Mount streak is over

Ohio Northern ended a regular-season win streak of 110 games.
By ROB TODOR
VINDICATOR SPORTS EDITOR
ALLIANCE -- Derek Garrod believed all week it could happen, knew it could happen. Then, when it did, he wasn't sure how to react.
Garrod, a junior running back from Columbiana, helped Ohio Northern to a victory of historic proportions Saturday, as the Polar Bears defeated Mount Union, 21-14.
"We were looking forward to the game all week," said Garrod. "We really felt like we matched up well with Mount Union. So, we're not surprised, but, to be honest, right now I'm in a state of awe."
Mount Union (6-1, 5-1) had won 110 consecutive regular season games and 99 straight in the Ohio Athletic Conference.
In the vast majority of those games, the Purple Raiders won the turnover battle.
Won the turnover battle
But on Saturday, Ohio Northern (6-1, 5-1) forced four turnovers and committed none.
And the Polar Bears' defense, dominant all day, had its exclamation point with a goal line stand at the end of the first half that helped maintain a 21-7 lead.
"That was probably the critical point in the game," said Mount Union coach Larry Kehres. "It was a series of plays where we failed to produce and they played great goal line defense."
The Purple Raiders had first-and-goal at the 4 after Aaron Robinson's 13-yard run. Three plays later, it was fourth-and goal at the 1, and out of a full-house backfield, Robinson was stuffed at the 2 by linebacker Lenny Trusnik.
"People have been down on our defense lately," said Ohio Northern coach Dean Paul, a 1990 graduate of Mount Union. "But we have three all-conference players on defense, so we came in today with a bit of a chip on our shoulders. Guys elevated their play today."
Fast start
From the opening kickoff, it was Ohio Northern's day.
The Polar Bears executed a squib kickoff at the start of the game, banging it off a Mount Union blocker and recovering around midfield.
Eight plays later, running back R.J. Meadows ran into the end zone from the 3 to give Ohio Northern a lead it would not relinquish.
Meadows, a freshman, rushed for 148 yards, his three straight game over 100 yards, including a 68-yarder that set his second touchdown late in the first quarter that made it 14-0.
Garrod added 48 yards on 12 carries and the Polar Bears rushed for 217 yards against a run defense that led the nation (44.3 per game) after six weeks of the season.
"I'd say the offense won the game in the first half, and our defense won it in the second half," said Garrod. "We were able to sustain drives in the first half."
Ball possession
Ohio Northern controlled the ball for over 18 minutes in the first half, running 36 plays to the Purple Raiders' 23. The Polar Bears finished with 36:35 of possession time.
"We never had any rhythm on offense," said Kehres. "We couldn't sustain anything, we couldn't make first downs."
Senior defensive back Rusty Midlam, Ohio Northern's career leader in interceptions, had three pickoffs Saturday. One came in the end zone -- one of two ONU stops in the red zone, and the last one, with 8:44 remaining in the game, sealed the outcome.
Trailing 14-0, Mount Union regained some momentum midway the second quarter through when Justen Stickley blocked a punt and Matt Kostelnik took the ball 42 yards for a touchdown with 9:29 remaining in the first half.
But the Polar Bears answered with another TD drive, this one measuring 72 yards and 11 plays. Meadows raced 24 yards on a third-and-4 play with 3:12 remaining before the intermission.
todor@vindy.com