ALLIANCE -- The Heidelberg University football team fell one step shy of its ultimate goal, stumbling in the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship Game.  Mount Union beat the Student Princes, 64-14.  

Heidelberg, champion of the OAC West, wraps up the unusual season at 4-1.  

Quarterback Drew Sims was 17-for-36 for 186 yards and two interceptions.  

Maceo Matthews and Dimitri Penick were the top targets through the air.  Matthews had 80 yards and Penick had 64.  Tight end Nick Cofer had 38.

Despite a bevy of trick plays by the Student Princes, the Purple Raiders took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter on a trio of touchdown passes by Braxton Plunk.

The hosts scored twice in the second quarter, taking a 35-0 lead at halftime.  

Trailing 50-0, Heidelberg got on the board late in the third quarter.  HU went 65 yards on nine plays -- including a 30-yard completion from Sims to Matthews.  After a 14-yard carry down to the one by Yearby, Jace Grossman plunged in from the one.  

On their next possession, the Tricolor embarked on an 11-play, 70-yard drive.  Settling for shorter pass plays, Sims and the Student Princes methodically moved the ball into the red zone.  Yearby danced into the end zone from 14 yards out.  

Heidelberg struggled on money downs, going 3-16 of third down and 3-4 of fourth

Brandon Reed had four kick returns for 118 yards, including a long of 58.  

The OAC had not had a championship game since the 1983 season.  Heidelberg played in -- and won -- the inaugural championship game in 1972.