Box Score

John Carroll held the lead for the majority of the afternoon, but after getting caught at 17-17, pulled away with two touchdowns in the final three minutes for a 31-17 victory over Wilmington College in an Ohio Athletic Conference match-up Saturday afternoon at Don Shula Stadium.

The Blue Streaks were looking to salt the game away midway through the fourth quarter. Leading 17-10 and faced with second-and-goal from the eight-yard line, John Carroll quarterback Mark Petruziello was thinking touchdown.

Wilimngton linebacker Chris Medley thought otherwise, and intercepted a pass on a slant pattern and returned it to the John Carroll 36. Six plays later, the Quakers would score on a Billy Blakburn to Brandon Hiatt 21-yard pass play to tie the score at 17-17 with 4:34 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was the first tie of the game since the contest began

The Blue Streaks needed a response. Petruziello would hit Scottie Williams for 30 yards to get into Wilmington territory, then would rush for 26 yards two plays later to set up a first-and-goal situation for the Blue Streaks.

The hero for the game would be senior running back Tyler Gingrich, who would ramble his way into the end zone from ten yards out to give JCU a 23-17 lead. Senior kicker Josiah Kedzior, who made all four point after tries he attempted, made the score 24-17 with 2:21 showing on the game clock. See video of Gingrich's game-clinching touchdown run by clicking here.

Insurance would be given to the Blue Streaks shortly afterward. Kedzior would kick off to the Quakers, who received at their own ten yard line. However, a hit to Jeremy Stuckey by freshman Corey Castro at the 20 yard line forced a fumble, and JCU junior Kenneth Owens recovered.

Gingrich would again be the big playmaker, running in from three yards out to put the game out of reach with 1:07 left in the contest

Although the Blue Streak running game won the game late, it was the wide receivers that started the game off strong. Junior Frank Ross caught a four-yard pass from Petruziello to put the first numbers up on the board as JCU went ahead 7-0 at the 3:36 mark of the first quarter. See video of this catch by clicking here. 

John Carroll took a 10-0 lead on a Kedzior 23-yard field goal early in the second quarter, and appeared to be ready to go up 13-0 with 1:20 left in the half when Kedzior lined up for a 38-yard field goal. The kick was low, however, and Taylor Porter got the block. The Quakers got the spark they needed and drove 69 yards in six plays to make the score 10-7 heading into halftime. The big play was a Blackburn pass to Marque Jones that covered 47 yards.

The Blue Streaks would go back up 17-7 in the third quarter. After Derek Buell recovered a fumble forced by Dane Schaffer deep in the Quakers end of the field, senior Peter Spachner would be Petruizello's next main target, scoring on a ten-yard pass with 2:48 remaining in the period.

Wilmington pulled to within seven points on a 23-yard field goal by Aaron Pohly with 13:22 left in the final period, but looked in danger of going down by 14 until Medley made his game-changing interception

Petruziello led the John Carroll offense, going 26-40, throwing for 325 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Gingrich ran for 45 yards and two touchdowns. 

Wilmington's Blackburn was 23-36, throwing for 228 yards and two touchdowns.

It was the Blue Streak defense that really shined. With many injuries to starters, senior Michael Nettling had a total of 17 tackles, followed by Buell with 12. Senior Carlo Melaragno came up with the his 11th career interception (now tied for fifth all-time in JCU history), and Nettling added a quarterback sack to his impressive numbers for the day.

With the win, John Carroll is now 3-1 overall, 1-1 in the OAC. Wilmington falls to 1-3 overall, 1-2 in the OAC.