterbein Dean’s List five times.

Stelzer, a back-up tackle on the defensive line, also serves as Otterbein’s long and short snapper. He has made eight tackles this season.

The defensive lineman is majoring in accounting and has made the Otterbein Dean’s List two times.

Academic All-District IV team members are selected through voting by CoSIDA, a 2,000-member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. District IV encompasses the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Cards, Purple Raiders to Battle for 1st Place in the OAC
Written Nov. 4, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, off to its best start in school history, hosts the Purple Raiders of Mount Union College, 1:30 p.m., Saturday in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) game. The winner takes sole possession of first place in the OAC.

The 12th-ranked Cardinals, a perfect 8-0 overall, share first place with top-ranked Mount Union (8-0), each 7-0 in the OAC. Otterbein will be seeking to end a 30-year drought—its last win over Mount Union coming in 1977.

Otterbein matched the school record for most wins in a season and set a school record for best start to a season with a 55-0 shutout over Marietta last Saturday at home. Running backs Eric Yates, a junior, and Colton Coy, a sophomore, combined for 233 yards and four touchdowns.

Mount Union, under 23rd-year head coach Larry Kehres, extended its regular-season winning streak to 31 games with a 41-7 win over John Carroll last Saturday in Alliance. The Raiders have not lost a regular-season game since Nov. 22, 2005, a 21-14 decision to Ohio Northern at home.

The Purple Raiders, according to Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is in his sixth season at his alma mater, have no weaknesses.

“Mount Union has an all-conference type of player at all 22 positions, and some all-conference type guys that come in and back them up,” Loth said. “They really don’t have any weaknesses on offense or defense. We will have to be sound on both sides of the ball. Just play smart football.”

Shutting down Mount Union’s big-play opportunities ranks high on Loth’s priority list as Otterbein prepares for Saturday’s game.

“Mount Union has a history of getting big leads quickly on big plays on both sides of the ball,” Loth said. “We have to do a good job in not giving up any big plays, especially right off the bat.”

The Raiders come into the game leading NCAA Division III in total offense (544.0 yards/game) and total defense (164.9 yards/game). The team also ranks second in scoring offense (46.3 points/game) and first in scoring defense (5.0 points/game).

The Cardinals, meanwhile, rank among the nation’s top ten in six major categories. The Cardinals rank third in net punting (37.4 yards/return); fourth in scoring defense (10.8 points/game) and turnover margin (plus 1.8/game); sixth in passing efficiency (170.3) and sacks (3.6/game); and 10th  in scoring offense (42.8 points/game).

The Otterbein/Mount Union matchup features some of the best players in NCAA Division III. Mount Union senior quarterback Greg Micheli leads the nation with a 218 pass efficiency rating. Otterbein junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty checks in at the sixth spot, nationally, with a 176.4 rating. Raider senior running back Nate Kmic ranks 10th in all-purpose running (192.6 yards/game) and is tied for third in scoring (16.5 points/game).

Cards Set School Record in 55-0 Win Over Marietta
Written Nov. 1, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, off to its best start in school history, rolled past Marietta, 55-0, Saturday in Memorial Stadium. The Cardinals set a school record for best start to a season, and tied the school record for most wins in a season.

Wil Longsdorf brings down Marietta quarterback Dexter Hughes. Click for More Game Day Photos

With the win, 15th-ranked Otterbein improved to 8-0 overall and 7-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and remains in a first-place tie with top-ranked Mount Union (8-0, 7-0), who defeated John Carroll, 41-7, Saturday at home in Alliance.

The tie at the top of the OAC will be broken next Saturday when the Cardinals host the Purple Raiders, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Memorial Stadium ticket office. Tickets will also be available Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m.

The Cardinals started slowly, the first score—a 1-yard run by junior running back Eric Yates—came with 3:38 to play in the first quarter. Otterbein scored on its next two possessions, a 13-yard run and a 2-yard run, both from sophomore running back Colton Coy, to take a 21-0 lead into the locker room at the half.

Then the bottom fell out for the visiting Pioneers, who dropped to 2-6 overall and 1-6 in OAC play. Otterbein scored on its first five possessions of the second half—four of them coming in the third quarter.

Sophomore wide receiver Ray Welch scored on a 68-yard pass from junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty, and Coy followed with his third TD of the game, a 21-yard run with 8:27 to play in the third quarter.

Junior wide receiver Ryan Rowley added a 14-yard TD reception, and, two minutes later, senior linebacker Corey Spellman returned an interception 42 yards for a score to give Otterbein a 48-0 lead with 4:41 to play in the third quarter. Senior fullback Brady Collins finished the Otterbein scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run with 13:46 to play in the game.

Both Yates and Coy went over the 100-yard rushing mark. Yates led all running backs with 125 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries. Coy finished with 107 yards and three touchdowns on 17 carries. As a team, Otterbein rushed for 285 yards compared to just 126 yards in the air.

Rafferty, who threw for 126 yards and two touchdowns, attempted just nine passes on the day, completing six.

The Otterbein defense, recording its first shutout of the season, pressured Marietta’s quarterbacks throughout, recording three interceptions and five pass sacks. The Cardinals also recovered one fumble.

Cards to Host Marietta in Potential Record Setter
Written Oct. 30, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, off to its best start in school history, hosts the Pioneers of Marietta College, 1:30 p.m., Saturday in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) game.

The Cardinals, a perfect 7-0, share first place with Mount Union (7-0), each 6-0 in the OAC. Marietta, 2-5 overall, sits in a three-way tie for eighth place with Heidelberg (2-5) and Muskingum (2-5), each 1-5 in the OAC.

The 15th-ranked Cardinals matched 1961’s record 7-0 start with a convincing 38-9 win at cross-town rival Capital last Saturday. A win Saturday would mark Otterbein’s best start in school history and equal the school record for most wins in a season.

Head coach Joe Loth, in his sixth season at his alma mater, however, is paying little attention to the record books.

“I really try not to think about it,” Loth said. “Success is funny. When you’re in-season, you’re in such a routine, such a project oriented one week at a time process that you don’t think about all that outside stuff. Maybe after the season, we can look back and appreciate it a little bit.”

Marietta, under first-year head coach Jeff Filkovski, picked up its first conference win, a 30-22 verdict over Muskingum last Saturday at home. Freshman wide receiver Jahmaal Jones caught a pair of second half touchdown passes of eight and 21 yards from freshman quarterback Andrew Keller in the win.

Otterbein, meanwhile, used big plays in its win over Capital. Senior wide receiver Dan Gendron scored on a 92-yard kickoff return and was named OAC “player of the week” on special teams.

Junior wide receivers Tanner McCormick and Ryan Rowley caught passes of 74 and 68 yards, respectively, to set up two 1-yard touchdown runs from junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty, who was named “player of the game” by the Otterbein coaching staff.

Positional players of the game were senior tackle Jamie Albert (offensive line), Rowley (offensive skill), senior end Mike King (defensive front six), sophomore defensive back Justin Hochstetler (defensive secondary), and Gendron (special teams).

Otterbein entered the week sitting first or second in 11 major team categories in the OAC. The Cardinals lead the OAC in net punting (36.9 yards/return), kickoff returns (24.2 yards/return), turnover margin (plus 1.6/game), and sacks allowed (1.0/game). The Cards rank second in rushing offense (211.1 yards/game), scoring offense (41.0 points/game), passing efficiency (167.4), rushing defense (95.4 yards/game), total defense (270.0 yards/game), scoring defense (12.3 points/game), and pass efficiency defense (104.0).

Nationally, in NCAA Division III, the Cardinals rank among the top 25 in scoring offense (12th), scoring defense (10th), net punting (7th), kickoff returns (19th), turnover margin (9th), passing efficiency (9th), and sacks (14th). Junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty sits sixth, nationally, with a pass efficiency rating of 172.4. Gendron ranks 15th in kickoff returns.

Marietta heads into the game averaging 279.1 yards a game in total offense and 394 yards in total defense.

Otterbein won last season’s meeting with Marietta, 41-23, on the road.

“Marietta is coming off a huge win against Muskingum,” Loth said. “They’re going to come in here with a lot of confidence. Our guys realize that this is a team that we have to take seriously and be ready to play on Saturday.”

Following Marietta, Otterbein remains at home, hosting top-ranked Mount Union Nov. 8, beginning at 1:30 p.m. Marietta is scheduled to host Heidelberg.

OAC Names Gendron Special Teams Player of the Week
Written Oct. 27, 2008 by Adam Prescott

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein senior wide receiver Dan Gendron (Newport, Mich./Jefferson) has been named the Ohio Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday.

With the Cardinals ahead 7-3 early in the second quarter of Saturday’s game against cross-town rival Capital, Gendron took a kickoff and returned it 92 yards for an Otterbein touchdown. The score extended the Cardinal lead to 14-3 right after the Crusaders had kicked a field goal on the previous possession.

Gendron has caught 12 balls for 204 yards and one touchdown this season, including a long reception of 41 yards. His 359 yards on 13 kickoff returns for an average of 27.6 yards per return currently ranks him first in the conference.

Otterbein will host Marietta this Saturday. Kick-off from Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
 

Cards Close in on School Record with 38-9 Win at Capital
Written Oct. 25, 2008 by Ed Syguda

BEXLEY, OHIO—Otterbein, moving one game closer to its best start in school history, remained unbeaten, cruising past cross-town rival Capital, 38-9, Saturday afternoon on the road in Bexley.

David Wise brings down Derick Alexander on a kickoff return.

With the win, 18th-ranked Otterbein improved to 7-0 overall and 6-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), sharing the league lead with top-ranked Mount Union (7-0, 6-0), a 55-0 winner over Wilmington today in Wilmington. The Cardinals have now won three of the last four meetings with the Crusaders.

The Cardinals, who have matched 1961’s record 7-0 start, will have a chance to break it when they host Marietta (2-5, 1-5) next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Memorial Stadium.

Otterbein used the big play to break the game open.

Senior wide receiver Dan Gendron got the big plays rolling, returning a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown to give Otterbein a 14-3 lead with 13:19 to play in the second period. Capital place-kicker Garrett Bennington had just hit a 27-yard field goal one play earlier.

The Crusaders scored on their next possession, a 4-yard touchdown reception from sophomore quarterback Nick Alexander to junior wide receiver Evan Blake to make it 14-9 with 10:01 to play in the period.

That would be Capital’s last score.

Otterbein junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty sandwiched a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs around the half to put the game out of reach. The first, coming with 1:04 to play in the first half, was set up by a 74-yard reception by junior wide receiver Tanner McCormick. Junior wide receiver Ryan Rowley caught a 68-yard pass to set up Rafferty’s second score, making it 28-9 with 9:32 remaining in the third period.

Senior place-kicker and punter B.J. Wanninger added a 35-yard field goal, and junior tight end Mike Detwiler caught a 4-yard pass from Rafferty with 6:07 to play in the game to close out the Otterbein scoring.

Rafferty, who ranks sixth for passing efficiency in NCAA Division III, completed 13 of 21 pass attempts for 253 yards and one touchdown. He finished with 35 yards and a pair of TD’s on 12 carries.

Rowley led all receivers with eight receptions for 114 yards.

Sophomore running back Colton Coy rushed for 63 yards on 14 carries. Junior running back Eric Yates was right behind with 61 yards on 15 carries. Yates scored Otterbein’s first touchdown of the game, a 7-yard run with 2:34 to play in the first period.

The Otterbein defense held Capital to 182 yards of total offense, a season best for the Cardinals. The squad tallied eight tackles for a loss of 35 yards, including four pass sacks.

