AREA COLLEGES Saturday’s games

Mount Union 57, Marietta 0

ALLIANCE — Mount Union (10-0, 9-0 Ohio Athletic Conference) closed out a perfect 2007 regular season with a 57-0 win over visiting Marietta (3-7, 3-6 OAC). The win capped a record-setting regular season for the Raider defense, including becoming the only first unit defense in college football history (modern day/post WWII) to not allow a touchdown. It was also the team’s sixth consecutive shutout — a new team record which also ties an NCAA Division III mark set by Plymouth St. (NH) in 1982. Overall, the Raiders have posted seven shutouts this season — a new Div. III record. The Purple & White opened quickly with a 44-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Greg Micheli to receiver Pierre Garcon at 12:15 of the first quarter. The grab was Garcons’ 41st career touchdown reception at Mount Union, setting a new Mount Union mark, breaking the old mark of 40, held by former Raider All-American wideout Adam Marino (1997-00). The Ohio Athletic Conference touchdown reception mark (43) is held by Ohio Northern’s Steve Vagedes. That score was followed by a 6-yard touchdown run by running back Nate Kmic at the 10:11 mark of the quarter — set up by cornerback Daryl Ely’s interception. Ely recorded his second interception of the quarter, and third career pick, soon after later setting up the Raider offense near midfield. Mount Union’s offense capitalized — marching to the Pioneer 10-yard line before Kmic converted on a fourth and one by going the distance for the third Raider touchdown of the first period. The Raiders closed out the regular season outscoring opponents 225-0 in the first quarter of play.

Geneva 13, Grove City 12

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. — Bobby Bondi threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Luke Duriancik with 9 seconds left in the game to lead Geneva. Grove City (4-6) led 12-3 at halftime on two Chris Haley field goals and a 5-yard pass from Andrew DiDonato to Jay Yanak. Grove City failed to convert after that touchdown when holder Chris Rich bobbled the snap then failed to find a receiver with a desperation pass. Geneva (8-2) made the game 12-6 on Nick DiPietro’s 22-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. DiPietro had also connected from 30 yards to open the scoring in the first quarter.

Geneva’s winning drive began at its own 24 with 2:40 left on the clock. Geneva converted two fourth downs on the way to Bondi’s game-winning pass on the 14th play of the drive.

Slippery Rock 59, Edinboro 34

EDINBORO, Pa. — Nate Crookshank threw four touchdown passes and Corey Manfull (United Local) ran for 172 yards and two more scores to propel Slippery Rock. Slippery Rock (9-2, 4-2 PSAC-West) led 31-14 at halftime on Crookshank touchdowns passes to Paul Favers, Frank Cremonese and Terry Grossetti. Ryan Lehmeier’s 26-yard run and a 32-yard field goal by C.J. Bahr accounted for Slippery Rock’s other first-half points. Edinboro (7-4, 3-3) was led by Trevor Harris, who threw for 375 yards and two touchdowns and scored on a pair of 1-yard runs. Harris became the 12th player in PSAC history to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season, finishing the season with 3,268 yards.

Thiel 62, St. Vincent 14

LATROBE, Pa. — Dan Hess ran for five touchdowns to ignite Thiel. Hess rushed for 339 yards on 43 carries and scored on runs of 1, 30, 17, and 2 yards in the second quarter for Thiel (3-7), then scored on a 1-yard dive in the third quarter. St. Vincent (0-10) scored two of the game’s first three touchdowns on an 80-yard pass form Mike Speal to Sheld Loughner and a 15-yard run by Logan Small. Thiel also scored on a 4-yard run by Jeremiah Wagner, a 26-yard pass from Willie Bova to Eric Ester, a 2-yard run by LaVaunt Griff, and an 18-yard run by Cody Sirgey. Thiel accumulated 721 yards in total offense, including 526 yards on 67 rushing attempts. Bova completed 9 of 14 passes for 171 yards. St. Vincent had 214 yards in total offense, but was held to 29 yards on 33 rushing attempts.

Waynesburg 54, Westminster 13

WAYNESBURG, Pa. — Freshman Robert Heller rushed for 312 yards and five touchdowns, giving him 2,019 yards for the season for Waynesburg. Heller became the first Waynesburg (8-2, 5-1 Presidents’ Athletic Conference) player to rush for at least 100 yards during every game in one season. Heller scored on runs of 11, 2, 21, 3 and 2 yards. Westminster (5-5, 2-4) managed just 231 yards on offense. Kevin Franz completed 14 of 25 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns for Westminster. Jamelle Price and Aaron Davis also had touchdown runs for Waynesburg.

Wash. & Jefferson 77, Bethany 39

WASHINGTON, Pa. — Bobby Swallow (West Branch) threw for 296 yards and six touchdowns, and Kevin Mathews scored three of his four touchdowns in a 35-point third quarter.

Washington & Jefferson (10-0, 6-0 Presidents’ Athletic Conference) came into the game ranked No. 5 in the Div. III poll, but led only 28-26 at halftime over Bethany (4-6, 2-4). Swallow threw three touchdown passes in the first half, including two to Ryan Church, and added two more — a 10-yarder to Tom McCafferty and a 32-yarder to Brendan O’Mahony — in the third quarter. Mathews scored Washington & Jefferson’s other points in the third on runs of 1, 28 and 17 yards. He had scored in the first quarter on a 16-yard pass from Swallow. Bethany’s Milton Joyner threw for 375 yards and touchdowns to five different receivers.

Walsh 31, Taylor 20

CANTON — Clinton Blossomgame rushed for 221 yards and two touchdowns, and Joe Copeland intercepted a pass and scored from 42 yards out, as Walsh closed the season with a 31-20 Mid-States Football Association Mideast win. Blossomgame rushed for 221 yards, and 423 yards in the final two games of the season to finish with a freshman record 1,487 yards. He also scored 11 touchdowns. Eaglin led the Trojans with 70 yards rushing.

Wittenberg 70, Hiram 20

SPRINGFIELD — The Hiram College football team threw a school single-game record 66 pass attempts and a season-high 419 yards through the air in the North Coast Athletic Conf. With the loss, the Terriers end the season at 0-10 overall and 0-7 in the NCAC. The Tigers end the regular season with an 8-2 record and 5-1 NCAC. Wittenberg scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the game to take an early 14-0 lead.