Strauch scores 6 TDs; Mount Union rolls to 10th
He tied the school's single-game scoring record in a 59-10 win.
By MARK W. MILLER
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
ALLIANCE -- Mount Union senior running back Jeff Strauch turned in a career-best performance Saturday, tying the school's single-game scoring record with six touchdowns, as the Purple Raiders crushed winless Heidelberg 59-10 at Mount Union Stadium.
Strauch, who rushed for 221 yards on 22 carries, was the key weapon in the Purple Raiders' offense. Senior running back Rick Ciccone, who was leading the team with 728 rushing yards on 147 carries and 10 TDs, was sidelined with an injury.
So Strauch caught a 7-yard TD pass from Zac Bruney and tallied on a 6-yard run on Mount's first two possessions of the Ohio Athletic Conference contest.
It was the 10th straight unbeaten regular season for the Purple Raiders (10-0, 9-0), who are 129-1 since 1992 and 94-0 in the OAC.
The game attracted 4,272 fans, who watched Strauch also score on runs of 4, 54 and 11 yards and a 36-yard touchdown catch from Bruney.
Strauch tied the 1931 record set by Leo Grimes in Mount Union's 52-0 victory over Detroit Tech.
Strauch also had an 8-yard TD run nullified in the first half because of a holding penalty. He also had three receptions for 46 yards.
"The line opened up big holes for me," said Strauch. "We ran an option left and I was untouched on the 54-yard score."
On his team's lackluster offensive performance last week against Muskingum, Strauch said, "We had an intense week of practice and we wanted to play well and get in a good game before the playoffs."
Mount Union coach Larry Kehres added, "Strauch was chastised for a fumble and a couple of missed blocks last week and he came back out today with a solid performance.
"Last week, we made execution mistakes and mental errors and we'll continue to work on that in our preparation for the playoffs."
After the Purple Raiders jumped out 14-0, Heidelberg (0-10, 0-9) answered with a 32-yard field goal from Craig Smith.
Behind 21-3, an intercepted pass gave the Student Princes a first down on their own 47. Heidelberg then executed a trick play that fooled the Mount defense.
Quarterback Bryan Prorok started a double reverse, with the ball being handed back to him. He then threw a 39-yard pass to Dustin Dolatta for a first down at the 9-yard line. Roc Patterson then caught a 9-yard TD strike from Prorok.
The Purple Raiders finished with 570 yards of offense, while the Student Princes had 217. Bruney hit on 13 of 20 passes for 179 yards. Junior Aaron Robinson rushed 11 times for 91 yards and scored on a 16-yard run.
The Purple Raiders' Ross Watson, a Fitch High graduate, had four solo tackles and assisted on another. Teammate Josh Ludwig of East Liverpool had two solo tackles and assisted on one.