Senior defensive end Mike King led Otterbein with eight tackles. Sophomore defensive back Justin Hochstetler intercepted one pass and broke up two others; and made one pass sack for a loss of six yards.

Cards Travel to Capital for Key OAC Showdown
Written Oct. 23, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, seeking to extend its win streak to seven, travels cross town to face rival Capital Saturday in a key Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m.

Capital’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is sponsoring a food drive. Any patron donating two canned food items receives free admission to the game.

The Cardinals, 6-0 overall and 5-0 in the OAC, come into the game locked in a first-place tie with Mount Union (6-0, 5-0) in league play. Capital, 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the OAC, shares fourth place with Baldwin-Wallace (3-3, 3-2).

“Capital is the most talented team that we have played up to this point,” said head coach Joe Loth, who is in his sixth season at his alma mater. “They have a great quarterback. Defensively, they held John Carroll to four yards in the second half, and only lost by 10 points despite nine turnovers. They are a very, very good football team.”

The Crusaders, under first-year head coach Jim Bickel, fell, 13-3, at John Carroll last Saturday in University Heights. Capital, currently ranked 21st by D3football.com, committed nine turnovers in the loss. Defensively, however, the Crusaders held John Carroll to 103 yards of total offense and just one first down and four yards in the second half. The Crusaders also forced three turnovers, had four sacks and recorded 15 tackles for loss.

Otterbein, meanwhile, kept its win streak intact, scoring 17 unanswered points in the second half to hold off Wilmington, 30-14, Saturday at Homecoming. The Cardinals moved up in the national rankings to 18th in the American Football Coaches Association poll and 19th in D3football.com. 

Otterbein entered the week sitting first or second in 10 major team categories in the OAC.

The Cardinals lead the OAC in punt returns (9.8 yards/return), net punting (35.5 yards/punt), turnover margin (plus 1.7/game), and sacks allowed (1.0/game). The Cards rank second in scoring offense (41.5 points/game), rushing offense (210.2 yards/game), passing efficiency (166.8), pass efficiency defense (104.7), sacks (3.3/game), and kickoff returns (21.4 yards/return).

Nationally, in NCAA Division III, the Cardinals rank among the top 25 in scoring offense (8th), scoring defense (19th), net punting (25th), turnover margin (tie 8th), passing efficiency (8th), and sacks (14th). Junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty sits sixth, nationally, with a pass efficiency rating of 171.2.

Capital leads the all-time series, 41-38-3, which began with a 60-0 Otterbein win in 1894. That win, however, is not officially recognized by Capital, who claims the series actually began in 1927 with a 39-6 Otterbein victory, making the series record 41-37-3. Otterbein won last season’s meeting in Westerville by a score of 17-10.

Coach Loth said Saturday’s game could come down to the big play.

“Whoever has the most big plays or stops the other team from having big plays will probably win the game,” Loth said.

Cards Move to 6-0 with 30-14 Win Over Wilmington
Written Oct. 18, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, scoring 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, defeated Wilmington, 30-14, Saturday afternoon at Homecoming in Memorial Stadium.

Donnie Reinhart brings down Marque Jones during second half action.

With the win, 21st-ranked Otterbein improved to 6-0 overall and 5-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), setting up a showdown next Saturday at cross-town rival Capital (4-1, 3-1), who was scheduled to play tonight at John Carroll (4-1, 3-1) in University Heights. Wilmington fell to 2-4 overall and 2-3 in OAC play.

The Cardinals remain in a first-place tie with Mount Union (6-0, 5-0), a 49-0 winner over Heidelberg (1-5, 0-5) today at home in Alliance.

Wilmington took the early lead on a 12-yard pass from freshman quarterback Adam Reynolds to senior tight end Wes Anders with 11:46 remaining in the second quarter.

Otterbein started its next possession on the Wilmington 20-yard line following a 46-yard kickoff return from senior defensive back John Whaler and a 15-yard Wilmington penalty. One play later, a 20-yard pass from junior quarterback Jack Rafferty to sophomore receiver Ray Welch and the score stood 7-7 with 11:33 to go in the second period.

The two teams traded scores near the end of the first half—an 8-yard run by Otterbein junior running back Eric Yates with 2:03 remaining and a 1-yard run by Wilmington’s Reynolds with 24 seconds to play—but Otterbein’s kicked extra-point attempt missed and Wilmington led, 14-13, at the half.

Otterbein took the lead for good, 16-14, late in the third quarter, a 42-yard field goal from senior place-kicker B.J. Wanninger, which capped off 14-play, 67-yard drive that consumed 7:40. The Cardinals put the game out of reach in the fourth on a pair of rushing touchdowns of seven yards from senior fullback Brady Collins, and two yards from Rafferty.

Rafferty finished the day with 171 yards and one touchdown on 9-of-19 passing. Coy led the Cards with 83 rushing yards on 12 carries. Yates added 76 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries. Junior wide receiver Ryan Rowley caught four passes for 60 yards.

Wilmington quarterback Reynolds, who was injured and had to leave the game in the third quarter, completed 11 of 18 pass attempts for 133 yards and one touchdown. Reynolds led the Quakers in rushing with 82 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries.

The Otterbein defense, led by junior linebacker Donnie Reinhart, tallied four pass sacks and forced one fumble in the game. Reinhart finished with 10 tackles, including one pass sack for a loss of 10 yards. Sophomore defensive back Justin Hochstetler and junior linebacker Wil Longsdorf each made eight stops.

Cards to Host Wilmington on Homecoming
Written Oct. 16, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, off to its best start since the 1961 season, takes on the Quakers of Wilmington College, 2 p.m., Saturday in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) game. It will be Homecoming.

The Cardinals, a perfect 5-0, share first place with Mount Union (5-0), each 4-0 in the OAC. Wilmington, 2-3 overall, shares fifth place with Baldwin-Wallace (2-3), each 2-2 in league play.

Despite the fast start—Otterbein is ranked 21st by both D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association—Otterbein head coach Joe Loth said nothing has changed in his approach to the game.

“It’s not any different than if we were 1-0 or 2-2,” Loth said. “Every week, we put all our resources into trying to win that game. It really doesn’t change if you’re 5-0, 0-1, or 4-0. We approach every game the same. Every week is a one-game season.”

Otterbein heads into the game off a 42-28 win over Baldwin-Wallace last Saturday in Memorial Stadium. It wasn’t easy. Baldwin-Wallace scored on its first three possessions and led, 17-7, early in the second quarter before Otterbein began to find its footing and make it a 17-14 score at the half. The Cardinals out-scored B-W, 28-11, in the second half.

Junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty, who completed 15 of 19 pass attempts for 231 yards and three touchdowns, was selected “player of the game” by the Otterbein coaching staff. Rafferty also scored on a 2-yard run.  Positional players of the game were senior guard Nate Russell (offensive line), junior running back Eric Yates (offensive skill), senior linebacker Eric Burnsides (defensive front six), senior linebacker Corey Spellman (defensive secondary), and senior place-kicker/punter B.J. Wanninger (special teams).

Wilmington, under fourth-year head coach Barry Wulf, built a 15-point lead early in the fourth quarter and held off Muskingum, 22-20, last Saturday at Homecoming in Wilmington. Junior quarterback Billy Blackburn completed 15 of 19 pass attempts for 168 yards and one touchdown. Junior running back Tim Pugh scored twice on runs of one and two yards.

The Quakers, in other OAC games this season, defeated Marietta, 34-7, and lost to Capital, 48-28, and John Carroll, 31-17.

Otterbein entered the week sitting first or second in 11 major team categories in the OAC. The Cardinals lead the OAC in pass efficiency defense (100.8), net punting (36.5 yards/game), turnover margin (plus 2.2/game), and sacks allowed (1.0/game). The Cards rank second in scoring offense (43.8 points/game), rushing offense (214.2 yards/game), rushing defense (89.2 yards/game), total defense (284.2 yards/game), scoring defense (12.6 points/game), passing efficiency (173.8), and sacks (3.2/game).

Wilmington sits second in the OAC in turnover margin (plus 0.80) and sacks allowed (1.4/game). The squad ranks sixth in total offense (323.4 yards/game), and 10th in total defense (438.4 yards/game).

“Wilmington has great skill on the offensive side of the ball,” Loth said. “Defensively, they are much improved. They’re 2-2 in the OAC, and are a better team than last year. They are going to provide a huge challenge for us.”

Last season in Wilmington, the two teams combined for 1,118 yards of total offense in an Otterbein 58-41 victory. Yates rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns while Rafferty ran for 136 yards and two TD’s and passed for 217 yards and two scores.

Cards Hold onto a Share of 1st with 42-28 Win over B-W
Written Oct. 11, 2008 by Ed Syguda

The Cardinal defense turns the tide, holding B-W on 4th-and-1.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, off to its best start since the 1961 season, turned back Baldwin-Wallace, 42-28, Saturday afternoon in Memorial Stadium.

With the win, Otterbein improved to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and remains in a first-place tie with Mount Union (5-0, 4-0), a 49-7 winner over previously unbeaten Capital (4-1, 3-1) today in Alliance. Baldwin-Wallace fell to 2-3 overall and 2-2 in OAC play.

It wasn’t easy. Baldwin-Wallace scored on its first three possessions, the last, a 3-yard run by freshman tailback Tim Miker, and led Otterbein—nationally-ranked for the first time this season—17-7 with 14:24 to play in the second quarter.

After Miker’s score, B-W regained the football on the Otterbein 38-yard line following an intercepted pass from Otterbein junior quarterback Jack Rafferty. The Yellow Jackets moved the ball down field and had a first-and-goal from the Otterbein six-yard line.

Then the tide changed.

The Yellow Jackets tried four times to run the ball into the end zone, but the Cardinal defense held on downs, giving the ball back to the Cardinal offense on the Otterbein one-yard line with 9:44 to play in the half. The Cardinals mounted a 15 play, 99-yard drive, capped off by a 9-yard touchdown run by junior running back Eric Yates to cut B-W’s lead to three, 17-14, with 1:50 to play in the first half. The score remained 17-14 at the half.

The 24th-ranked Cardinals took over in the second half, scoring on four of their first five possessions. Junior wide receiver Ryan Rowley caught touchdown passes of 28 and 18 yards from Rafferty, the last giving Otterbein a 28-17 lead with 8:03 to play in the third quarter.

B-W junior place-kicker Cory Ramos hit his second field goal of the game, a 30-yarder with 3:41 remaining in the third quarter, to keep the Yellow Jackets close, but Otterbein closed the deal with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns—a 2-yard run by Rafferty and a 15-yard run from sophomore running back Colton Coy—to keep Otterbein on top, 42-20, with 6:04 to play in the game.

The Yellow Jackets closed out the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Anthony Gardner to senior wide receiver Mike Glynn.

Otterbein rolled up 412 yards of offense in the high scoring game. B-W netted 389 yards of total offense.

Rafferty completed 15 of 19 pass attempts for 231 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed for 29 yards and one touchdown on eight carries. Rowley finished with six catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Dan Gendron caught four balls for 90 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown reception for Otterbein’s first score of the game.

Yates led his teammates on the ground, rushing for 89 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries.

Senior linebacker Eric Burnsides, with 16 tackles, including eight unassisted, and senior defensive end Mike King, with eight tackles, led the Cardinal defense. King also collected an interception and a pass sack for a loss of 12 yards.

Otterbein remains at home next Saturday for homecoming, taking on the Quakers of Wilmington College. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. Baldwin-Wallace travels to Muskingum.
 

