NEW CONCORD, OH – In a game in which defensive stops were at a premium, Muskingum turned two turnovers into immediate points and the Wilmington College football team fell to the Fightin' Muskies Saturday, 49-35, in Ohio Athletic Conference action in McConagha Stadium.
With WC looking to takes it first lead of the season, sophomore Luke Creditt (Wilmington, OH/Waynesville) threw his first interception of the game – and it was taken 98 yards for a Muskingum score.
The drive was set up as sophomore P.J. Meyer (Cincinnati, OH/Elder) recovered an onside kick on the Muskingum 47. Creditt hooked up with senior Justin Lee (Middletown, OH/Madison) for a 43-yard connection, giving Wilmington first and goal from the 10. Following an incompletion, Creditt made the aforementioned miscue.
Midway through the fourth quarter, with Wilmington driving for the tying score, another Creditt interception was taken back for a touchdown – this time a 54-yard return.
The two pick-six's took some of the shine off a career performance for the sophomore signal caller. He threw for a career-high 430 yards on 24-of-42 passing with four touchdowns and two interceptions. His favorite target on the day, Lee, also had a career game. He had a career-best 14 receptions for 273 yards. The 273 yards is the third-best single-game receiving performance in school history.
Muskingum raced out to a 14-0 lead before the Fightin' Quakers battled back.
Lee scored Wilmington's first score with a six-yard run, and then the defense recorded its first turnover as sophomore Darren Milligan (Franklin, OH/Carlisle) forced a fumble that was recovered by senior Amari Bryant (West Chester, OH/Lakota West).
A two-yard pass from Creditt to sophomore Aroyal Wright (Cincinnati, OH/Newport (KY)) capped a four-play, 56-yard drive.
The two teams traded four scores, the latter of which preceded the aforementioned onside kick. However, Muskingum retained the lead thanks to a missed extra point and a failed two-point conversion.
Wilmington got back to within one score with a 39-yard field goal by junior Grant Brown (Stoutsville, OH/Amanda Clearcreek) early in the third quarter. But, the Muskies answered with an 80-yard drive to regain a 14-point lead.
A fumble recovered by sophomore Franco Villella (Troy, OH/Miami East) on a punt return put Wilmington in business, and it was gift was cashed in with a 27-yard pass from Creditt to Lee. The Fightin' Quakers couldn't get any closer.
Sophomore Eric Flynn, Jr. (Cleveland, OH/Central Catholic) finished with a career-high 72 yards on 16 carries, and Wright added 89 yards on five catches and two touchdowns.
Defensively, senior Cody Reigelsperger (Trenton, OH/Edgewood) tallied a career-high 15 stops, while senior Tarrell Starckey (Richmond, VA/Highland Springs) added 10 tackles. Bryant and senior Jason Phillips (Etiwanda, CA/Etiwanda) each had eight tackles, while Phillips recorded an interception.
Wilmington finishes the 2015 season 1-9 overall, 0-9 in the OAC.
