Football celebrates Senior Day with 51-7 victory over Wilmington
By Tim Glon
ADA -- Ohio Northern scored on its first five possessions and cruised to a 51-7 football victory over Wilmington on Senior Day at Dial-Roberson on Saturday afternoon.
The Polar Bears improve to 4-5 overall and are 4-4 in Ohio Athletic Conference play, while the Quakers fall to 1-8, 1-7.
Senior Tate Humphrey completed 27 of 35 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns in three quarters of work and senior Carter Paul rushed 17 times for 103 yards and two scores to lead ONU.
ONU drove 55 yards in just five plays on its opening possession of the game and took a 7-0 lead on a 15-yard TD pass from Humphrey to freshman Devon Price with just 2:43 gone in the game.
Senior Justin Wilson scored on a 3-yard run and Northern led 14-0 with 7:33 left in the first period.
Wilmington got on the scoreboard on a 79-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Arehart to Jeremy Duncan and the Quakers were within 14-7 with 5:51 left in the first period.
But ONU answered as Paul plowed in from 3 yards out and the lead was 21-7 with 2:44 left in the opening stanza.
The Polar Bears marched 69 yards in eight plays on their fourth possession and went up 28-7 when senior DeMarqus Payne scored on a 16-yard pass from Humphrey with 13:36 left in the half.
Ohio Northern scored on its fifth consecutive possession, driving 61 yards in seven plays, and went up 35-7 on a 1-yard pass from Humphrey to senior Ben Myers.
ONU made it a 41-7 halftime lead when Paul banged over from 8 yards out with 41 seconds left in the half.
Humphrey started the second half by hitting senior Frank Thein on a 9-yard TD pass with 11:45 left in the third period to make it a 48-7 game.
Freshman Matt Chaney made a 37-yard field goal as time was winding down in the fourth quarter to wrap up the scoring.
Arehart completed 12 of 28 passes for 199 yards and a score and ran 10 times for 37 yards to lead WC.
Ohio Northern out-gained Wilmington 553-240 in total offense and held the ball for 36:25 in the game compared to 23:35 for WC.
The Polar Bears will wrap up their 2012 season next Saturday at 1:30 pm at Otterbein.
