Photo Courtesy of Heidelber University's Isaura Renteria
(TIFFIN, Ohio) – The Wilmington College football team dropped their game Saturday afternoon at Heidelberg University, 49-35. They scored 28 points in the final quarter but couldn't complete the comeback. With the loss, the Quakers are now 3-5 overall and 2-5 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC).
Heidelberg took a 28-7 lead into the halftime break. The Quakers scored on their final drive of the first half after a 15-play drive. They used big plays of 13, 31, and 15 yards to get them down to the one-yard line with only seconds remaining in the half. Derek Larimer would find Kaleb Easley on a 4th and 1 to give the Quakers their first points. The score was 42-7 heading into the final quarter.
The Quakers finished their drive from the end of the third quarter with a Larimer pass to Saa'lih Muhammed for the 19-yard score and a 42-14 game. The Student Princes would turn the ball over on downs on their ensuing drive and give Wilmington the ball at their own 42. Plays of 13, 20, and 12 yards would push the ball to the Heidelberg 9-yard line. Larimer would find Easley for four yards before eventually scoring the touchdown on a five-yard pass to Lathan Jones, making the score 42-21.
Najee Dade would score later in the quarter on a 13-yard pass from Larimer, which capped off a 12-play, 83-yard drive to push the score to 49-28 after the Student Princes had scored earlier in the quarter. An onside kick was successful and put the Quakers at the Student Princes 25-yard line. Easley would end up scoring on another one-yard pass from Larimer after a 16-yard Muhammed completion set the Quakers up earlier in the drive at the nine-yard line, before pass interference put the ball at the two and a one yard pass got it to the one. The Quakers had one more opportunity to score in the game, but an interception would seal their fate.
Notables
- Derek Larimer threw for five touchdowns in the game, his third game this season with five or more touchdown passes (5 vs. Wooster, 6 vs. Capital).
- Nehemiah Jenkins ran for 58 yards on 19 attempts while Nathan Throckmorton rushed for 31 yards on nine attempts.
- Saa'lih Muhammed had the first 100 plus yard receiving game of his career, catching 11 passes for 136 yards and his second touchdown of the season.
- Seth Best was five for five on extra points.
- Najee Dade caught four passes for 47 yards and a touchdown and returned four kickoffs for 95 yards.
- Zac Schmidt (6 solo, 3 assists), Jake Sheriff (4 solo, 5 assists), and Jarod Lee (4 solo, 5 assists) all had nine total tackles in the game, with Sheriff also recording half a sack.
- Joey Weikel had 1.5 sacks in the game, and six total tackles (3 solo, 3 assists).
What's Up Next
The Quakers football team is back on the road next Saturday, playing Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio at 1:30 P.M.
