NEW CONCORD, Ohio – The Heidelberg University football team continued its winning ways with a dominant 52-7 win at Muskingum University on Saturday. The Student Princes intercepted five passes and limited the Muskies to seven first downs.
Heidelberg improves to 2-3 (2-2 OAC) and Muskingum remains winless, 0-5 overall and 0-4 in the conference.
KEY STATS
Heidelberg outgained Muskingum, 422 to 133 yards. The Muskies only gained 44 yards in the air.
After throwing five touchdowns in his debut, Tyler Stoyle threw four touchdowns against the Muskies. Stoyle was 21-for-36 with 233 yards and an interception.
Running back Bryan Lacey gained 80 yards on 16 carries (5.0 yards per carry). Lacey added two touchdowns, bringing his career total to 17 scores
FIRST QUARTER
After the teams traded punts on their opening possessions, Muskingum drew first blood. Melvin Smith ran for 56 yards before being tackled at the 2. On the next play, the Muskie running back finished the job, running left for two yards into the end zone. Cody Dent's point after put Muskingum up 7-0.
On the next drive, Heidelberg marched 68 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown. Running between the tackles, Bryan Lacey found paydirt from seven yards out. Stephen Smith added the extra point, tying the contest.
An interception by Alex Rentz gave the Student Princes possession inside the Muskingum 10. Two plays later, Tyler Stoyle connected with Nick DeLisa on a five-yard touchdown pass in the back corner of the end zone.
Another Heidelberg interception, this one by a diving Clay Staib, put the ball back in the hands of Stoyle and the 'Berg offense. Stoyle carried the ball three times and hit three different receivers in a seven-play 53-yard drive. Stoyle pushed into the end zone from a yard out on 2nd-and-goal. Smith's kick put HU up 21-7 after one.
SECOND QUARTER
Heidelberg scored on its fourth-straight possession early in the second. Stoyle connected with DeLisa from eight yards out with 10:58 left in the half.
After DeLisa returned a punt to the Muskie 31, Heidelberg threw three straight incompletions. On 4th-and-10, Stoyle's 24-yard completion to Dre Valliant resuscitated the drive. On the next play, DeLisa caught his third score of the game. The touchdown, from seven yards out, put Heidelberg up 35-7.
The Student Princes regained possession with 49 seconds left in the half and the ball at midfield. Lacey covered that distance in five carries, scoring on a 15-yard rush with 3 seconds left.
THIRD QUARTER
Zach Hogya scored his first touchdown of the season, capping an eight-play, 54-yard drive. Smith put through his seventh PAT of the day and Heidelberg led 49-7.
The fourth quarter was highlighted by two more interceptions. Zach Yates and Trevor Summerseach grabbed their first career pick.
FOURTH QUARTER
With most Heidelberg starters enjoying some shade on the far sideline, reserve running back Ty Nelson helped Heidelberg get back into the red zone. As the drive stalled, Smith split the uprights on a 33-yard field goal.
Midway through the fourth, Trevor Summers capped the afternoon off with the fifth interception for Heidelberg.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
DeLisa is the first Heidelberg receiver with three touchdown receptions in a game since tight end Derek Hug did it in the 2012 playoff loss to Wittenberg.
DeLisa finished with 194 all-purpose yards – 62 through the air, 54 on punt returns and 78 on kickoff returns.
The last time Heidelberg had five interceptions in a game was October 8, 2011 in a 17-7 win at Muskingum.
Of the 133 yards for the Muskingum offense, 56 (42.1%) came on Smith's big rush to set up the only Muskingum touchdown. An additional 20 yards (15%) came on the final play of the first half. The remaining 57 yards came on the other 52 offensive plays (1.10 yards per play).
UP NEXT
Heidelberg will host presumptive No. 1 Mount Union (5-0) on Saturday. The MTU 51-7 win over Ohio Northern, coupled with a Wisconsin-Whitewater loss on Saturday, likely springboards the perennial OAC power up to the top of the polls. Game time is slated for 1:30 p.m.