With the melted candle wax from his candlelight vigil still visible on the plaza outside of Hoernemann Stadium, the Heidelberg University football team did their fallen teammate, Curtis Helman, proud on Friday -- their first home game since his passing. The Student Princes won a hard-fought, hard-hitting game against rival Ohio Northern, 42-35, in the 10th iteration of the Bendekovic Bowl.
With the victory, The Berg (4-0) advanced to the OAC Championship next week, where they will face Mount Union (3-0). The game will take place in Alliance on Friday, with a 7 p.m. kick.
Sophomore tailback Montavious Yearby shouldered the load for the Student Princes. Yearby carried the ball 27 times for 194 yards and a touchdown. On HU's game-winning drive alone, he carried the ball eight times for 60 yards.
Late in the game, Ohio Northern (3-1) tied the game at 35 on a long pass play from Brody Hahn to Austin Eick. Heidelberg took over at their own 35 with 4:47 to play. Twice, Yearby carried the ball on third down, moving the chains each time. Jace Grossman punched the ball in from the 3 with 34 seconds left. Branden Steckel added the extra point.
ONU tried to pull off a miracle on the final play, but after three successful laterals, HU's Tyler Turek caught one and returned it 38 yards until time ran out.
Hahn finished with 463 yards passing, a Polar Bear record.
Heidelberg jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, scoring on a seven-yard rush from Branden Short and a 43-yard pass from Drew Sims to Maceo Matthews, Jr. After Hahn snuck in for one of his three rushing touchdowns on the day, Matthews Jr. caught another bomb from Sims -- a 58-yard touchdown.
ONU tied the game with two touchdowns in the second quarter. Knotted at 21, Heidelberg drove 75 yards in 2:12, scoring with 33 seconds to play in the half. Sims connected with Dimitri Penick, who made a beautiful diving catch in the left side of the end zone. HU led 28-21 at the break.
On the opening drive of the second half, Garrett Mullet forced a fumble that was recovered by CJ Ferrante near midfield. Two plays later, Yearby broke free down the left sideline and scored a 50-yard touchdown.
ONU got to with 35-28 in the third quarter, then looked poised to tie the game midway through the fourth. The 'Berg defense stood tall, stopping the ONU attack on a 1st-and-goal situation from the eight. ONU tried three rushes, then, on 4th down, Hahn rolled right and fired to the front corner of the end zone. Joseph Norris III broke up the pass, preventing the score.
The Polar Bears would tie it at 35 following a Sims interception, setting up the yeoman's effort from Yearby.
Sims finished with 288 yards and three touchdowns on 21-of-32 passing. Matthews Jr. went over 100 yards for the fourth time this season, finishing with 5 catches for 146 yards and two scores.
TIght end Nick Cofer had seven catches for 55 yards.
"Our offense is so fast paced, that trying to slow them down is difficult," said Head Coach Scott Donaldson. "Our O-line did a great job of switching up the tempo and eating clock against one of the best defensive lines in the country."
HU had 29 first downs -- 14 on passes, 14 on rushes and one on a penalty.
Defensively, Damontae Richmond and Turek each had a sack.
Ohio Northern hosts John Carroll in the 2-seed crossover game next weekend.
The Student Princes will carry Helman in their hearts as they battle the Purple Raiders next weekend.
Yearby carries 'Berg to OAC championship game
/seasons/2020/boxscores/20210409_us5z.xml
2020
Ohio Northern
35
Heidelberg
42
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio Northern (3-1) | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| Heidelberg (4-0) | 21 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
Apr 09, 2021