Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 41, Hiram 14
Freshman running back Nathan Severs (Galena/Big Walnut) scored on a 9-yard run that broke a 7-7 tie and started a 21-0 run that lifted Ohio Wesleyan to a win over Hiram in North Coast Athletic Conference action on Saturday at Selby Stadium.
The defense helped the Bishops take the lead during the first quarter, with sophomore safety Chris Burns (Grove City) picking off a Hiram pass and returning it 19 yards to the Terrier 29-yard line. On first down, freshman quarterback Colin Pearson (Dalton) connected with freshman wide receiver Austin Koslow (Delaware/Hayes) for 19 yards. Two Severs carries moved the ball to the Hiram 1, and after the Terriers held the Bishops on third down, freshman quarterback Maxton Brunner (Canal Winchester) got the final yard for the score.
Hiram pulled even early in the second quarter. Facing third-and-7 from their own 7-yard line, Pearson completed a pass to junior running back Devon Haley (Granville), but Hiram's Kade Scott forced a fumble and Navion Steadman recovered the ball at the 10-yard line and returned it for a touchdown. Michael Myers converted the point-after kick to make it 7-7.
The Terriers forced a 3-and-out on Ohio Wesleyan's next possession, but on the punt, sophomore defensive end Carson Rust (Enon/Greenon) forced a fumble by Hiram's Ricardo Jimenez on the return and senior wide receiver Cooper Haley (Orrville) recovered it at the Hiram 20. Severs went over from 9 yards out to cap a 5-play drive that put the Bishops ahead to stay.
Late in the half, Pearson moved the Bishops downfield with throws of 13 yards to Koslow, 15 yards to freshman wide receiver Jay Rockwood (Baltimore/Bloom-Carroll), and 13 yards to junior wide receiver Bryan Hines Jr. (Lima/Senior), with the last play setting up a first-and-goal from the Hiram 3. Pearson got the final 3 yards on his own, and with the kick by freshman Quin Schroeder (Leipsic), the Bishops took a 21-7 lead into the locker room.
Senior linebacker Bryar Ramey (Polk/Mapleton) picked off a Jaden Jennings pass and returned it to the Hiram 24 late in the third quarter, and on the next play from scrimmage, senior quarterback Kaden Buza (Winchester, Va./Millbrook) found sophomore wide receiver Braden Fitchko (Avon) for 24 yards and a score.
Hiram closed to within 28-14 on the second play of the fourth quarter, when Jonathan McKean forced a fumble that Jimenez recovered and returned 19 yards for a score.
Ohio Wesleyan answered with touchdowns on its next 2 possessions to seal the game, with Buza throwing a 10-yard strike to Koslow midway through the period and Severs going over from 1 yard out to cap a 50-yard drive on which Severs ran the ball 8 times for 49 yards.
Severs led all rushers with 132 yards and 2 touchdowns on 29 carries. Pearson completed 15 of 25 passes for 114 yards, while Buza completed 6 of 7 throws for 59 yards and 2 scores. Hines caught 5 passes for 37 yards. Ramey led the Bishops with 8 tackles, including 1½ for loss, and an interception.
Ohio Wesleyan limited Hiram to 56 yards total offense, marking the first time that the Bishops have held an opponent below 100 yards in total offense since Nov. 4, 2006, when Ohio Wesleyan yielded 84 yards in a 58-0 win over Hiram.
Box Score