4-0 Cardinals Host Yellow Jackets
Written Oct. 9, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, locked in a three-way tie for first place in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), takes on the Yellow Jackets of Baldwin-Wallace, 1:30 p.m., Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

Otterbein, 4-0 overall, shares first place with Mount Union (4-0) and Capital (4-0), each 3-0 in the OAC. Baldwin-Wallace, 2-2 overall, shares fourth place with John Carroll (3-1), each 2-1 in conference play. Capital plays at Mount Union this Saturday.

Baldwin-Wallace, under 7th-year head coach John Snell, comes into the game off a 48-3 loss to top-ranked Mount Union at home last Saturday, snapping a two-game winning streak. The Yellow Jackets defeated Marietta, 45-16, at Marietta Sept. 27, and John Carroll, 21-17, at home Sept. 20.

“Just like every year, Baldwin-Wallace is one of the top teams in the conference,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is in his sixth season at his alma mater. “They are a traditional power in the OAC and they have the same type of team this year.”

Otterbein, meanwhile, extended its win streak to four, rolling to a 52-14 win at Heidelberg last Saturday. The Cardinal defense tallied nine pass sacks. With the win, Otterbein cracked the Top 25 in both the American Football Coaches Association poll, 24th, and D3football.com poll, 25th.

Senior linebacker Eric Burnsides, who led the Cards with 11 tackles, including a pass sack, was selected “player of the game” by the Otterbein coaching staff. Positional players of the game were senior tackle Andy Fries (offensive line), sophomore running back Colton Coy (offensive skill), junior linebacker Donnie Reinhart (defensive front six), senior linebacker Corey Spellman (defensive secondary), and sophomore linebacker Cole Edwards (special teams).

Otterbein comes into the game sitting first or second in 11 major team categories in the OAC. The Cardinals lead the OAC in scoring offense (44.3 points/game), pass efficiency defense (91.42), net punting (36.3 yards/punt), kickoff returns (23.6 yards/return), turnover margin (plus 2.75/game), pass defense (171.5 yards/game), and sacks allowed (1.3/game). The team ranks second in rushing offense (228.3 yards/game), total defense (252.3 yards/game), scoring defense (8.8 points/game), and sacks (3.8/game).

Baldwin-Wallace ranks third in the OAC in total offense, averaging 411.3 yards a game. The Yellow Jackets are averaging 281.5 passing and 129.8 rushing yards an outing. The team, however, ranks eighth in total defense, allowing 405.3 yards per game.

“We’ve got to win the turnover battle, be able to run the football and stop the run,” Loth listed as some keys for success against Baldwin-Wallace. “We’ll have to have solid special teams—they really beat us on special teams last year.

“Most importantly, B-W has a great quarterback,” Loth continued. “We’ve got to be able to contain their quarterback.”

In last season’s meeting, Baldwin-Wallace won, 37-27, at home in Berea. Otterbein quarterback Jack Rafferty rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another. Rafferty finished the day with 217 passing yards, completing 17 of 26 pass attempts.

Cards Roll to 4th Straight Win
Written Oct. 4, 2008 by Ed Syguda

TIFFIN, OHIO—Otterbein retained its share of first place in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), rolling to a 52-14 win over Heidelberg Saturday evening in Tiffin.

The Cardinals, matching their best start since 1981, improved to 4-0 overall and 3-0 in the OAC, and sit in a three-way tie with Mount Union (4-0, 3-0) and Capital (4-0, 3-0) for first place in the OAC. Heidelberg dropped to 1-3 overall and 0-3 in conference play.

Heidelberg freshman Adrian Balser took the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown, but that was just about it for the Student Prince as Otterbein scored the game’s next 45 points.

Junior eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty, who completed 8 of 13 pass attempts for 114 yards, opened the Otterbein scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run, capping off a five-play, 68-yard drive to tie the game at 7-7 with 12:18 to play in the first quarter.

A 29-yard field goal from senior B.J. Wanninger followed to give Otterbein the lead for good, 10-7, with 2:59 to play in the second quarter. Otterbein tallied three more rushing touchdowns—two from junior running back Eric Yates and one from sophomore running back Colton Coy—to take a 31-7 lead into the locker room at the half.

Coy, who led Otterbein with 101 yards rushing, scored his second touchdown of the game, a 9-yard run, to put the game out of reach, 38-7, with 9:37 to play in the third quarter. Sophomore tight end Mike Detwiler scored a minute later, a 5-yard pass from Rafferty, while Yates notched his third touchdown of the game, an 8-yard run, to close out the scoring with 30 seconds to play in the third quarter.

Although the Cardinals put up 406 yards of total offense, including 256 rushing yards, it was the Otterbein defense that stole the show.

Otterbein sacked sophomore quarterback Andrew Miller 11 times, with 3 1/2 of those sacks coming from senior defensive end Alex Kriss. Senior defensive tackle Dexter Hopkins led Otterbein with seven tackles, including three unassisted, along with a shared pass sack and a forced fumble.

The Berg finished with 247 yards of total offense, including just 57 yards rushing.

With the win, Otterbein held onto the Rhine River Cup for a sixth-straight year, boosting its record to 11-5-1 in the series, which began in 1992. Otterbein and Heidelberg played the first intercollegiate football game in Germany in 1992.

Cards, Berg to Battle for Rhine River Cup
Written Oct. 2, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, off to its best start since 1981, continues Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play, traveling to Tiffin Saturday to face Heidelberg in the battle for the Rhine River Cup. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Otterbein and Heidelberg have been battling for the Rhine River Cup ever since the two teams played the first-ever collegiate football game in Germany in 1992, which ended in a 7-7 tie in Frankfurt. The Cardinals hold a 10-5-1 lead in the Rhine River series, having won nine of the last 10 meetings, including the last five.

Otterbein, 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the OAC, comes into the game off a program win, 37-7, at Ohio Northern last Saturday. That marked Otterbein’s first win over the Polar Bears in 18 seasons. Heidelberg, 1-2 overall and 0-2 in the OAC, almost tripped up John Carroll, losing, 17-15, last Saturday in University Heights. The Berg missed a two-point conversion attempt with 3:13 to play.

“It was a good win for us,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth about the Ohio Northern game. “We came prepared and played as well as I thought we would.”

Senior place-kicker and punter B.J. Wanninger was selected “player of the game” by the Otterbein coaching staff. Positional players of the game were senior tackle Jamie Albert (offensive line), junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty (offensive skill), senior end Mike King (defensive front six), junior cornerback Chad Woodfork (defensive secondary), and junior linebacker Wil Longsdorf (special teams).

Defense, again, was key in the win. Otterbein tallied three pass sacks, two interceptions and recovered a fumble against the Polar Bears.

“We’ve done a great job of taking our defense to the next level this year,” Loth said. “We’re doing well against the run, and doing well against the pass. We are really balanced on defense like we try to be on offense.”

The Cardinal defense comes into the week leading the OAC in scoring defense (7 points/game), pass defense (165 yards/game), pass defense efficiency (81.5), and turnover margin (plus-10). The unit ranks second in total defense (254 yards/game) and fourth in rushing defense (89 yards/game).

On the offensive side of the ball, the Cardinals sit second in scoring (41.7 points/game) and rushing (219 yards/game); and hold down the fourth spot in total offense (402 yards/game).

Four Cardinal players rank among the top 20 in NCAA Division III: Woodfork, tied for third in interceptions (one/game); Rafferty, 11th in passing efficiency (170.2); senior wide receiver Dan Gendron, 13th in kickoff returns (31.3 yards/return); and sophomore running back Colton Coy, tied for 17th in scoring (12 points/game).

Last season in Westerville, Rafferty hit wide receiver Ryan Rowley for a 4-yard touchdown pass with 27 seconds to play to pull out a 34-31 win over Heidelberg at homecoming.

“Heidelberg presents a huge challenge for us,” Loth said. “They are extremely talented offensively, and may have the best skill in the conference if you look at their quarterback, receivers and running backs. Defensively, they are much improved this year.”

OAC Names Wanninger Player of the Week
Written Sept. 29, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—B.J. Wanninger, a senior from Cincinnati (LaSalle High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “special teams player of the week” in football, the OAC released today.

Wanninger, who handles place-kicking and punting duties for the 3-0 Cardinals, turned in a perfect performance in Otterbein’s 37-7 win at Ohio Northern Saturday. He nailed all three of his field-goal attempts of 32, 25, and 32 yards; and all four extra points.

The senior made just two punts in the game, averaging 43.5 yards while placing one inside the 20-yard line.

Otterbein, 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the OAC, travels to Heidelberg Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

Cards Make Statement in 37-7 Win Over Ohio Northern
Written Sept. 27, 2008 by Ed Syguda

ADA, OHIO—Otterbein took a major step forward, posting a convincing 37-7 victory over Ohio Northern Saturday in Ada to improve to 3-0 overall and 2-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC).

The win was Otterbein’s first over the Polar Bears in 18 seasons, the last one coming in 1989, a 14-7 decision. Otterbein head coach Joe Loth and offensive coordinator Tim Doup both played and were starters for Otterbein in that 1989 win.

The Polar Bears, falling to 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the OAC, were a pre-season pick to finish second in the OAC this season.

Otterbein got out of the gate early Saturday, scoring on its first two possessions, a 5-yard run by junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter and an 11-yard run by senior wide receiver Dan Gendron with 9:43 to play in the second quarter.

Ohio Northern managed to get on the board before the first half ended, recovering an Otterbein fumble on its own 46-yard line, and driving 54 yards for the touchdown, a 3-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Kyle Simmons to senior running back Curt Shepherd with 22 seconds remaining in the half. Otterbein led 14-7 at the break.

The second half belonged all to Otterbein as the Cardinal defense shifted into high gear, forcing three Ohio Northern turnovers and yielding just 80 yards of total offense over the final two quarters of play.

Senior place-kicker B.J. Wanninger opened the Otterbein scoring in the second half, hitting the first of three field goals, a 32-yarder with 10:06 to play in the third quarter. Junior running back Eric Yates followed with a 15-yard touchdown run and Wanninger closed out the period with a 25-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Following another Wanninger 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, sophomore running back Colton Coy closed out the scoring, breaking free for a 62-yard touchdown run with 4:17 to play in the game.

Coy, for the second-consecutive game, hit the 100-yard rushing mark, tallying 129 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries along with a team-high four receptions for 45 yards. Rafferty threw for 136 yards on 12-of-21 passing and rushed for 31 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

B.J. Wanninger, who also handles punting duties, was perfect on the day, nailing all four extra-point attempts and all three field-goal attempts. He averaged 43.5 yards on two punts, placing one inside the 20-yard line.

The Cardinal defense recorded three pass sacks, two interceptions and recovered a fumble in the win. Senior linebacker Cory Spellman led his team with seven tackles. Junior cornerback Chad Woodfork and junior safety Danny Lynch each made an interception in the win. It was Woodfork’s third of the season, a team best.

Otterbein remains on the road this week, traveling to Heidelberg Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The two teams will be battling for the Rhine River Cup.

Cards Face Polar Bears in Key OAC Matchup
Written Sept. 23, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, off to a strong 2-0 start, heads to Ohio Northern Saturday for a key Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) showdown in Ada. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Both teams will be working on streaks—Otterbein seeking to extend its win streak to three while Ohio Northern, 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the OAC, attempting to halt its losing streak at two.

“It’s misleading,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth about the Polar Bear’s 0-2 record. “They are still ranked among the top 35 teams in the country, which says a lot about their program. They have a good player at every position.”

