MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College closed out the 2021 spring football season with a 34-7 win over Wilmington College Friday (April 16) evening at Don Drumm Stadium. The Pioneers finish with a 3-2 record, while Wilmington falls to 2-3 on the season.
The win secured Marietta's fourth straight non-losing season for the first time since 1966-69 under head coach Joe McDaniel. Current head coach Andy Waddle led the Pioneers to a 6-4 mark in 2017, 7-3 in 2018, 5-5 last season and 3-2 this spring.
"We have become a gritty football team that makes it hard for opponents to be successful," Waddle said. "The way we've been able to run the ball may not be flashy, but its successful. It fits the type of guys we have on our team right now; tough, hard-nosed guys."
After 25 minutes of scoreless football, Marietta scored three touchdowns in the final four minutes of the second quarter to take a 21-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
"Wilmington did a good job of game planning us. A lot of credit to them," Waddle said. "You can't take away everything and they did a good job of seeing where some of our vulnerabilities are."
Special teams set up the Pioneers' first touchdown. Austin Veatch returned a Quaker punt 35 yards to the Wilmington 20-yard line. Following an incomplete pass, three straight Bryce Agnew runs put the ball on the 4-yard line.
MC quarterback Ethan Brown connected with Gage Giovengo for the touchdown, the first of three touchdown passes in the game for Brown. Logan Alward added the extra point.
The Pioneer defense forced a three and out on Wilmington's next possession giving Marietta the ball on the Quaker 48-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Brown hit Dre Baldwin for a 38-yard completion. Agnew carried the ball for seven yards and Brown finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown to Maguire Morris. Alward converted the PAT for a 14-0 lead.
Jaelon Quiero-Gordon intercepted Kyle Barrett on Wilmington's first play of the ensuing possession and returned it to the Quaker 7-yard line. Agnew ran the ball to the one and then Brown carried it in for the score on second down. Alward's kick made it 21-0 with 26 seconds left in the half.
"Our secondary did a good job today," Waddle said. "They played consistent and didn't give up the big plays. We made them earn it all the way up and down the field."
Wilmington got on the board in the third quarter. Barrett hit Ace Taylor on a 3-yard touchdown. Gabe Dolen added the extra point.
Any hopes of a Quaker comeback were dashed early in the fourth quarter. Dominick Glenn blocked a Wilmington punt and the Pioneers took over on the Quaker 12-yard line. Three Agnew runs resulted in a touchdown with the final rush coming from four yards out. The point after attempt was no good.
Marietta's final points of the game came after Drake Neuberger sacked Barrett on fourth down giving the Pioneers the ball on the Wilmington 31-yard line. Aided by a roughing the passer penalty against Wilmington, Brown capped the scoring drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Glenn. Alward's kick made it 34-7 with just over four minutes left in the game.
Brown completed 12-of-26 passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns. Agnew finished with 100 yards rushing on 24 carries and one touchdown.
Barrett threw for 169 yards on 27-of-47 passes. He had one touchdown and was picked off twice. Ace Taylor caught 8 passes for 58 yards and a score. Barrett was also Wilmington's leading rusher with 33 yards on 11 carries.
The Pioneer defense limited Wilmington to just 69 yards on the ground. It was the fourth game this season that Marietta held its opponent under 100 yards rushing. Senior Kyle Gallagher led the MC defense with 9 tackles, including 2.0 sacks. Neuberger, the Ohio Athletic Conference sack leader, added 2.0 sacks and finished with 9.0 on the season.
Marietta will open the 2021 fall season on the road at the University of Dubuque on September 4th.