Football suffers heartbreaking loss on final play of game

The Muskingum football team suffered a heartbreaking loss on the final play of the game against Heidelberg on Saturday. The Student Princes kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired to escape New Concord with a 20-17 win.

The Basics

• Records: Muskingum (3-2 overall, 2-2 OAC), Heidelberg (3-1 overall, 2-1 OAC)
• Location: Bullock Health and Wellness Complex – New Concord, Ohio
• Attendance: 1,056

Notables

• Muskingum sophomore running back Donald Francis and sophomore linebacker Garrett Gurney were named the Wally’s Pizza Players of the Game. Francis rushed for a career-high 115 yards and one touchdown. Gurney led the team in tackles with 10 and notched one sack.

How it Happened

• Heidelberg faked a punt on a fourth and 10 from its own 27-yard line with less than a minute to play to set up the eventual game-winning 20-yard field goal. Griffin Pendry rumbled for 25 yards to give the Student Princes a first down and fresh momentum with the clock winding down.

Inside the Numbers

• Muskingum ended the outing with 337 yards of offense and 19 first downs.
• Muskingum controlled the clock, racking up a huge 36:36-23:24 time of possession advantage.
• Muskingum ended the game going 3-for-3 in the red zone with two touchdowns and one field goal.
• Senior quarterback Doug Crawford went 14-of-23 for 148 yards with one interception. He also added 21 yards rushing and one score.
• Sophomore running back Donald Francis rushed for a career-high 115 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries.
• Senior receiver Ja’Lin Goodman had four grabs for 59 yards.
• Senior receiver Travanti Keitt and senior tight end Gannon Unger each had three receptions.
• Sophomore linebacker Garrett Gurney recorded 10 tackles, with two tackles for loss and one sack.
• Freshman linebacker Ekyri Williams notched nine stops.
• Junior defensive lineman Toleo Malone had five hits and one sack for 12 yards.
• Montavious Yearby led Heidelberg with 198 yards rushing on 27 carries with one touchdown.
• Drew Sims passes for 171 yards and one score on 12-of-22 passing with one interception.
• Oliver Kelleher led Heidelberg with four grabs for 71 yards.
• Easton St. Clair had a game-high 12 tackles with one sack.
• Isaiah Kammer added nine hits and one sack.
• Heidelberg ended the game with 399 yards of offense and 20 first downs.

Up Next

• Muskingum next hosts Baldwin Wallace for its 101st Homecoming on Saturday, October 14. The game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Bullock Health and Wellness Complex.