Northern comes into the game off back-to-back losses to nationally-ranked teams, losing on the road at 8th-ranked North Central, 20-3, Sept. 13 and at home to top-ranked Mount Union, 44-7, last Saturday.

Despite the challenge, Otterbein, who hasn’t beaten Ohio Northern since 1989, carries a little momentum into Saturday’s game. The Cardinals have played to a 6-2 record since losing to Ohio Northern, 27-14, at home in the fourth game of last season. Northern, on the other hand, is 3-5 over the same period.

The Cardinals head into the game off a convincing 48-7 win over Muskingum last Saturday at home in Memorial Stadium. Sophomore running back Colton Coy accounted for four touchdowns and was named OAC “offensive player of the week”. The Otterbein defense forced five turnovers.

“I was happy to see Colton Coy really step up,” Loth said. “He was our starting tailback last year until he got hurt so it was good to see him pick up from where he left off.”

The Otterbein coaching staff named Coy the “player of the game”. In addition to Coy, other players of the game were senior tackle Andy Fries (offensive line), junior wide receiver Ryan Rowley (offensive skill), senior tackle Dexter Hopkins (defensive front six), senior cornerback John Wahler (defensive secondary), and senior punter/place-kicker B.J. Wanninger (special teams).

Entering the week, Otterbein led the OAC in four team categories: scoring offense (44.0 points a game); pass efficiency defense (82.82); kickoff returns (28.7 yards a return); and turnover margin (plus-4 per game). Junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty sat third in NCAA Division III for passing efficiency (202.64).

Otterbein will need balance on offense and stop the big play on defense in order to be successful against the Polar Bears, according to Loth.

“We go to Ada as the underdog and it’ll be a huge challenge,” Loth said. “Ohio Northern has a great running back in R.J. Meadows and a very good quarterback in Kyle Simmons. They are a very good football team.

“Ohio Northern was picked to finish second in the OAC this season,” Loth added. “There is a reason why they were picked so high.”

Following Ohio Northern, Otterbein heads back out on the road, traveling to Heidelberg Oct. 4 to battle for the Rhine River Cup.

OAC Names Coy Offensive Player of the Week
Written Sept. 22, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Colton Coy, a sophomore from Chillicothe (Adena High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “offensive player of the week” in football, the OAC released today.

The running back scored four times, including the first three Otterbein touchdowns, in a 48-7 OAC win over Muskingum Saturday in Westerville.

Coy rushed for 117 yards on 18 carries, which included touchdown runs of 28, one and two yards. He also caught a touchdown pass of 33 yards, finishing the game with two receptions for 35 yards.

In the season opener, a 40-7 win over Bethany Sept. 6, Coy rushed for 76 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown run, on eight carries.

Cards Improve to 2-0 with 48-7 Win in OAC Opener
Written Sept. 20, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, for the second straight game, put up the offensive numbers, cruising easily to a 48-7 win over Muskingum in its Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) opener Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

Sophomore running back Colton Coy, starting for injured junior Eric Yates, made his presence felt right out of the gate, scoring on a 28-yard run less than two minutes into the game as the Cardinals would go on to score touchdowns in six of their first seven possessions. Coy scored Otterbein’s next two touchdowns—a one-yard run and a 33-yard pass reception—to give the Cardinals a 21-0 lead with 10:40 remaining in the second quarter.

Senior cornerback John Wahler boosted the Otterbein lead to 27-0 with a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown before Muskingum finally got on the board with a five-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Jake Burns to senior tailback Caleb Fuller to make the score 27-7 with 2:04 remaining in the first half.

Otterbein struck again before the half could end as junior-eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty hit junior wide receiver Ryan Rowley with a nine-yard scoring strike with 25 seconds to play in the first half. Otterbein led 34-7 at the half.

Rowley opened the Cardinal scoring in the second half with a 34-yard touchdown reception from Rafferty with 9:01 remaining in the third period and Coy followed with a two-yard touchdown run to make it 48-7 with a 5:29 to play in the third quarter.

With the game nearly out of reach, Otterbein head coach Joe Loth substituted freely over the final quarter of the game.

Otterbein rolled up 388 yards of total offense, balanced equally between rushing, 185 yards, and passing, 203 yards.

Coy finished with 117 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries along with two receptions for 35 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown. Rowley led the receiving corps with 107 yards and two touchdowns on eight receptions. Rafferty finished the day close to perfect, hitting 13 of 16 pass attempts for 173 yards and two touchdowns. The quarterback carried the ball seven times for 35 yards.

Just as they had in game one, a 40-7 win over Bethany Sept. 6, the Otterbein defense forced five turnovers—three interceptions and two fumbles—in today’s win over Muskingum. In addition to Wahler, junior cornerback Chad Woodfork and senior safety Charlie Rowley made picks. Whaler and Woodfork each have two interceptions this season.

Cards Host Muskingum in OAC Opener
Written Sept. 18, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein opens Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play with the Fighting Muskies of Muskingum College, 1:30 p.m., Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

Both teams come into the game off convincing nonconference wins Sept. 6, Otterbein defeating Bethany (WV), 40-7, at home, and Muskingum knocking off Defiance, 35-10, at home in New Concord.

“We’re playing a very good Muskingum team,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is in his sixth season at his alma mater. “Statistically, they’re the No. 1 ranked defense in the conference right now and 10th in the country. We know we’re going to have our hands full.”

Muskingum, under second-year head coach Al Logan, held Defiance to 158 yards of total offense and eight first downs, ending the game with three pass sacks, three forced fumbles, and seven tackles for loss. Junior linebacker Brad Jordan recorded a team-high seven stops with one sack and one forced fumble.

Offensively, sophomore quarterback Jake Burns, who was making his first collegiate start, completed 25 of 31 pass attempts for 199 yards. All five Muskingum touchdowns, however, came on the ground. Senior running back Caleb Fuller rushed for 100 yards, including touchdown runs of five, six and 20 yards.

Otterbein, meanwhile, used a big second-half surge to break open a close game in its win over Bethany. The Cardinals amassed almost 300 yards of offense in the second half, scoring 27 points while shutting out the Bison. Otterbein led 13-7 at the half.

Junior eligible quarterback Jack Rafferty threw for 183 yards and four touchdowns on 13-of-22 passing. Junior wide receiver Ryan Rowley caught six balls for 67 yards, including touchdowns of 16 and five yards. Junior running back Eric Yates rushed for 123 yards, including a six-yard touchdown, on 19 carries.

Defensively, Otterbein forced five turnovers, including four interceptions. Sophomore strong safety Justin Hochstetler led the Cardinals with eight tackles, including six unassisted.

Both teams are seeking a move up in the OAC standings this season. The Cardinals were 5-4 in league play in 2007, finishing in a three-way tie for fourth place while Muskingum did not win a game. Otterbein defeated the Muskies, 29-0, in New Concord a year ago.

“Muskingum is a much better team than last year,” Loth said. “Last season, they struggled a little bit at the quarterback position. It looks like they have a pretty good quarterback right now.”

Following Muskingum, Otterbein travels to Ohio Northern next Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff. Muskingum is scheduled to host Mount Union at 1:30 p.m.

Cards Cruise to 40-7 Win in Season Opener
Written Sept. 6, 2008 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein used a big second-half surge to break open a close game at the half, cruising to a 40-7 win over Bethany (WV) Saturday afternoon in Westerville.

The Cardinals amassed almost 300 yards of offense in the second half, scoring 27 points while shutting out the Bison over the final 30 minutes of the game. Otterbein led 13-7 at the half.

Otterbein struck quickly. Wide receiver Ryan Rowley scored 30 seconds into the game on a 16-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jack Rafferty, which was set up by a Bison fumble recovered by Otterbein defensive end Mike King on the Bethany 10-yard line. Running back Eric Yates made it 13-0 on a four-yard touchdown reception with 8:53 to play in the first quarter.

Bethany’s lone score, a seven-yard pass from quarterback Dan Pegg to wide receiver Randy Rankin, came with 12:25 to play in the first half.

In the second half, Rafferty, who finished with 183 yards and four touchdowns on 13-of-22 passing, threw a pair of scoring strikes to Rowley, a five-yarder with 5:14 remaining in the third period, and Tanner McCormick, a 35-yarder with 9:26 to play.

The other two scores came on the ground, a 12-yard run by running back Colton Coy with 11:16 to play in the third period, and a six-yard run by Yates with 14:08 to play in the game. The pair combined for 199 rushing yards in the game. Yates netted 123 yards on 19 carries while Coy rushed for 76 yards on eight carries.

The Otterbein offense proved efficient on the day, converting 7 of 10 third-down situations and scoring all five times it got into the red zone.

Defensively, Otterbein forced five turnovers, including four interceptions from linebacker Donnie Reinhart, cornerback John Wahler, free safety Danny Lynch, and cornerback Chadric Woodfork.

Strong safety Justin Hochstetler led the Cardinal defense with eight tackles, including six unassisted.

Cards Open 08 at Home with Bethany
Written Sept. 4, 2008 by Ed Syguda

Otterbein opens the 2008 campaign with the Bison of Bethany College in a nonconference matchup. The Bison are a member of the President’s Athletic Conference (PAC). This marks the first meeting between the two schools.

“Bethany is a program on the rise,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who enters his sixth season with the Cardinals. “They have a majority of their starters back.”

Bethany, under third-year head coach Tim Weaver, returns 35 lettermen from last season’s 4-6 squad that finished with a share of fourth place in the PAC with a 2-4 record.

Otterbein, meanwhile, fields one of its most experienced teams since Loth returned to his alma mater in 2003. “This is the first year since I’ve been the head coach that we have had all juniors and seniors in the two-deep,” Loth said. 

Otterbein, with 50 returning lettermen, including 23 seniors, brings back nine starters on offense and 10 on defense. Thirteen of the 19 starters are seniors. The other six are juniors. 

Jack Rafferty, an honorable mention All-OAC pick, returns to quarterback an offense that led the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) in red zone conversion (92.5 percent); and ranked second in scoring (28.1 points/game), total offense (381.7 yards/game), and rushing (165.0 yards/game) in 2007.

Rafferty, who is now working on a graduate degree at Otterbein, led his teammates in scoring with 10 rushing touchdowns in 2007. He completed 89 of 157 pass attempts for 1,388 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 401 yards on 118 carries.

Also back on offense are first team All-OAC performers Eric Yates, a junior running back, and Andy Fries, a senior tackle. Yates rushed for 730 yards and eight touchdowns on 155 carries.

Senior middle linebacker Eric Burnsides headlines the list of returning starters on defense. He led Otterbein with 80 tackles, 37 unassisted, on his way to first team All-OAC and honorable mention Academic All-OAC honors last season. 

Senior punter B.J. Wanninger, an Academic All-OAC selection in 2007, returns and is expected to pick up place-kicking duties this season.

Bethany players to watch include Dan Pegg, a sophomore making his first collegiate start at quarterback; wide receiver Matt Cruse, who earned second team All-PAC honors and tied a school record with nine touchdown receptions; wide receiver Taylor McNeil, who earned honorable mention All-PAC honors on his way to over 1,400 all-purpose yards last season; defensive back Nelson Mitzen, a second team All-PAC pick, who led the team in tackles, 65, and interceptions, two; and defensive back Brandon Zeman, an honorable mention All-PAC selection, who tallied 35 tackles despite missing four games to injury.

Loth cites three keys for success in today’s matchup: win the turnover margin, expect the unexpected, and be ready to adjust on both sides of the ball.

