CARLISLE, Pa. - First-year quarterback
Ben Klassen threw for just under 200 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 62 on the ground to help the Dickinson football team amass 438 yards of offense en route to a 34-14 homecoming and conference win over rival Gettysburg College on Saturday at Biddle Field. The win allowed the Red and White to maintain possession of the coveted "Bucket" for an eighth consecutive season.
- Neither team was able to get much going over the opening ten minutes as the two sides combined for four punts.
- At the 4:39 mark the visitors started at the GC20. Six consecutive runs between the duo of quarterback Rocco Abdinoor and tailback Michael Zrelak helped advance the rock to the DC5. Backup QB Matt O'Connor would then connect on back-to-back passes to Abdinoor resulting in a Gettysburg touchdown and a 7-0 lead after one (Isaac Parks-Gill kick).
- A 40-yard run for Diante Ball on the last play of the first put the Devils on the GC25 to begin the frame. A run each for Ball and Klassen along with an incomplete pass for Frederik Fjeldseth had DC facing fourth-and-four on the 19. Kieran O'Neill was then called upon to knock home a 36-yard field goal to trim it down to 7-3.
- On the ensuing drive, Abdinoor would hit Jason Roskam on third down for 27 yards to the GC46. However, on the next play he was picked off by Alex Sulin giving the ball back to the hosts at the DC27.
- Klassen hit Bobby Markey with a pass up to the DC39. The QB then scampered for 18, before Dane Sorensen took off for 29 up to the GC14. Two plays later the Devils grabbed their first lead with Klassen finding Fjeldseth for an eight-yard strike making it 10-7 (O'Neill kick).
- A three-and-out by the DC defense thanks to stops for Joaquin Acuna, Cole Catalano, John Prochniak, Justin Rocha and Brendan Walker had the Devils back to work on their own 37 with 6:16 left.
- Klassen used receptions by Rocco DiRico and Markey to advance to the GC40. A 14-yard hustle for Klassen was followed with a 13-yard pass to Markey putting the ball at the GC10. Klassen would then hit Markey on a post route in the middle of the endzone for the 17-7 lead (O'Neill kick).
- Another strong stand for the DC defense gave the offense another crack with 20-seconds on the DC41. Klassen showing great nerve and poise ran for 24 (GC35), before finding DiRico for 10 to the GC25. That allowed O'Neill to stick a 42-yard field goal to take a 20-7 advantage to the break.
- After Dickinson went three-and-out to begin the frame, Gettysburg went to work on the GC37. A pair of rushes for Zrelak gave the guests a fresh set of downs with tackles coming from Sam Orzolek and Prochniak. Then, on first down Abdinoor was picked for the second time this time by Jeremy Reid at the DC38.
- Two Sorensen runs pushed the ball to the GC46. Klassen then found DiRico and Markey one time each through the air to get down to the GC1. Sorensen took the ensuing handoff and plunged in for the 27-7 edge (O'Neill kick).
- Abdinoor would use his legs to advance up to the DC21, but the drive then fizzled out leading to a 43-yard try for Parks-Gill which was no good.
- Three straight carries for Sorensen of 42, 7 and 5 pushed the drive to the GC20. Klassen then connected with Markey for his second TD catch of the game extending the margin to 34-7 after three (O'Neill kick).
- After a sack between Domani White and Orzolek, Abdinoor had a pass intercepted by Keon Eady.
- Neither team could do much with their next possession leading to GC starting on their own 44 with 8:30 left. The Bullets would use a 14-play march over a 6:07 stretch to cut the score to 34-14 with Zrelak running in from three yards out (Parks-Gill kick).
- Klassen would have Alex Merrifield tote the rock three straight times on the next drive to kill off the game.
- Passing - Klassen 14-19, 193yds, 3tds, 0ints
- Rushing - Sorensen (112yds, 1td), Klassen (62yds), Ball (61yds)
- Receiving - Markey (112yds, 2td), DiRico (67yds)
- Tackles - Prochniak (8), Sulin (7), Rocha and Walker (6)
- Passing - Abdinoor 12-25, 103yds, 0tds, 3ints
- Rushing - Zrelak (81yds, 1td), Abdinoor (78yds)
- Receiving - Denison (52yds), Roskam (30yds)
- Tackles - LaRosa (8)
- Dickinson (5-3, 2-2 Centennial) is on the road next Saturday afternoon in the Charm City as the Red and White visit Johns Hopkins University for a Centennial Conference clash at 1pm.
