COLUMBUS, Ohio – After struggling to find their footing the week before, the Panthers were unleashed in full force Saturday night.
Rolling up nearly 600 yards of total offense, the Ohio Dominican football team looked solid in all aspects as they collected their first victory of the 2009 season, 44-21, over visiting Seton Hill (PA) University.
The Panthers (1-1) got on the board early and often, opening the scoring on their first drive with the first of two touchdown runs by Tyler Purcell (So., Franklin, OH; pictured). Purcell would add a 7-yard score late in the third quarter as he finished with a team-high 64 rushing yards.
ODU built their lead to two scores on their ensuing possession as quarterback Billy Griffin (Jr./Columbus, OH) connected with tight end Kyle Reichelderfer (Sr./Circleville, OH) for a 66-yard touchdown, culminating a drive that began inside the Panthers' own 1-yard line.
The hosts would get back on the scoreboard twice before the Griffins (1-1) could answer. Chris Vortkamp (So., Cincinnati, OH) kicked a 23-yard field goal, his first of three on the day, to open the second quarter. Six minutes later, quarterback Jeremy Fudge (So./Eaton, OH) plunged into the end zone from 7-yards out to give ODU a 24-0 lead.
Seton Hill got on the board with a 2-yard touchdown run from Darnell Jones shortly before the half. The ensuing ODU drive ended quickly after three plays, setting up a punt and a timely 62-yard return by the Griffins' Samuel Tranks to the ODU 16-yard line. That set the stage for the defensive play of the game.
After SHU quarterback DJ Lenehan's first down pass fell incomplete, he looked to the back of the end zone on second down. All he found there was Jeff White (Fr./Gahanna, OH) of Ohio Dominican, who made a great off-balance catch as he hovered over the end line to complete the interception and thwart the Griffins' hopes for a score.
The Panthers then marched 72-yards down the field, Vortkamp added his second field goal, this one a 25-yarder as time expired, to give ODU the 27-7 halftime lead.
Vortkamp opened the scoring in the second half with another 25-yard field goal on the Panthers' first drive before Seton Hill answered with an 18-yard touchdown strike between quarterback Nick Monteleone and Tranks to pull within 16 points, 30-14.
Unfortunately for the guests, that was as close as they would be the remainder of the game.
The Panthers added two touchdown runs, Purcell's 7-yard run in the third quarter and a 27-yard weave by Mark Nichols (Fr., Pataskala, OH) in the fourth, to round out their scoring and build a 44-14 lead.
The Griffins added a 10-yard run by Daniel Butler late in the fourth to cap the scoring.
Ohio Dominican racked up 595 yards of total offense, compared to 270 yards for Seton Hill. Griffin finished the game 13-for-22 for 206 yards, while Fudge completed 11-of-19 for 165 yards through the air. Reichelderfer hauled in seven passes for a career-high 162 yards. Austin Wallace (So./Reynoldsburg, OH) had 56 rushing yards for ODU, while Fudge added 50 yards to the ground attack.
The Panther defense played a huge part in the victory, collecting a fumble, an interception, and six sacks. Leading the defensive charge was Eisan Hardy (R-Fr., Pickerington , OH ), who had eight tackles and the Panthers' fumble recovery.
ODU will have an extra week to prepare for its first road trip of the season. The Panthers will hit the road to Canton, Ohio, to take on Walsh University on Saturday, September 19. Kickoff is scheduled for high noon in historic Fawcett Stadium.