“Bethany is known to start most games with a trick play,” Loth said. “They might have installed a new offense or defense so we must be able to adjust.”

Following Bethany, Otterbein has a bye next Saturday and is scheduled to open OAC play Sept. 20 against Muskingum at home. Bethany hosts Kentucky Christian next Saturday.

DeLong Named to D3football.com All-North Region Team
Written Nov. 27, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview High School), was named to the D3football.com All-North Region third team.

DeLong made 66 receptions for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns this season, and led the OAC in receptions per game (6.6) and receiving yardage per game (105.0). He finished fourth in the OAC for all-purpose yardage, averaging 105.3 yards a game, and ninth for scoring, averaging 5.8 points an outing.

Nationally, in NCAA Division III, the senior receiver ranked 13th in receiving yards, 15th in receiving yardage per game and 31st in receptions per game.

Five Named to Academic All-OAC Teams
Written Nov. 27, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Five members of the 2007 Otterbein football team were selected to Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) teams, the OAC released today.

Otterbein and Mount Union, with seven players selected, were the only two teams in the 10-member OAC to have five or more players selected to the academic teams.

Defensive back Justin Ross, defensive back Brett Glass, punter B.J. Wanninger and offensive lineman Mike Young were named to the first team. Linebacker Eric Burnsides earned honorable mention honors.

Ross, a senior from Canal Winchester, was a unanimous selection in voting by the league’s faculty athletic representatives. The free safety, a four-time academic all-conference selection, is majoring in business administration and economics. Ross has made the Otterbein Dean’s List nine times.

Glass, a senior from Plain City (Jonathon Alder High School), is majoring in life science with a minor in business administration. He has made the dean’s list six times.

Wanninger, a junior from Cincinnati (LaSalle), is also a life science major and has appeared on the dean’s list six times.

Young, a senior from Columbus Grove, is majoring in middle childhood education.

Burnsides, a junior from Columbus (Worthington Kilbourne), is majoring in broadcasting with a minor in speech communications.

Six Named to All-OAC Teams
Written Nov. 19, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Six members of the 2007 Otterbein football team were selected to All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) teams, the OAC released today.

Wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview High School), offensive tackle Andy Fries, a junior from Norwalk, and running back Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), were selected to the first team.

DeLong made 66 receptions for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns this season, and led the OAC in receptions per game (6.6) and receiving yardage per game (105.0). He finished fourth in the OAC for all-purpose yardage, averaging 105.3 a game.

Fries anchored an offensive line that averaged 165 yards rushing and 216.7 yards passing a game. Otterbein finished second in the OAC for total offense.

Yates rushed for 730 yards and eight touchdowns on 155 carries. He finished third in the OAC, averaging 73.0 rushing yards a game. The running back also made 10 receptions for 108 yards.

Linebacker Eric Burnsides, a junior from Columbus (Worthington Kilbourne), was selected to the second team by the OAC coaches. Burnsides led Otterbein with 80 tackles, 37 of them unassisted this season. The linebacker tallied 5.5 tackles for a loss of 14 yards. Burnsides finished seventh in the OAC for most tackles.

Quarterback Jack Rafferty, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman), and offensive guard Mike Young, a senior from Columbus Grove, were named to the honorable mention team.

Rafferty accounted for 18 touchdowns, 10 by rush and eight by pass, to lead Otterbein in scoring with 60 points. He completed 89 of 157 pass attempts for 1,388 yards and finished fourth in the OAC with a 140.1 pass rating. He netted 401 yards rushing on 118 carries.

Cards Fall in Triple OT
Written Nov. 10, 2007 by Don Middleton

WESTERVILLE, OHIO―Otterbein’s (5-5, 5-4) senior day was spoiled in heart-breaking fashion by John Carroll (6-4, 5-4), 35-33, in triple overtime Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

John Carroll started off the game with the ball and moved methodically down the field on a 12 play, 67-yard drive that was capped off by a 3-yard TD reception by Blue Streaks sophomore wide receiver Frank Ross to give JC a 7-0 lead. 

Otterbein responded on their first possession by moving the ball 42 yards on 11 plays that resulted in a 35-yard field goal by senior place-kicker Alek Shirvanian (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Annapolis). 

The score would remain 7-3 until the second quarter when JC senior defensive end Nadhal Eadeh recovered a fumble and went 65 yards for a Blue Streak touchdown, making the score 13-3 (pat blocked). 

After a surprisingly low-scoring first half that saw only 16 total points put up, the second half featured offensive outbursts by both teams. 

Trailing 13-3 at the half, Otterbein came out in the second half and scored first, a 23-yard field goal by Shirvanian made it a 13-6 game. 

After forcing JC to turn the ball over on downs, junior quarterback Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) hit Ray Welch, a sophomore from Lewis Center (Olentangy), on a 40-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 13.  The Cards took their first lead of the game, 20-13, going 95 yards on only eight plays that ended on a 36-yard touchdown reception by sophomore wide receiver Dan Gendron (Newport, Mich./Jefferson) with 3:58 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

JC tied the game at 20 with 16.3 seconds remaining and had a chance to win it in regulation.  After John Carroll recovered an onside kick that hit off an Otterbein player, Josiah Kedzior missed a 47-yard field goal attempt as time expired. 

Otterbein got the ball first in overtime and was unable to capitalize, missing a 35-yard field goal.  John Carroll, on its first possession in overtime, moved the ball down to the OC 3-yard line, but a personal foul by the Blue Streaks and a player ejection moved the ball back to the OC 18-yard line and JC missed a game-winning 35-yard field goal attempt. 

John Carroll scored first in the second overtime to go up 27-20.  Otterbein responded after converting on 3rd and 15 and, two plays later, Rafferty scored on a one-yard run to tie the game at 27. 

Rafferty scored on the first play from scrimmage in the third overtime on a 25-yard run.  Otterbein failed on its two-point conversion attempt, leaving the score with Otterbein leading 33-27.  John Carroll quarterback Mark Petruziello, facing a fourth and two situation from the Otterbein 7-yard line, threw a 7-yard TD pass to Peter Spachner to tie the game.  The Blue Streaks converted the two-point conversion for the win. 

Otterbein punted only once in the game and was 11 of 18 on third-down conversions. 

Offensively, the Cards finished with 492 yards.  Rafferty led the way with 301 yards passing and two touchdowns and also carried the ball for 72 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns.  Senior wide receiver Scott DeLong (Van Wert/Crestview), with six catches for 138 yards, finished the season with 1,050 yards. 

Defensively, the Cards had four sacks and were led by junior linebacker Eric Burnsides, a junior from Columbus (Worthington Kilbourne), who had a season-high 16 tackles. 

Otterbein concludes the 2007 campaign with a conference record of 5-4, finishing tied for fourth place with Baldwin-Wallace and John Carroll.  The senior class leaves Otterbein with a 20-20 record.

Cards Host John Carroll
Written Nov. 7, 2007 by Ed Syguda

Scott DeLong enters the game with 912 receiving yards in 2007.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein closes out the 2007 season with the Blue Streaks of John Carroll, 1:30 p.m., Saturday at home in Memorial Stadium. It will be Senior Day.

Otterbein, 5-4 overall, sits in a three-way tie with Ohio Northern (6-3) and Baldwin-Wallace (6-3) for third place, each 5-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). John Carroll, 5-4 overall, sits one game back in sixth place at 4-4.

The senior class enters today’s game with a 20-19 record over its four years of play and has an opportunity to leave Otterbein with a winning record, something not done since the class of 1982. As sophomores, this class finished 7-3 in 2005.

“Our senior class has done a great job of building the foundation for a long-term successful program,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is in his fifth season at his alma mater. “Obviously, being the most successful class since the 1979 freshmen reported is a great accomplishment.”

Both teams come into the game off losses—the Cardinals seeing its four-game winning streak snapped at Baldwin-Wallace, 37-27, while the Blue Streaks, under ninth-year head coach Regis Scafe, falling to No. 1 Mount Union, 53-0, at home.

B-W used some big plays in the second half, including a pair of touchdowns on a blocked Otterbein punt and a 62-yard pass, to hold off Otterbein, who led at the half, 13-7.

Otterbein quarterback Jack Rafferty, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman High School), rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another in Berea. He completed 17 of 26 pass attempts for 217 yards.

Wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview), notched his fifth game this season with over 100 yards receiving, making six catches for 128 yards.

Wide receiver Dan Gendron, a sophomore from Newport, Mich. (Jefferson), tallied 132 all-purpose yards, including a five-yard pass for a touchdown and a 43-yard kickoff return. Running back Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), rounded out the Otterbein scoring with a 4-yard TD run, finishing with 78 yards on 21 carries.

John Carroll, meanwhile, fell behind early, trailing, 26-0, after one quarter of play and struggled offensively in its loss to Mount Union. The Blue Streaks netted 44 yards of offense passing, but were held to minus-47 yards rushing largely due to eight pass sacks by the Mount Union defense.

Blue Streak quarterback Mark Petruziello, a junior from Mentor (Lake Catholic), completed 6 of 17 pass attempts for 45 yards. Running back Mark Elsaesser, a freshman from Webster, N.Y. (McQuaid Jesuit), set a school record for kickoff return yardage, amassing 197 yards on eight returns.

Ross and Glass Earn Academic All-District Honors
Written Nov.8, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Justin Ross, a senior from Canal Winchester, Ohio, and Brett Glass, a senior from Plain City, Ohio (Johnathan Alder High School), were named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV teams in football as selected by the College Sports Information Director’s of America (CoSIDA), released today by CoSIDA.

Ross was named to the first team and is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration. Glass earned second team honors.

Ross, a four-year starter at defensive back, ranks third on the team with 58 tackles, 28 of them unassisted in 2007. The tri-captain has made eight interceptions over his four-year career.

The free safety is majoring in Business Administration, with a minor in Economics, and has made the Otterbein Dean’s List nine times.

Glass, a two-year letterman at defensive back, ranks tenth on the team with 34 tackles, including 22 solo stops in 2007.

The cornerback is majoring in Life Science and has made the Otterbein Dean’s List five times.

Academic All-District IV team members are selected through voting by CoSIDA, a 2,000-member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. District IV encompasses the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Cards Fall to B-W 37-27
Written Nov.3, 2007 by Don Middleton

BEREA, OHIO―Otterbein’s (5-4, 5-3) quest to win it’s fifth consecutive game for the first time since 1979 was spoiled Saturday after falling to Baldwin-Wallace (6-3, 5-3) 37-27 in Berea. 

With wins by Ohio Northern and Capital, the Cards find themselves back in the middle of the pack in the OAC, tied for fourth with B-W, with a conference record of 5-3. 

For the first time in three weeks, Otterbein found themselves trailing early. B-W scored on its first drive, going 67 yards on only 6 plays.

The Cards responded back quickly, using a 10-play, 71-yard drive that was capped off by a 1-yard TD run by sophomore QB Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) to tie it up 7-7.  After forcing B-W to turn the ball over on downs, Otterbein running back Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), scored on a 4-yard TD run to put OC ahead 13-7 (pat failed).

After going into the half trailing 13-7, B-W came out firing in the second half and scored 20 unanswered points.  A blocked punt in the end zone, and two offensive touchdown’s later, Otterbein found themselves trailing 27-13 midway through the fourth quarter. 

A 2-yard TD run by Rafferty with 7:41 to go in the fourth quarter put the Cards in position for a comeback, trailing 27-20, but B-W quarterback Anthony Gardner hit wide receiver Vinny Latessa on a 62-yard strike to put the OC deficit back to 14 points.

