BEXLEY -- The Heidelberg University football team put a bow on the 2022 season with a 44-30 win at Capital University on Saturday.  In a microcosm of the entire season, little came easy for the Student Princes in the grind-it-out victory -- but The Berg persevered nonetheless.  

The Berg finished the campaign with a 7-3 record overall, 6-3 in the rugged Ohio Athletic Conference to finish fourth.  

KEY PLAYERS
Montavious Yearby picked up 305 all-purpose yards on 27 carries, two receptions and two returns -- finding the end zone on four occasions.  

Linebacker/punter Parker Smith had a team-high 12 tackles and averaged 40.3 yards on three punts.  For the season, Smith averaged a league-best 41.6 yards per attempt, tied for second-best in HU history.  

HOW IT HAPPENED
After gifting Heidelberg two points with a bad-snap safety, the Comets took the lead in the first quarter when former Student Prince-turned graduate transfer Trevor Harrison-Rawn threw a one-yard touchdown to Aralious Walters Jr. 

Yearby helped the Student Princes regain the lead.  After scampering 49 yards on the ensuing kickoff, the Port St. Lucie, Fla., native needed four carries to find paydirt.  

After Capital retook the lead, Heidelberg responded with another touchdown drive.  The nine-play journey, which included an 18-yard pass from Drew Sims to Oliver Kelleher on 4th-and-7, ended with a six-yard waltz by Yearby.  

The Comets started a tumultuous final two minutes of the half with a go-ahead 35-yard field goal by Tyler Terrell at the 1:39 mark. A fumble on the first Heidelberg play after the kickoff gave the hosts the ball near midfield -- though a long return by Louie Hoersten was negated by a blocking penalty after the turnover.  

Capital looked to extend their lead and carry momentum into the intermission after the turnover.  However, Kingston Mabatah -- hidden behind the line of scrimmage -- stepped in front of a pass and returned it 50 yards for a much-needed HU touchdown.  Branden Steckel's PAT gave the Tricolor a 23-17 lead at the break.  

Dylan Drake partially blocked a punt on the first drive of the second half, which set up the 'Berg offense.  Two plays later, Yearby caught a ball in the flat and turned it into a 54-yard touchdown reception that extended the Heidelberg advantage.

Later in the third, Sims connected with Kelleher on a 22-yard strike.  The Steckel PAT put HU up 37-17.  

Ahead 37-23 in the fourth, Yearby capped Heidelberg's scoring with a three-yard score.  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE 
Blackiston wraps up his career with a program-record 41 sacks. With 66.5 tackles for loss, he finishes 1.0 TFLs behind Austin Crow for the 'Berg record.  

Yearby had 160 yards on the ground and finished the season with 1,030 yards despite missing two games. With 3,254 career rushing yards, Yearby sits sixth in the HU record books.  

Sims had 186 yards and two touchdowns through the air.  Through his junior season, the signal-caller has amassed 5,233 yards (sixth) and 58 touchdown passes (fourth).  

Tyler Turek had three tackles for loss and two sacks on the afternoon.  

With the win, Heidelberg improved to 19-4 in games following a loss in the seven-year tenure of Head Coach Scott Donaldson.

Heidelberg has won 12 straight games over Capital. During the streak, HU has averaged 54.3 points per game.