WILMINGTON, Ohio -- On the road for the first time this season, the Heidelberg University football team emerged victorious -- grabbing a 38-16 win over Wilmington College. The Student Princes moved to 2-0 on the season and handed Wilmington (2-1) its first loss of the season.
The win was Heidelberg's 12th consecutive win over the Quakers.
"We won an unbelievably physical football game against a very good opponent," said Heidelberg Head Coach
Scott Donaldson. "We needed all three phases to step up, and they did."
After throwing for six touchdowns in his debut, freshman quarterback
Drew Sims was 16-for-32 for 289 yards. He threw four touchdown passes and was intercepted twice.
Receiver
Maceo Matthews Jr. had another big game with 196 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensively,
Tramon Wiley had a team-high 10 tackles while Zach Blackiston had three sacks.
Michael Warden had an interception -- his second of the season.
After a short kickoff, Heidelberg marched down the field on the opening drive. The Student Princes used eight plays to drive 66 yards, finishing with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Sims to
Dimitri Penick.
Branden Steckel tacked on the extra point.
Leading 7-3 with 13 minutes remaining in the second quarter, the Student Princes received a Wilmington punt at their own 29 yard line. After an incomplete pass, Sims found Matthews streaking down the middle of the field for a 71-yard touchdown.
After a short punt from the Quakers, Heidelberg had prime field position, already ahead 14-3. The Student Princes lost yardage on a first-down sack, but recovered the distance on second down. Facing 3rd-and-10, Sims found
Glenn Pearson for a 12-yard first down. On the next play, Sims went to Matthews again who scored a 28-yard touchdown. Steckel's kick boosted the Heidelberg lead to 21-3.
Wilmington responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive for a touchdown. After a Heidelberg pass interference call, Kyle Barrett found Itika Wynn Jr. for a 19-yard touchdown pass.
Down 21-10 just before half, the Quakers drove down to the 'Berg two yard line, but were unable to clock the ball as time expired.
A three-and-out for the Heidelberg defense saw Wilmington punting from deep in its own territory. The punt was blocked by
Jace Grossman and recovered by
Garrett Mullet in the end zone for a Heidelberg touchdown.
The next Heidelberg possession was a 14-play, 90-yard touchdown drive. The Student Princes started from their own 10 after a Wilmington punt. Working the clock, Heidelberg kept the ball on the ground and gained the yardage to keep the chains moving. Facing 3rd-and-20 from their own 36. Sims hit Matthews again for a 39-yard gain and a first down along the right sideline. With a fresh set of downs, the Student Princes continued to chew up clock. Sims notched his fourth touchdown pass of the game, a 10-yard pass to
Nick Cofer who carried a defender into the end zone.
On the following possession, the Quakers took 1:27 to go 75 yards for a touchdown. Barrett was 6-8 passing on the drive and completed a 34 yard touchdown pass to finish the drive.
Heidelberg closed the scoring with a 21-yard field goal from Steckel.
The Student Princes will travel to Westerville next week for a showdown against Otterbein (0-2). The game, slated for a 7 p.m. start marks the annual battle for the Rhine River Cup.
Photo by Randy Sarvis
