Box Score COLUMBUS, Ohio – Finally, the anticipation is over.
After playing its first five seasons on Saturday afternoons in Columbus, the Ohio Dominican football team took to the turf at Panther Field under the lights to open up the 2009 season. Hosting the Falcons of Bentley (MA) University, the Panthers were fired up to ignite the late August evening crowd, but came up just short, 14-13.
The Panthers entered the game ranked 20th in the NAIA Preseason Poll. ODU will play an independent schedule this season as they transition from the NAIA to NCAA Division II.
The game was a story of two halves, with ODU controlling the first two quarters, while the momentum shifted to the other sideline in the final two quarters.
Defense controlled the opening stanza with neither team finding the endzone. The Panthers' Austin Wallace (So.-Reynoldsburg, OH; pictured) opened the second quarter and the scoring as he plunged in from 2-yards out to give his team the lead, 7-0. Wallace finished the game with a team-high 55 rushing yards.
Ten minutes later, junior quarterback Billy Griffin (Jr.-Columbus, OH) culminated an 8-play, 52-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown strike to Justin Campbell (Sr.-Laurel , MD). The extra point attempt by sophomore Chris Vortkamp (So.-Cincinnati, OH) sailed wide, but the home team held the 13-0 advantage.
Little did ODU know then, but their scoring was finished for the day.
Whatever adjustments Bentley made after the first half certainly worked in the second as the Falcon offense out-gained the Panthers, 208 to 88 yards, the remainder of the game.
The Falcons cashed in on a 13-play, 70-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Bryant Johnson to John Malone at the 8:29 mark of the third quarter to close within six, 13-7.
The two teams displayed some ferocious tenacity on both sides of the ball in the fourth quarter, but it was the Falcons that tilted the game to their advantage with their stifling defense combined with their ball control offense.
Bentley tied the score on its first possession of the fourth quarter as Johnson threw for his second touchdown of the game, connecting with Wade Critides from 4-yards out. Tyler McNamara's extra point proved true to give his team the 14-13 lead.
Ohio Dominican's subsequent drive, a 12-play, 54-yard possession, resulted in a 28-yard field goal attempt for Vortkamp. Unfortunately, the Panthers' last good chance to take the lead sailed wide left with 4:40 to play.
ODU had two more chances to score, but the offense could not move into scoring position as the clock ran out and left the home team on the losing end of the scoreboard.
The Panthers will have an opportunity to even their record under the lights of Panther Field as they host Seton Hill (PA) University on Saturday, September 5th. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 PM.
