CARLISLE, Pa. - The Dickinson football team used a 21-point second quarter to turnaround a 10-7 first quarter deficit into a 28-13 halftime advantage en route to a convincing 49-21 Centennial Conference win over the rival Gettysburg College at Biddle Field on Saturday afternoon. The Red and White used a balanced attack to keep possession of the Little Brown Bucket for a ninth consecutive year as the Devils ran for 250 yards and threw for 260.
First Quarter
- Gettysburg started the game quick as long passes to Nick Wonsala and Gabriel Diaz by Sean Clark set the stage for a six-yard touchdown run from Michael Zrelak to take a 7-0 lead just three minutes in (Isaac Parks-Gill kick).
- Dickinson had an answer with their first crack with three runs by Cedric Benning III advancing the ball to the GC48, before quarterback Ben Klassen scampered for 13 yards (GC35). Receptions for Keesean Campbell and Kevin Schmidt advanced the rock to the GC1. From there Klassen plunged home himself to level the game (Justin Worobel kick).
- Clark would hook-up with Jason Roskam for 18 and 14 as well as finding Zrelak for 19 to help get the Bullets down to the DC19. On third-and-eight Domani White burst through the GC offensive line and threw Clark to the turf for an 11-yard loss setting up a 45-yard field goal try. Parks-Gill came on and knocked the kick through the uprights for a 10-7 edge.
Second Quarter
- After runs for Dan Sorensen and Klassen pushed the ball to the midfield stripe, Klassen connected with Leon Friebel for 12, Campbell for 5 and Braden White for 18 to get inside the GC10 to the GC5. Three plays went by with DC not able to get into the endzone bringing up fourth down on the four. That was when Klassen rolled out and hit Moritz Mittendorfer for a touchdown (Justin Worobel kick).
- On the ensuing Gettysburg drive Dickinson would force the first punt of the game setting up shop on their own 26. Two Benning III runs pushed out to the DC36, before Klassen found Schmidt and Mittendorfer for receptions of 17 and 25 respectively (GC22). Benning III then ended the march with a flourish as he broke through the defense and went untouched into the house for a 21-10 advantage (Justin Worobel kick).
- A 20-yard pass completion from Clark to Wonsala got the Bullets into the redzone on the DC20. Landon Hunt ran for one yard, before two straight incompletions forced the guests into a fourth down. For the second time in the game Parks-Gill came out for a field goal try this time from 38 yards which he once again drilled trimming it to 21-13 with 5:21 to play.
- The Red and White began the following drive at their own 37 yardline. A ten yard carry by Campbell and 24-yard pass out to Sorensen put the Devils on the GC32. With the home side staring down a third-and-seven at the GC31 a roughing the passer penalty pushed it on to the GC16. Three plays later Klassen did it himself with a 15-yard TD run (Justin Worobel kick) (28-13).
Third Quarter
- Dickinson opened the period with a bang as three plays in Klassen found Sorensen for a 38-yard completion to the GC27. On the ensuing play, Klassen linked up with Mittendorfer for a touchdown, however, an ineligible man downfield penalty and a hold sent DC back to the 42. It would take nine more plays for the lead to stretch to 35-13 as Kellen Boyer found paydirt off a pass from Klassen (Justin Worobel kick).
- Gettysburg then embarked on lengthy 12-play, 77-yard drive to cut into the deficit when Clark passed to Wonsala for a five-yard TD (Two point conversion).
Fourth Quarter
- Three consecutive Benning III carries had DC knocking on the door once again at the GC14. Then, a pass to Mittendorfer set the rock on the GC6 which set the stage for a six-yard Klassen TD rush making it 42-21 (Justin Worobel kick).
- The ensuing Bullets march got just over the 50 to the DC46 setting up a fourth-and-ten. White put an authoritative end to the drive by throwing Clark for a loss of a dozen (GC42). A 37-yard bomb from Klassen to Schmidt had DC in business on the GC9. Two rushes by Campbell did not get the Devils in the endzone, but an eight-yard strike to Schmidt did for the 49-21 final (Justin Worobel kick).
Dickinson Top Performers
- Passing - Klassen (19-25, 260yds, 3tds, 1int)
- Rushing - Benning III (86yds, 1td, 9.6ypc), Klassen (74yds, 3tds, 6.2ypc)
- Receiving - Schmidt (98yds, 1td), Sorensen (62yds), Mittendorfer (37yds, 1td)
- Tackles - Juan Pablo Garcia (9), Valdemar Enghave (8), Chris Barnes and White (7), Jimmy Mulholland (6), Jason Genilello (5), Joaquin Acuna (4), Joshua Moses (3)
Opponent Top Performers
- Passing - Clark (17-36, 189yds, 1td, 1int)
- Rushing - Zrelak (159yds, 1td, 8.4ypc)
- Receiving - Diaz (60yds), Roskam (50)
- Tackles - DeLorenzo and Wells (7), Chostaka (6)
Up Next
- Dickinson (3-2) returns to action on Saturday, October 18th at 1pm for the annual Battle for the Conestoga Wagon as Franklin & Marshall College comes calling to Biddle Field for a Centennial Conference clash.Â
