The Ohio Northern football team scored touchdowns on both of its overtime possessions and got a big defensieve stop on a 4th and 8 to hold on for a 27-20 double overtime victory at John Carroll on a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Don Shula Stadium.
The Polar Bears improve to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, while the Blue Streaks fall to 3-3, 3-2.
Sophomore Christiaan Williams (Sidney/Anna) ran 31 times for 212 yards, including an 18-carry, 159-yard effort in the first half. He also caught four passes for 82 yards and finished the day with 294 all-purpose yards.
Williams also surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season with 1,085 rushing yards in six games.
Junior Will Freed (Carlsbad, Calif./San Marcos) completed 20-of-39 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns for ONU.
The game was tied at 13-all after regulation and John Carroll went on top 20-13 on a 9-yard pass from Anthony Moeglin to Brian Kornowski on its first overtime possession.
Northern answered with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Freed to sophomore Rodney Holmes (Miami, Fla./Hallondale) to tie the game at 20-all and send the game to a second overtime.
In the second OT, Freed his sophomore Caleb Saalfeld (Modesto, Calif./Fred Beyer) on a 12-yard TD pass to put ONU ahead 27-20.
The ONU defense forced an incomplete pass on a 4th and 8 from the 23-yard line on John Carroll's second overtime possession and came away with the victory.
"I'm so proud of the way our guys kept fighting," ONU head coach Dean Paul said. "We showed a lot of poise, a lot of fight. Once it got to overtime we tried to focus on winning the next play, winning the next series. We kept fighting and got a road win against a very talented opponent."
Ohio Northern out-gained John Carroll 531-292 in total offense and held the ball for 33:04 of regulation against JCU, who won the OAC and reached the national semifinals a year ago.
Defensively, sophomore Mark Niles (Miramar, Fla.) and freshman Andrew Valenti (Farmersville/Valley View) had 10 tackles each to lead ONU.
Golphin rushed 15 times for 130 yards and a score to lead the Blue Streak offense.
The Polar Bears will return to action next Saturday with a 1 pm kickoff at Muskingum.
IMG_0167.JPG
