PAINESVILLE, Ohio – The Ohio Dominican football team successfully opened its 2021 spring season Thursday night, defeating Lake Erie on the road, 28-3.

The Panthers, who conceded the first three points, scored 28 unanswered to secure their third consecutive season-opening win. Ohio Dominican has now won eight of its last 10 season openers.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Lake Erie controlled the possession early on, running 25 plays for 141 yards over its first three offensive series. The Storm used the time of possession advantage to take a 3-0 lead at the 11:17 mark of the second quarter.
• Ohio Dominican responded on its next series though, going 47 yards over 10 plays, to score the first touchdown of the season. Senior Frederick Pitts V (Huber Heights, Ohio) capped the drive with a 13-yard rush to the right pylon.
• The Panthers controlled possession for over nine of the final 11 minutes of the first half. ODU added another score before the intermission as redshirt junior James Morgan (Columbus, Ohio) snatched a pass in the back of the end zone from redshirt junior Evan Ernst (Mason, Ohio) with 10 seconds showing on the clock.
• The ODU defense flexed its muscles in the second half, allowing only 56 second half yards.
• Freshman Travis Whittaker (Gahanna, Ohio) scored a pair of second half touchdowns, as ODU outscored LEC 14-0 over the final 30 minutes of play.

BOX SCORE NOTES

• Overall, the Panthers outgained the Storm 308-212. ODU had 20 first downs while holding LEC to 10.
• The final time of possession numbers saw the Black & Gold finish with 37:22.
• Ernst completed 25-of-33 passes for 167 yards and one touchdown.
• The receiving game saw Morgan and senior David Turner (Fort Wayne, Ind.) each haul in eight passes. Wiley led the team with 50 receiving yards.
• Whittaker and Pitts combined for 29 carries and three scores, and the freshman led ODU with 15 attempts for 75 yards and two scores.
• Leading the defense was senior Dauson Dales (Defiance, Ohio). Dales made 10 stops and had a career-high three tackles for loss, all in the first half.
• In his first game with the Panthers, senior transfer Desdamon Lake (Youngstown, Ohio) made five stops.
• Junior Ashton Gilkey (Westerville, Ohio) had both Panther takeaways tonight, intercepting a pass in each half.

UP NEXT

• Ohio Dominican returns to the road next weekend with a trip to North Canton, Ohio.
• The Panthers will take on Walsh at 1 p.m., Saturday, March 20.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@ohiodominican.edu