MARIETTA -- The Heidelberg University football team turned five turnovers into 24 points in an emphatic 44-21 win over host Marietta College on a steamy Saturday on the gray turf of Don Drumm Stadium. The 'Berg defense recovered three fumbles and picked off two passes in what Head Coach
Scott Donaldson called "a huge bounce back win against a very good opponent."
In the process, receiver
Maceo Matthews Jr. became the program's all-time leader in touchdown receptions. Needing one to pass Demetrius Magee (2014-2017), Matthews scored three touchdowns on the day.
Quarterback
Drew Sims fired five touchdown passes in all, going 16-for-27 for 317 yards.
Tailback
Montavious Yearby returned to the field with 105 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively,
Jacob Gerlak and
Easton St. Clair each had picks while
Ben Roberts,
Tyler Turek and
Jared Evans each recovered fumbles.
"We used the bye week to get healthy and our guys didn't show any rust," said Donaldson. "I'm very proud of the way we came out of the gate. We just need to get out of halftime better in the future."
Heidelberg won the coin toss, elected to receive, then drove 75 yards in 10 plays for a score. Matthews took a swing pass and knifed through the Pioneer defense for the record-setting 14-yard touchdown reception.
On the ensuing Pioneer possession, Turek knocked the ball loose from the grip of quarterback Connor Vierstra. Roberts pounced on it at the Marietta 31. From there, the offense needed six plays to find payturf. Yearby waltzed into the end zone from a yard out.
Branden Steckel's extra point gave HU a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
The next Marietta drive ended in a strip-sack by Zach Blackiston, recovered by Evans at the Pioneer 24. This time, Sims and company needed just one play to get into the end zone -- a 24-yard pitch and catch to
Dimitri Penick in the front right corner of the blue turf.
Down 21-0, Marietta got on the board in the final play of the opening period. Vierstra found Dawson Snyder for a 17-yard touchdown pass.
Momentum seemed to be shifting in favor of the home team early in the second. A pass by Sims was intercepted and returned to midfield by Darius Hatch. Two plays later, however, Vierstra fumbled the ball as he turned to his left to throw a quick pass into the flat. With an empty hand coming forward, the ball fell to the turf where Turek rolled onto it. Four plays later, Sims found Matthews for a 38-yard strike.
Following a turnover on downs by Marietta, HU worked to pad its lead. Facing 3rd-and-10 from the Pioneer 38, Sims found an incredibly wide-open
Brandon Reed for a touchdown. The person nearest to Reed when he caught the pass was the back judge. Steckel missed the extra point, snapping a streak of 64 in a row.
After back-up quarterback Logyn Ratliff drove the Pioneers into 'Berg territory before halftime, St. Clair stepped in front of a pass and returned it 50 yards. HU stalled in the red zone, settling for a 21-yard field goal by Steckel with 15 seconds remaining in the half. The kick gave HU a 37-7 lead at the break.
Marietta scored twice in the third quarter, closing to within 16 at 37-21.
On the first play of the fourth, Matthews caught a quick pass on a slant between two defenders and raced 57 yards for a touchdown. It would be the final score of the contest.
Despite working with small fields, Heidelberg outgained Marietta 444-314. The Student Princes were 8-of-16 on 3rd downs.
The 24 points off of turnovers is the most for the Student Princes since scoring 28 points in a season-opening win over Alma College in September of 2014.
Next for Heidelberg, Otterbein and the Rhine River Cup await. HU hosts the Cardinals on Homecoming and Hall of Fame Day for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