With 4:59 remaining, Rafferty hit sophomore wide receiver Dan Gendron (Newport, Mich./Jefferson) on a 5-yard pass to cut the lead to 34-27.  OC couldn’t hold back the Yellow Jackets offense though as B-W used 4:19 off the clock and converted on a 26-yard field goal with 40 seconds remaining to put the game away, 37-27.

Otterbein was 6 of 15 on third down, while the Cards held B-W to only 2 of 10 on third-down conversions.

Offensively, Otterbein wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview), went over the 100-yard mark for the fifth time this season with 128-yards on six catches.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Cards were led by junior defensive back Corey Spellman (Grove City/Central Crossing) and sophomore linebacker Wil Longsdorf (London) who had 9 tackles apiece.  Spellman also added OC’s lone sack of the game.

Otterbein will play their season finale at home next Saturday (Nov. 10) against John Carroll (5-4, 4-4).  Game time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

The Cardinals will be looking for their first win against John Carroll since 2004.  JC fell to No. 1 ranked Mount Union 53-0 Saturday.

Cardinals Win Fourth Straight
Written Oct. 27, 2007 by Don Middleton

NEW CONCORD, OHIO―Otterbein (5-3, 5-2) spoiled Muskingum’s (0-8, 0-7) homecoming and kept the Muskies winless with a 29-0 shutout at Sherman Field in New Concord, Ohio Saturday.

With the win, Otterbein moves into a three-way tie with Capital and Ohio Northern for second place in the OAC.

“Defensively, we played a second-straight solid football game,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth.  “Offensively we were not as effective as we wanted to be.  It was a slow, methodical win today.”

After stunning 6th-ranked Capital last weekend, the Cards were once again on top of their game, playing stellar defense and also scoring a touchdown on a blocked punt.

Senior place-kicker Alek Shirvanian (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Annapolis) connected on a 28-yard field goal to put Otterbein on the board first with 7:21 to play in the first quarter.

Otterbein sophomore Eric Yates (Dublin/Scioto) made it 9-0 (pat failed) with a 14-yard run with 4:44 to play in the first half. 

An 8-play, 61-yard drive was capped off with a 14-yard touchdown pass by sophomore quarterback Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) to senior Scott DeLong (Van Wert/Crestview) with only 3 seconds remaining in the first half. 

Defensive back John Wahler, a junior from Huber Heights (Wayne High School), recovered a blocked punt in the end zone with 5:57 to play in the third quarter to give the Cards a 22-0 lead.

Senior quarterback Paul Stelzer (Delaware/Hayes) came into the game in the fourth quarter and led Otterbein on a 15-play, 97-yard drive that ended with a 23-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Ray Welch (Lewis Center/Olentangy) with 3:26 remaining in the fourth quarter.

For the third time this season, Yates went over the 100-yard mark, gaining 122 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown.  DeLong also went over the century mark for receiving yards for the fourth time in 2007, making nine catches for 139 yards and a touchdown.

“DeLong made the plays when we really needed them,” Loth said.  “Scotty made a lot of nice plays that helped dig us out of a hole and through some tough spots.”

The Cardinal defense held the Muskies to only 190 yards of total offense, a season best for Otterbein.  OC also held Muskingum to 2 for 14 on third-down conversions and forced three turnovers. The team also tied a season high with four sacks.

Senior cornerback Tony Furr (Johnstown/Monroe) and senior defensive back Justin Ross (C.Winchester) led the Otterbein defense with six tackles apiece.

With the win, Otterbein has defeated Muskingum the last four seasons, with the last two coming by shutout. 

Otterbein travels to Berea, Ohio next Saturday for a game against Baldwin-Wallace (5-3, 4-3).  Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. B-W defeated 17th ranked Ohio Northern, 21-18, Saturday in Ada.

Cards Stun 6th-Ranked Capital
Written Oct. 20, 2007 by Ed Syguda

Otterbein linebacker Donnie Reinhart applies the heat to Capital QB Wade Bartholomew

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein (4-3, 4-2) stunned 6th-ranked Capital (6-1, 5-1), pinning the first loss this season on its cross-town rival, 17-10, in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

“Ever since the second half of the Ohio Northern game (a 27-14 loss Sept. 29),” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, “we’ve turned into a pretty good football team. We’ve got to continue, taking it one game at a time.”

The Cardinals played a near flawless game—committing just one turnover—against one of the best defenses in the nation on their way to their third-consecutive win. Capital came into the game ranked second in NCAA Division III in three categories: total defense (143.8 yards a game), rushing defense (19.2 yards per outing) and scoring defense (4.8 points a game).

Place-kicker Alek Shirvanian, a senior from Dearborn Heights, Mich. (Annapolis High School), put Otterbein on the scoreboard first, hitting a 26-yard field goal with 2:01 to play in the first quarter.

Otterbein quarterback Jack Rafferty, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman), made it 10-0 with a crucial 2-yard run on a fourth-and-goal situation with 4:42 to play in the first half.

“That play was big,” Loth said. “I came close to calling a timeout (for a field-goal attempt), but decided to stick with the play because I knew we needed to score some points.”

Running back Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), scored what proved to be the game-winner, a 7-yard run that capped off a 13-play, 80-yard drive to make the score, 17-3, with 1:13 to play in the third quarter.

Yates and Rafferty combined for 121 rushing yards in the win. No team had rushed for 100 yards against Capital this season. The Crusaders had not allowed a rushing touchdown until today.

Although most of the focus coming into the game was on the Crusader defense, it was the Otterbein defense that played its best game in 2007, holding Capital to 326 yards of total offense, a season best for the Cardinals, who had been allowing 480.5 yards a game.

Linebacker Wil Longsdorf, a sophomore from London, led the Cardinal defense with 12 tackles, five unassisted. Cornerback Tony Furr, a junior from Johnstown (Monroe), and linebacker Eric Burnsides, a junior from Columbus (Worthington Kilbourne), tallied 10 tackles apiece.

Otterbein travels to Muskingum next Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.

Cards Host 6th-Ranked Capital
Written Oct. 18, 2007 by Ed Syguda

Otterbein takes on cross-town rival and 6th-ranked Capital, 1:30 p.m., Saturday in a key Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

The game can be seen on tape delay on the Columbus Sports Network Saturday at 9:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. on Time Warner and Insight (channel 78) and WOW! (97); and also over-the-air (32).

Both teams come into the game off wins—the Cardinals, under head coach Joe Loth, who is in his fifth season at his alma mater, downing Heidelberg, 34-31, at home and Capital, under 11th-year head coach Jim Collins, handling 15th-ranked Ohio Northern, 24-6, at home.

Otterbein, 3-3 overall, sits in a four-way tie for second place with Ohio Northern (4-2), John Carroll (4-2), and Baldwin-Wallace (4-2), each 3-2 in conference play. The Crusaders, 6-0 overall, share first place with top-ranked Mount Union, each 5-0 in the OAC.

“Capital’s defense is as impressive as any defense I have seen as a coach at the Division III level,” Loth said. “Teams are averaging 19 yards a game rushing against them.

“Offensively, Capital has done a tremendous job of overcoming injuries and performing as one of the top offenses in the country,” Loth added.

The Crusaders sit second in the OAC in total defense (143.8 yards a game) and fourth behind Otterbein in total offense (344.3 yards a game). The Cardinals are averaging 371.8 yards of offense a game.

Last Saturday in Columbus, Capital broke open a close game—trailing Ohio Northern, 6-3—with three touchdown passes of 11, 23 and 31 yards from quarterback Wade Bartholomew, a junior from Williamsport, over the final 18 minutes of the game. Capital tallied three interceptions in the win with two coming from free safety C.J. Steele, a junior from Hilliard.

Otterbein, meanwhile, made it five wins in a row over Heidelberg to extend its Rhine River Cup series lead to 10-5-1 last Saturday in Westerville. Heidelberg and Otterbein played the first college football game in Germany, which ended in a draw, 7-7, in Frankfurt in 1992.

Wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview High School), turned in a career day against the Berg, tallying 11 receptions for 160 yards (both career highs), including one touchdown, a two-point conversion, and a blocked extra-point attempt. He made receptions of 8, 24 and 14 yards in Otterbein’s 10 play, 58-yard drive for the game-winning touchdown with 27 seconds to play.

”When we really needed plays at the end of both halves, Scott delivered for us,” Loth said.

Otterbein quarterback Jack Rafferty, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman), completed 17 of 24 pass attempts for 196 yards, including two touchdowns, and rushed for 101 yards and one touchdown in just his second start this season. Running back Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.

Capital leads the all-time series, 41-37-3, which began with a 60-0 Otterbein win in 1894. That win, however, is not officially recognized by Capital, who claims the series actually began in 1927 with a 39-6 Otterbein victory, making the series record 41-36-3.

Cards Retain Rhine River Cup in Wild Finish
Written Oct. 13, 2007 by Don Middleton

WESTERVILLE, OHIO―The Otterbein Cardinals (3-3, 3-2) defeated Heidelberg (2-4, 1-4) by a score of 34-31 in the battle for the Rhine River Cup Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

In a game full of offense, it was Otterbein who came through when they needed it most, scoring at the end of the second and fourth quarters. 

In front of a near sold-out crowd, sophomore quarterback Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) pleased the OC faithful, going 4 of 6 for 50 yards and also converting on a critical fourth-and-inches to keep Otterbein’s hopes alive on their final drive of the game.  Rafferty threaded a 4-yard pass through the Berg defense to sophomore wide receiver Ryan Rowley (Grove City) with 27 seconds remaining for a Cardinal touchdown.  After a successful 2-point conversion, the Cards had a 34-31 lead and the eventual win. 

Heidelberg got on the board first, but the Cardinals struck back quickly with a 12-yard run by Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman). After a two-yard TD pass by Steve West put Heidelberg up 13-7 (PAT blocked); Otterbein used a 10 play, 70-yard drive capped off by sophomore running back Eric Yates’ (Dublin/Scioto) one-yard TD run to put OC up 14-13 with 13:31 remaining in the second quarter. 

Heidelberg responded with a 27-yard field goal before a 34-yard field goal by senior Alek Shirvanian (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Annapolis) gave Otterbein the lead again, 17-16, with 5:17 to go in the first half.

After a 43-yard pass to senior Scott DeLong (Van Wert/Crestview) gave OC the ball on the Heidelberg five-yard line with four seconds remaining in the first half, Rafferty hit DeLong again, this time on a five-yard strike to give the Cards a 23-16 lead.  The extra point by Otterbein was blocked by Heidelberg and taken back 100 yards by Charlie Peffley to give the Student Princes two points to end the half with Otterbein leading 23-18.

Offensively, Rafferty was 17 of 24 for 196 yards and two touchdowns.  DeLong finished with 11 catches for 160 yards and one touchdown.

For the second consecutive week, the Cardinals featured two 100- yard rushers.  Yates led the way with 131 yards and one touchdown while Rafferty finished with 101 yards on 23 carries and one touchdown.

Defensively, junior cornerback Tony Furr (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe) led the team in tackles with nine.

Otterbein was 5 for 12 on third-down conversions and 2 for 3 on fourth-down attempts.  The teams combined for only five punts.  While the first half featured a combined 41 points, the team’s combined for only 24 points in the second half. 

With the win, Otterbein has won five consecutive meetings against the Berg.  The Cards also improved to 10-5-1 in the Rhine River Series.

Otterbein will remain at home next Saturday (Oct. 20) for a game against cross-town rival and sixth-ranked Capital (6-0, 5-0).  Game time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Cards Take on the Berg in the Battle for the Rhine River Cup
Written Oct. 11, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein continues Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play Saturday, hosting Heidelberg in the battle for the Rhine River Cup. Game time is set for 2 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. It will be Homecoming.

