Panthers Knock Off Oilers 20-10
The University of Findlay football team fell 20-10 to Ohio Dominican University on Saturday, October 16 at Panther Field in Columbus, Ohio. The loss gives the Oilers a 1-6 record on the season with a 1-5 mark in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
The Panthers marched down the field on the opening possession and scored a touchdown for the first points of the game, which was followed by a long drive by the Oilers that did not end the way they would have liked.
After the score by the Panthers, the Oilers drove the ball down to the Ohio Dominican one-yard line. The Oilers appeared to score on a touchdown run by sophomore running back Monterae Williams, but a second effort by the Canton, Ohio native resulted in a fumble.
The Panthers again started to drive on the Oilers early in the second quarter but junior defensive back Donte Johnson gave the team a lift by picking off a pass inside the Oilers five-yard line, but the Oilers could not move the ball. A big punt return then by Ohio Dominican resulted in a 38-yard field goal by Chris Vortkamp to push the lead to 10-0 with just over two minutes to play in the half.
On the ensuing possession, freshman quarterback Zach Tate tossed an interception, but Johnson once again made a big play for the defense with an interception in the end zone to halt any hopes of the Panthers adding to their lead.
After the interception, the Oilers drove the ball down the field and set up senior kicker Cameron Stevens for a 42-yard field as the half expired to make the score 10-3 in favor of Ohio Dominican at the break.
In the third quarter, the Oilers took the opening possession and tied the game at 10-10 when Williams found the end zone from two yards away with 8:34 remaining in the period.
Ohio Dominican broke the 10-10 tie with 1:51 to play in the third quarter when they connected on a four yard touchdown pass from Jeremy Fudge to Tyler Maddux.
Holding a 17-10 lead, the Panthers again added to their point total early in the fourth quarter as Vortkamp drilled a 37-yard field with 13:20 remaining in the game and then held the Oilers scoreless for the remainder of the game to pick up their first win on the year.
Tate finished the game by completing 18-of-35 passes for 182 yards as senior wide receivers Dustin Zielaskiewicz and DaJerrian Smith caught six passes apiece.
Smith tallied his six catches for 62 yards while Zielaskiewicz recorded 61 yards with his reception total.
Williams added 109 yards on 25 carries while sophomore running back Demetrius Trapps registered 42 yards on eight carries.
On defense, sophomore linebacker Brandon Butler, freshman linebacker Kenny Klatt and sophomore defensive lineman Richard Sumlin had eight tackles each to lead the way.
The Oilers will be back in action again on October 23 when they host Lake Erie College at noon in Donnell Stadium.