Muskie football improves to 4-1 in the OAC, ranked second in conference

J.T. Raymond
Staff Writer

Junior Trevor Cooper. rushes into a hoard of Otterbein defenders last Saturday in Muskingum's Homecoming game. The Muskies beat the Cardinals 20-12.

    The Muskingum College Fighting Muskies played their homecoming game this past weekend and they did not disappoint. Though the team got off to a rough start, they stormed back to beat the Otterbein Cardinals 20-12.

    Things looked dim early on for the Muskies as the Cardinals scored the first points of the game on a slip screen pass to John Conroy from Jared Adkins that went for forty-one yards. The extra point was blocked, and Otterbein was up 6-0. When things were looking bleak for the Muskies they got a huge lift from senior defensive back Ryan Spicer, who proved a savior for the Muskies.

    After a Muskie punt Otterbein drove right down the field to take what seemingly would be a commanding lead. But the Muskie defense stood tall, forcing the Cardinals to attempt a twenty-three yard field goal. Thats's when the Muskie's special teams took over as the kick was blocked, and Spicer scooped up the ball and raced seventy-seven yards to tie up the ball game. Senior Scott Elzey hit the extra point to give the Muskies a 7-6 lead.

    The game stayed square until the second half, when Otterbein took the ball on the opening drive of the third quarter and marched 49 yards in six plays. The drive was capped off when Josh Braden plowed into the end zone from two yards out to give the Cardinals a 12-6 lead. The Cardinals went for two, and Adkins' pass was intercepted by junior Mark Waller who ran it out of the end zone for a failed two-point conversion.

    Scoring was quiet until the six-minute mark of the game, when the Muskies - who needed a scoring drive - took the ball after a Cardinal punt and went 57 yards in five plays. The play was finished off by junior running back Trevor Copper, who raced into the end zone from seven yards out. The Muskies also went for two and failed but had a 13-12 lead late in the contest.

    Needing a quick score to have a chance to win the ball game, Otterbein took the ball and started to drive towards the Muskie end zone. But then Spicer came calling again as he jumped in front of an Adkins' pass and scampered up the sidelines for a forty yard interception return for a touch down. Elzey tacked on the extra point and put an end to the Cardinal hopes of winning the football game.

    A week before, over the fall break weekend, the Muskies traveled to Wilmington College. The Muskies used an aerial assault against the Quakers, throwing for 265 yards.

    Junior quarter back Matt Shaul was perfect on the day going 7-7, for 208 and one touch down. The touch down covered 48 yards to sophomore Aaron Cochran who made an acrobatic catch in the end zone.

    Not to be outdone was the running back duo of senior Nick Klein and junior Trevor Cooper. Klein rushed for 47 yards on ten carries and two touch downs, his longest being a 21 yard bruising run to the end zone. Klein also went over the top of the pile into the end zone for a two yard score later in the game. Cooper carried the ball 29 times for 142 yards en route to giving the Muskies a 24-7 over the winless Quakers.

    The Muskies are now sitting at 5-1 over all and 4-1 in the OAC. They are in a tie for second place in the OAC; they next play 5-1 Baldwin-Wallace at home on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

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