Heidelberg and Otterbein played the first college football game in Germany, which ended in a 7-7 tie in Frankfurt in 1992. The two teams have been playing for possession of the cup ever since. The Cardinals hold a 9-5-1 lead in the Rhine River series, having won eight of the last nine meetings, including the last four.

Both teams come into the game off wins—the Cardinals downing Wilmington, 58-41, on the road and Heidelberg, under first-year head coach Mike Hallett, stunning Baldwin-Wallace, 42-20, at home. Otterbein, 2-3 overall, sits in a three-way tie with John Carroll (3-2) and Baldwin-Wallace (3-2) for fourth place, each 2-2 in the OAC. The Berg, 2-3 overall, sits in a three-way tie for seventh place with a 1-3 conference record.

“Heidelberg has done a great job this season,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is in his fifth season at his alma mater. “You can see the talent and effort on the game film.

”They completely shut down Baldwin-Wallace offensively, and were able to run and pass,” Loth continued. “They are not only the most improved team in the conference, they are one of the better teams in the conference.”

The Berg, winless over the last three seasons, out-scored Baldwin-Wallace, 28-10, over the final 17 minutes of play to win its first OAC game since 2003. B-W came into the contest ranked 17th by d3football.com.

Quarterback Steve West, a senior from Huron, threw for 229 yards and one touchdown on 16-of-23 passing, and rushed for 41 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Four different backs scored a rushing touchdown in the win.

Otterbein, meanwhile, rolled up 614 yards of offense (217 passing/397 rushing) in its win at Wilmington.

“Our offense at Wilmington was really efficient,” Loth said. “We were able to both run and throw the ball effectively. We now need to establish a weekly consistency on offense."

Jack Rafferty, making his first start at quarterback, threw two touchdown passes and ran for another two scores. The quarterback, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman), completed 10 of 15 pass attempts for 217 yards, and rushed for 136 yards on 19 carries. He was named OAC Offensive Player of the Week.

“Jack played extremely well,” Loth said. “He does a nice job of decision making and moving the offense.”

Fullback Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), turned in a career performance, rushing for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries. His TD’s came on runs of 57, 14 and one yards.

OAC Names Rafferty Player of the Week on Offense
Written Oct. 9, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Quarterback Jack Rafferty, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “offensive football player of the week”, the OAC released Monday.

Rafferty, making his first start as a Cardinal, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another two scores in a 58-41 win at Wilmington last Saturday. The quarterback completed 10 of 15 pass attempts for 217 yards, including scoring strikes of 33 and 20 yards to wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview). He threw no interceptions in the win.

Rafferty also rushed for 136 yards on 19 carries, including touchdown runs of 13 and two yards.

In what might be a conference first, Rafferty becomes the second Otterbein quarterback this season to earn OAC player of the week honors.  Quarterback Paul Stelzer, a senior from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), took the honor after leading the Cardinals to a 41-23 win at Marietta Sept. 22.

WILMINGTON, OHIO―The Otterbein Cardinals (2-3, 2-2) defeated Wilmington College (1-4, 1-3) by a score of 58-41 Saturday in Wilmington.

The Cards used a balanced attack in the victory, but did most of their damage on the ground, as they ran for a season high 397 yards.  Sophomore QB Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) stole the show with 361 yards of total offense and three touchdowns.  The Columbus native was 10 of 15 through the air for 217 yards and one touchdown and gained 144 yards on the ground adding two more touchdowns.

Otterbein scored on its first five possessions to build a 31-13 with 9:18 to play in the first half.  Rafferty hit senior wide receiver Scott DeLong (Van Wert/Crestview) on a 33-yard strike to put the Cards up 7-0 on the team’s first possession.  After a Wilmington touchdown (PAT failed), Freshman kicker Alek Shirvanian (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Annapolis) knocked through a 28-yard field goal to put Otterbein up 10-6.  Sophomore running back Eric Yates (Dublin/Scioto) then shredded through the Quaker defense on a 57-yard run on the team’s next possession to put Otterbein up 17-6.  Rafferty added a touchdown on a two-yard scamper to give the Cards their only points of the second quarter and a 31-13 lead.  Wilmington added two touchdowns at the end of the half to cut the Cardinal lead to 31-27.

After forcing Wilmington to punt on their first possession of the second half, OC scored 17 unanswered points after two touchdown runs by Yates and a 33-yard field goal by Shirvanian gave the Cards a 48-27 lead with one quarter to be played.

Wilmington opened up the scoring in the fourth quarter with a touchdown to cut the lead to 48-34.  OC then answered with 10 points of their own; a 20-yard touchdown reception by DeLong and 23-yard field goal by Shirvanian. Wilmington added a late touchdown, but it was too late as Otterbein sealed the victory by the score of 58-41.

DeLong had his second 100-yard receiving game of the season with six catches, 140 yards, two touchdowns and a 23.3 rec/avg.  Yates had a career-best 212 yards on 22 carries and three touchdowns.

Otterbein’s 58 points were the teams most since a 65-35 victory over Heidelberg in 2005.

Otterbein will return home for the next two weeks beginning with a homecoming game against Heidelberg (2-3, 1-3) next Saturday (Oct. 13) in Memorial Stadium.  Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Cards Fall to 11th-Ranked Polar Bears
Written Sept. 29, 2007 by Don Middleton

WESTERVILLE, OHIO―The Otterbein Cardinals (1-3, 1-2) fell to No. 11 Ohio Northern (4-0, 3-0) by a score of 27-14 Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

The Polar Bears opened up the scoring when quarterback Jeff Pankratz hit Brook Crawford on a 15-yard TD pass with 7:53 remaining in the first quarter.  Cornerback Steve Gunter gave ONU good field position after a 24-yard interception return put the ball on the OC 28-yard line.  The extra point failed after a botched snap, leaving the score 6-0.

After a 49-yard punt return by Michael Busch, putting ONU on the Otterbein 33-yard line, running back R.J. Meadows scored on the first play of the second quarter on a 26-yard run.  Meadows added the two-point conversion to put the Polar Bears up 14-0.

A blocked punt by Steven Gunter gave ONU the ball on the Otterbein 14-yard line and Pankratz found Meadows wide open in the flat for a 14-yard strike with 12:34 remaining, giving ONU a 21-0 lead.

With 4:29 remaining in the first half, Jake Heaphy added a 40-yard field goal to put ONU up 24-0.  Heaphy added another field goal of 27 yards to end the half with ONU leading 27-0.

After being shutout in the first half, Otterbein got on the board quickly with 12:36 remaining in the third quarter.  Otterbein started off with great field position after a 48-yard kickoff return by senior Josh Bope (Plain City/Jonathan Alder) to put the Cards on the ONU 39-yard line. After two pass interference penalties gave OC good field position, junior fullback Eric Yates (Dublin/Scioto) scored on a 2-yard TD run.  The touchdown was the first of the season for Yates.

With 4:17 remaining in the third quarter, senior quarterback Paul Stelzer (Delaware/Hayes) found sophomore tight end Michael Detwiler (Westfield Center/Cloverleaf) on a screen pass that the sophomore ran 15 yards after the catch for an Otterbein touchdown.

Offensively for the Cardinals, Stelzer finished 13 of 29 for 111 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.  Yates finished with 47 yards on eight carries and one touchdown.

On the defensive side of the ball, senior defensive back Justin Ross (Canal Winchester) led the team with 11 tackles, while sophomore defensive back Austin Weaver (Dublin/Coffman) recorded the lone sack for the Cards.

Cards Host 11th-Ranked Polar Bears
Written Sept. 26, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein hosts 11th-ranked Ohio Northern, 7 p.m., Saturday in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

Ohio Northern, 3-0 overall, sits in a four-way tie with 10th-ranked Baldwin-Wallace, top-ranked Mount Union and 7th-ranked Capital atop the OAC, each 2-0 in league play. The Cardinals, 1-2 overall, share fifth place with John Carroll, each 1-1 in the OAC.

Otterbein, under head coach Joe Loth, who is in his fifth season at his alma mater, rolled to a 41-23 win at Marietta last Saturday. The offense, led by senior quarterback Paul Stelzer, tallied 593 yards in the game, 423 yards through the air.

“We, obviously, played our best game of the year,” Loth said. “We need to build on that performance.”

Stelzer, who was named OAC Player of the Week on offense, threw five touchdown strikes in the first half, three to senior wide receiver Scott DeLong, and finished with 394 yards and five TD’s, both career highs, on 26-of-44 passing. DeLong made 10 receptions for 155 yards and three TD’s, all career highs. Senior running back Tyrone Morgan added 104 rushing yards on eight carries.

“Paul played an outstanding football game,” Loth said. “His ability to throw the deep ball really opened up the ball game for us.”

Although the Cardinal defense yielded 408 yards, they forced four turnovers, including three interceptions, in the win. Senior cornerback Tony Furr made two late fourth-quarter picks in the Otterbein end zone. Junior strong safety John Wahler and junior middle linebacker Eric Burnsides made nine tackles each. Whaler forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.

The Polar Bears, under head coach Dean Paul, who is in his fourth season at Ohio Northern, set a school record for pass sacks, 10, on their way to a 23-13 win over John Carroll last Saturday in Ada. Northern led 23-0 entering the fourth quarter.

Senior middle linebacker Lenny Trusnik made 10 stops, including 2.5 pass sacks, to earn OAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. The Polar Bears forced five turnovers in the game.

Junior running back R. J. Meadows scored twice on a pair of one-yard runs, finishing with 68 yards on 20 carries. Sophomore wide receiver Ben Wittwer caught eight passes for 108 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown reception from junior quarterback Jeff Pankratz.

Ohio Northern opened the 2007 season with a 42-0 win over Millikin at home Sept. 8 then defeated Muskingum, 27-9, on the road Sept. 15.

“ONU has one of the top-ranked defenses in the conference,” Loth said. “We need to be able to both run and throw the football this week to be successful.”

Following Ohio Northern, the Cardinals travel to Wilmington next Saturday while Ohio Northern hosts two-time defending national champion Mount Union. Both games are scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.

OAC Names Stelzer Player of the Week
Written Sept. 24, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Quarterback Paul Stelzer, a senior from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “offensive football player of the week”, the OAC released today.

Stelzer threw for five touchdowns and a career-high 394 yards on 26-of-46 passing in a 41-23 OAC win at Marietta last Saturday.  He threw touchdown passes of 5, 36, 5, 13 and 50 yards. Stelzer has now thrown five touchdown passes in three games over his career at Otterbein.

The quarterback came close to breaking Otterbein’s single-game passing records of six touchdowns and 427 yards.

MARIETTA, OHIO―The Otterbein Cardinals (1-2, 1-1) defeated the Marietta Pioneers (0-3, 0-2) Saturday in Marietta, Ohio by a score of 41-23. 

Quarterback Paul Stelzer, a senior from Delaware (Hayes High School), was 26 of 44 and set career highs in passing yards with 394 and touchdowns with five.   

Senior wide receiver Scott DeLong (Van Wert/Crestview) had 10 catches for 155 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. 

Senior running back Tyrone Morgan, from Columbus (Northland), led the rushing attack with 104 yards on 13 carries (8.0 avg.).

Otterbein got off to a quick 14-0 lead after touchdown passes of 5 and 36 yards from Stelzer to DeLong.  With three more touchdown passes in the second quarter, all to different receivers, fullback Brady Collins (Galena/Olentangy), sophomore wide receiver Dan Gendron (Newport, Mich./Jefferson) and a 50-yard pass to DeLong put the Cardinals up 34-10 at the half.

