TIFFIN, Ohio – The Ohio Dominican Panthers (5-5, 4-4 G-MAC) football team used a few turnovers to their advantage in the road finale against the Tiffin Dragons (6-4, 5-3 G-MAC) on Saturday (Nov. 7) afternoon.
The Panthers got their first win in Frost-Kalnow Stadium in nearly 12 years as Ohio Dominican has beaten the Dragons in back-to-back years with a 26-21 win.
BOX SCORE NOTES
- Carson Parker accounted for three touchdowns in the game with a pair of passing touchdowns and a rushing score. Parker threw for 210 yards on 21 completions of 52 tries.
- Luke Hess caught both touchdown passes - part of a seven catch, 89-yard day.
- Joey Triplett had four catches for 41 yards. Angelo Harper, Gage Bodey and Zack Stevens all made three catches in the game. Harper had 44 yards on his catches while Bodey and Stevens had 24 and 17 yards, respectively.
- Ryan Elliot made two of his field goals tries, including makes from 21 and 26 yards.
- Elijah Lambert had a team-high nine tackles, adding 1.5 tackles for loss.
- Domink Richardson made seven tackles.
- Mason Welsch, Dalton Chilcoat and Gabe Pence were all heavily involved on defense as each player made six tackles. The trio combined for 5.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, an interception, and a fumble recovery and forced fumble.
- Welsch forced a fumble and sealed the game with a pick along with 1.0 tackle for loss.
- Pence recovered a fumble and had half a sack.
- Chilcoat managed 3.5 tackles for loss on his own.
- Treyton Schroeder made his sixth interception of the season. He is now tied for first place in the record books for ODU with Alessio Amato (2019) for a single season.
- Sean Westmoreland added a fumble recovery.
- The defense as a whole combined for eight tackles for loss while getting four takeaways (two fumbles and two interceptions). Tiffin was one-of-15 on third downs.
- With two interceptions, the Panthers now have 19 for the season - sitting 2nd in program history,
- Ohio Dominican tallied 252 yards of total offense, including 210 passing yards and 42 rushing yards. Tiffin totaled 313 yards (147 rushing and 166 passing).
HOW IT HAPPENED
- ODU got the ball first and took advantage of a Tiffin turnover after the drive stalled. On the punt, the punt return was muffed and Westmoreland recovered the ball at the Tiffin seven-yard line.
- Two plays later, Parker connected with Hess on a seven-yard touchdown pass as ODU led 7-0 just over two minutes into the game.
- Tiffin was able to tie the game late in the first quarter on a six-yard touchdown run as it was 7-7 after the first quarter of play.
- The Panthers answered with a six-play, 75-yard drive to regain the lead. After a personal foul penalty, Parker and Hess combined for a 31-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was blocked as it was 13-7 Panthers with 13:18 left in the first half.
- Tiffin got stopped on a fourth-and-one deep in their own territory as Darius Barlow and Harlee Hanna forced the turnover on downs. The Panthers could not capitalize but a Tiffin turnover on the next drive proved costly.
- Welsch forced a fumble that was recovered by Pence, who took it into the red zone - setting up the Panthers at the 11-yard line.
- On a fourth-and-two, Parker rushed in from three yards out, pushing the lead to 20-7 with the Elliot extra point as the clock read 8:12 left in the half. ODU led 20-7 at the half.
- Tiffin quickly scored on the first drive of the second half on a 17-yard touchdown pass, trimming the lead to 20-14 with 13:17 left in the third quarter.
- Ohio Dominican added field goals by Elliot of 26 and 21 yards on back-to-back drives, putting the Panthers ahead 26-14 with 3:01 to go.
- Schroeder grabbed his sixth interception of the season but the game was 26-14 in favor of the Panthers after three quarters.
- The defense got another fourth-down stop early in the fourth quarter but the next play resulted in an interception by Parker.
- Tiffin got a one-yard touchdown run to put within 26-21 with seven minutes left.
- With less than two minutes left, Tiffin's defense forced a fourth down stop - giving the ball back to the Dragons with 1:41 left.
- The Dragons got into the red zone but Welsch ended the game with an interception in the end zone - sealing the game for the Panthers.
UP NEXT
The season finale will take place next Saturday (Nov. 14) as Hillsdale comes to town for Senior Day.
