TIFFIN -- On Homecoming, the Heidelberg University Football team pounded out a 34-3 win over Ohio Northern on a picturesque day on campus. The Student Princes delivered big hits and big plays in all phases of the game, improving to 6-1 on the season and 4-1 in the OAC.
The win was the 65th in the career of Head Coach
Scott Donaldson, giving him sole possession of second place in program history. He passed Dick West, who racked up 64 wins from 1984-1997. Paul Hoernemann (1946-1959) holds the top spot with 102 wins.
The win pushed Heidelberg's record in the Bendo Bowl series to 12-4. The Bendo Bowl was created in 2011 by former HU head coach Mike Hallett and former ONU head coach Dean Paul as a way to honor the lives of Ronnie and Jason Bendekovic. Ronnie was an assistant in Ada at the time of his passing in 2005, and Jason was an assistant at Heidelberg when he passed away in 2010.
After a scoreless first quarter, Ohio Northern seemed poised to take the lead early in the second. On 2nd-and-goal from the six, 'Berg linebacker
Mason Villarreal stepped in front of a pass on the goal line and returned it to the 16.
The Polar Bears forced, then blocked a punt on the ensuing possession. But once again, the defense was equal to the task and forced a turnover on downs.
Later in the second, Elijah Sims came off the right edge and blocked a Polar Bear punt, giving HU a jolt of energy and much-needed field position. The offense went 16 yards in seven plays, including a gutsy run by
Drew Miller on 4th-and-1. Shea Sparks plunged into the end zone from a yard out. The extra point, however, sailed right.
Aided by a costly personal foul, ONU executed a two-minute drill and poked through a 31-yard field goal just before the end of the half.
Moments after being crowned Homecoming Royalty,
Tyreese Clerveau return the opening kick of the third to midfield. From there, Quarterback
Alex Arledge followed with a 44-yard pass deep over the middle to
Aiden Bradshaw, setting the tone for a monster second half for the Student Princes. Miller scored from a yard out, which, along with a
Fulton Krupp PAT, gave HU a 13-3 lead.
Later in the third, another long bomb from Arledge set the offense in motion. This time it was a 47-yard strike to
Dmitry Peters. Following six straight carries from Miller, Arledge scored on a QB draw from six yards out.
Up 20-3 in the fourth, Arledge completed a 38-yard touchdown pass to Peters. Following an ONU three-and-out, Arledge connected with Bradshaw on a 42-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown across the middle.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
Arledge was 13-for-27 for 252 yards and two touchdowns … Miller finished with 93 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries … Peters racked up 96 yards and Bradshaw finished with 91 …
Thomas Zacharko had five tackles, including a sack, a TFL and a forced fumble.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
Ohio Northern was held to 143 yards of total offense -- the first time in the Bendo Bowl series a team failed to eclipse the 200-yard plateau … ONU's three points tied the lowest output in the series, equaling their mark set in a 37-3 loss in 2022 … Donaldson is 65-40 in his career. His .644 win percentage is fourth-best among coaches with at least 3 seasons at the helm in program history -- sitting behind Hoernemann (102-18-4, .839, 1946-59), J.O. Newton (18-6-0, .750, 1918-21), and I. Roy Martin (17-7-2, .692, 1914-17).
UP NEXT:
Heidelberg welcomes Marietta College next Saturday for the home regular season finale. Kickoff on Senior Day is scheduled for 2 p.m