The Cardinals lone touchdown of the second half came from a 30-yard pass from sophomore running back Colton Coy (Chillicothe/Adena) to sophomore wide receiver Ryan Rowley (Grove City).

On the defensive side of the ball, Otterbein’s leading tacklers were junior defensive back John Wahler (Huber Heights/Wayne) and junior linebacker Eric Burnsides (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) with nine tackles each. The Cards forced four turnovers − three interceptions and one fumble recovery and added two sacks.

Junior defensive back Tony Furr (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe) added two interceptions to give him a team-leading three on the season.

Otterbein was 8 of 16 on third-down conversions and 2 for 4 on fourth-down.

The Cardinals defeated Marietta for the third-consecutive year, and with the win, tied the overall series with the Pioneers at 40-40.

The 41 points are the highest since the team put up 47 against Wilmington in 2005. The 593 total yards of offense was the teams highest total in four years as their last 500-plus yard (522) effort came in 2003 against Wilmington in a 30-21 victory.

Cardinals Fall to No.1 ranked Mount Union 
Written Sept. 15, 2007 by Don Middleton

ALLIANCE, OHIO —The Otterbein Cardinals (0-2, 0-1) fell to No. 1 ranked Mount Union (2-0, 1-0) Saturday in Alliance, Ohio by a score of 58-14.

The Purple Raiders used a balanced attack to wear down the Otterbein defense as they threw for 443 yards and added another 284 yards on the ground. Quarterback Greg Micheli completed 84 percent of his passes (22-26) and threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns.  Running back Nate Kmic led the way rushing with 126 yards on 13 carries and found the end zone three times.

After being shut out for the first three quarters, Otterbein got on the board with two touchdown strikes to wide receiver Scott DeLong from quarterback Paul Stelzer, who completed 9 of 19 pass attempts for 110 yards. DeLong led the Cardinals offense with 97 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Free safety Justin Ross made 12 tackles, four unassisted, to lead the defense.

Otterbein was 3-10 on third-down conversions and was outgained in total offense 727-149.

The Cardinals last win against Mount Union came in 1977 when they defeated the Purple Raiders 24-17 in Alliance. 

The Cardinals hit the road again next weekend (Sept. 22) as they travel to Marietta, Ohio to take on the Pioneers (0-2, 0-1) from Marietta College. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Cards Comeback Falls Short
Written Sept. 8, 2007 by Don Middleton

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein Cardinals (0-1) fell to Defiance College (1-1) in its season opener Saturday at Memorial Stadium. After trailing 16-0 in the third quarter, Otterbein’s comeback came up short, falling 16-14.

In a gme full of penalties (251 yards combined), Defiance’s Luke Dillon stole the show, setting a Defiance school record with 258 receiving yards and 17 receptions.

After a 2-hour and 55-minute weather delay that saw heavy rains and lightning, Defiance got on the board first. On its second possession, Hans Vetter connected with Dillon for 39 yards that put the Yellow Jackets on the Otterbein 2-yard line.  Running back Lewis Caralla punched it in the end zone on the next play to give Defiance a 7-0 lead. A 40-yard field goal with 8:26 remaining in the first half gave Defiance a 10-0 advantage.  The Cardinals trailed by a score of 13-0 at halftime and were outgained in total yards, 259-76.

Otterbein opened up the second half with a 46-yard kickoff return to the Defiance 34-yard line but failed to score after missing a 40-yard field goal.

In the third quarter, a 12 play, 62-yard drive for Defiance ended with a 36-yard field goal to increase their lead to 16-0.  After a pass interference penalty and a 29-yard pass to Ryan Rowley that put the Cardinals on the Defiance 1-yard line, quarterback Jack Rafferty got Otterbein on the board with a draw play up the middle. A pass to wide receiver Scott DeLong completed the 2-pt conversion for Otterbein to pull within eight, 16-8.

Rafferty added his second rushing touchdown of the game with 8:13 remaining in the fourth quarter to pull Otterbein within two, 16-14.  The Cardinals 2-point conversion failed as Rafferty’s pass took receiver DeLong out of bounds.

The win for Defiance was its first against Otterbein in their four-year non-conference meetings. Otterbein was outgained in total offense 443-251 and was only 1-12 on third-down conversions.

Cards Host Defiance in Home Opener
Written Sept. 5, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein opens the 2007 campaign with the Yellow Jackets of Defiance College in a nonconference matchup Saturday, 7 p.m.,  in Memorial Stadium. The Jackets are a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Saturday’s meeting marks the end of the current four-game series with the Yellow Jackets, which began in 2004. Otterbein will play Bethany (WV) the next two seasons in its only out-of-conference game.

“It’s been a good series,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is beginning his fifth season at his alma mater. “Defiance is a good football team. They went 7-3 last year, and should be good again this season.”

Defiance, under fourth-year head coach Robert Taylor, comes into the game off a 35-9 nonconference loss to Adrian last Saturday in Defiance. Adrian scored the game’s first 20 points before Defiance quarterback Hans Vetter hooked up with wide receiver Luke Dillon for a 39-yard score with 5:05 remaining in the first half. The Yellow Jackets suffered five turnovers in the loss.

Otterbein, meanwhile, returns 43 lettermen, including six starters on offense and five on defense, from last season’s 4-6 squad. 

“I feel real good right now,” Loth said earlier this week about his team’s preparation for the new season. “Our scrimmage (against Bethany last Saturday) went about as well as I thought it would. We just have to build off that.

“We have a real good bunch of kids,” Loth added. “They are working real hard.”

Senior quarterback Paul Stelzer, who missed the last four games of 2006 due to injury, returns to lead the offense. Stelzer averaged 137 passing yards a game, throwing for 13 touchdowns last season. In 2005, he threw for 2,593 yards and 21 TDs, leading the Cardinals to a 7-3 mark.       

Other key returnees on offense include senior wide receivers Josh Bope (42 rec./521 yds.), an honorable mention All-OAC pick last season, and Scott DeLong (40 rec./441 yds.); and senior running back Tyrone Morgan (101 att./429 yds.). DeLong led Otterbein in scoring with nine touchdown receptions.

Three-time Academic All-OAC free safety Justin Ross, a senior, returns to lead the defense. Ross, who received a medical redshirt for his junior season, led the Cards with three interceptions and averaged 5.3 tackles a game last season.

Otterbein leads Defiance, 5-2, in the all-time series that began in 1923. The Cardinals have won the last three meetings, including a 25-13 decision at Defiance in 2006.

Kieran Johnson Named Team MVP
Written Jan. 23, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein football coaching staff named linebacker Kieran Johnson “most valuable” and defensive end Tyler Evans and cornerback Andy Horvath as co-recipients of the Harry W. Ewing award, presented to the player who best exhibits commitment, hard work and pride.

Johnson, a junior from Columbus (Brookhaven High School), Evans, a senior from Oak Hill, and Horvath, a senior from Springfield (Southeastern), as well as the rest of the members of the 2006 football team were honored at the annual award’s banquet held last Sunday on the campus of Otterbein College.

Seventy-two players were awarded letters. 

Other players earning team honors were: Doug Tima, a senior offensive tackle from Bucyrus, “offensive line player of the year”; Josh Bope, a junior wide receiver from Plain City (Jonathan Alder), “offensive skill player of the year”; Matt Lisi, a defensive tackle from Columbus (Upper Arlington), “defensive front six player of the year”; Justin Ross, a senior free safety from Canal Winchester, “defensive secondary player of the year”; and Brady Collins, a freshman fullback from Galena (Olentangy), “special teams player of the year”.

For additional information, see below:

Kieran Johnson—Named first team All-OAC and second team Football Gazette All-North Region in 2006. Led the OAC with 97 tackles, including 9.5 for a loss of 46 yards. He tallied five pass sacks, forced three fumbles, recovered one fumble and made one interception.

Tyler Evans—Named second team All-OAC. Made 57 stops and led the team in tackles for a loss, with 15.5. He tallied 8.5 pass sacks for a loss of 55 yards.

Andy Horvath—Collected 22 tackles, 18 unassisted, and two interceptions in 2006.

Doug Tima—Named first team All-OAC and “offensive lineman of the week” four times this season by the Otterbein football coaching staff.

Josh Bope—Named honorable mention All-OAC. Led Otterbein with 42 receptions for 521 yards despite missing two games due to injury. Bope made four touchdown receptions.

Matt Lisi—Named first team All-OAC, third team Football Gazette All-North Region, and third team D3football.com All-North Region. Made 47 tackles, including 21 unassisted. Lisi tallied nine tackles behind the line of scrimmage for a loss 24 yards.

Justin Ross—Named game MVP twice in 2006 by the Otterbein football coaching staff. Team’s fifth-leading tackler, with 52. Made three interceptions.

Brady Collins—Named “special teams player of the week” twice by the Otterbein football coaching staff. Made 10 tackles.

Six Named to All-OAC Teams
Written Nov. 21, 2006 by Ed Syguda

AUSTINTOWN, OHIO—Six members of the Otterbein football team earned All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) honors, the OAC released today.

Doug Tima

Named to the first team were offensive tackle Doug Tima, a senior from Bucyrus, defensive tackle Matt Lisi, a senior from Columbus (Upper Arlington High School), and linebacker Kieran Johnson, a junior from Columbus (Brookhaven).

This marks the first time that Tima, a four-letterman, has made the All-OAC squad. The three-year starter was named “offensive lineman of the week” four times this season by the Otterbein football coaching staff.

Lisi, a three-time All-OAC performer, made 47 tackles, including 21 unassisted this season. He tallied nine tackles behind the line of scrimmage for a loss 24 yards. A four-year letterman, Lisi was named to the honorable mention All-OAC team as a freshman, and to the second team his junior season.

Matt Lisi

Johnson, who led the OAC in tackles in both 2005 and 2006, repeats on the first team. The three-year letterman collected 97 tackles, including 9.5 for a loss of 46 yards this season. He tallied five pass sacks, forced three fumbles, recovered one fumble and made one interception.

Named to the second team was defensive end Tyler Evans, a senior from Oak Hill. Evans, a three-year letterman, is making his first appearance on the All-OAC team. The defensive end made 57 stops and led the team in tackles for a loss, with 15.5, this season. He tallied 8.5 pass sacks for a loss of 55 yards.

Kieran Johnson

Named to the honorable mention team were defensive end Mike King, a junior from Dresden (Tri-Valley), and wide receiver Josh Bope, a junior from Plain City (Jonathan Alder).

King, a two-time All-OAC performer, recorded 45 tackles, including eight for a loss of 50 yards this year. The three-year letterman made 4.5 pass sacks, forced three fumbles and broke up five passes. King earned second team All-OAC honors as a sophomore.

Tima and Ross Named to Academic All-District Teams
Written Nov. 9, 2006 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Two members of the Otterbein football team were named to 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV teams as selected by the College Sports Information Director’s of America (CoSIDA), released today by CoSIDA.

Offensive tackle Doug Tima, a senior from Bucyrus, and free safety Justin Ross, a senior from Canal Winchester, were selected to the second team.

Tima, majoring in physical science/secondary education, is a three-year starter. He is serving a term as vice chair of the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Ross, majoring in business administration, sits fourth among teammates with 49 tackles, 27 unassisted, this season. The three-year starter has two interceptions.         

Academic All-District IV team members are selected through voting by CoSIDA, a 2,000-member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. District IV encompasses the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.