Ohio Wesleyan got touchdowns from its offense, defense, and special teams units while building a 31-0 lead, and the Bishops went on to record a North Coast Athletic Conference win over Hiram on Saturday at Selby Stadium.
The Bishops turned the ball over on their first 2 possessions of the game but got the ball back when junior cornerback Nick Heidel (Cincinnati/Indian Hill) picked off a Randy Tucker pass and returned it to the Hiram 47 midway through the first quarter. A pair of Hiram penalties helped the Bishops to a first down at the Hiram 13, and an 8-yard gain by junior running back Curtis Duren (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty) set up a 5-yard scoring run by sophomore running back Trey Dixon (Atlanta, Ga./Westlake) that put the Bishops on the scoreboard.
Late in the first quarter, Tucker put together a drive for the Terriers, picking up 32 yards on a throw to Luther Fortson III and 11 more on a toss to Isaiah Jones. The Bishop defense clamped down there, however. With Hiram facing third-and-3 from the OWU 27, sophomore defensive end Kor'Darius Melton (Warner Robins, Ga./Houston County) sacked Tucker for a loss of 8 yards, and on fourth-and-11 from the Bishop 35, Tucker went down for a 10-yard loss while trying to elude a pair of Ohio Wesleyan rushers.
Ohio Wesleyan took over at its own 45-yard line, and after a loss of 1 and a pair of incompletions, the Bishops lined up in punt formation. But Duren, lined up as the punt protector, fielded the snap and threw to senior cornerback Sterling O'Hara (New Canaan, Conn.) on the right side, and O'Hara weaved through the Terrier defense to complete a 56-yard scoring play.
Freshman kicker Gabe Philhower (Reynoldsburg) added a 23-yard field goal on the Bishops' next possession, and with Hiram on the march, the Bishop defense came up with another big play when sophomore linebacker Cody Streit (Griffin, Ga.) took the ball away from Tucker and returned the fumble 54 yards for a score. Philhower's extra point increased the margin to 24-0.
Junior wide receiver Mher Tcholakian (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) recovered an onside kick to give the ball back to the Bishops, and freshman quarterback Jeremy Robinson (Roswell, Ga./Milton) found senior wide receiver Deji Adebiyi (Canton, Mich./Plymouth) for gains of 35 and 15 yards, the latter going for a touchdown that helped Ohio Wesleyan stretch the margin to 31-0.
On the ensuing kickoff, Hiram's A.J. Daniels escaped a scrum and broke free for a 95-yard return that put the Terriers on the scoreboard, but Alex Warren-Green's point-after kick hit the upright.
Robinson connected with freshman wide receiver Kenny Streb (Willowick/Eastlake North) on a 30-yard scoring play on the opening possession of the third quarter, and the Bishop special teams would shine for the remainder of the period. On Ohio Wesleyan's next 2 possessions, the Bishops faced fourth downs inside Hiram territory and lined up as if to go for the first down, but Robinson booted quick kicks both times, with both kicks downed inside the Hiram 1-yard line. Heidel boomed a 61-yard punt that also was downed inside the Hiram 1-yard line. On the Terriers' 4 possessions during the period, the average starting field position was the Hiram 3-yard line. After Heidel's punt, on third-and-10 from the Hiram 1, senior nose tackle David Praul (Sunbury/Buckeye Valley) sacked Terrier quarter Rodney Myers, Jr., in the end zone for a safety that increased the lead to 40-6.
Myers would direct a drive late in the period, finding Fortson for 10 yards and a first down before connecting with Jaris Foreman for 37 yards. On second-and-16 from the Bishop 22, Myers avoided pressure in the backfield and scrambled 22 yards for a touchdown and the 40-12 final.
Robinson completed 11 of 23 passes for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns. Adebiyi caught 3 passes for 69 yards and a score, while junior wide receiver Sasoun Tcholakian (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington) had 3 catches for 26 yards. Senior running back Jesse Beachy (Plain City/Jonathan Alder) led the Bishops with 45 yards on 13 carries.
Senior linebacker Michael Smosny (Elyria) led the Bishops with 7 tackles, senior nose guard Chicho Rodriguez (San Clemente, Calif.) added 6 stops, and Melton finished with 4 tackles, including 2 sacks.
Tucker completed 6 of 12 passes for 67 yards and Myers completed 8 of 14 throws for 103 yards. Fortson finished with 8 receptions for 102 yards. Jones led all rushers with 60 yards on 21 carries. Isaiah Azubike and Horace Johnson had 10 stops apiece for Hiram.
