John Carroll held a pair of 16-point first half leads, then had to fend off Heidelberg throughout the second half to win its first road game of the 2009 season, 30-27, Saturday night at Frost-Kalnow Stadium in Tiffin, Ohio.

Box Score

Jeffrey Javorek (Chesterland, OH, West Geauga) touchdown passes to DaQuan Grobsmith (Syracuse, NY, Bishop Ludden) and Frank Ross (Canfield, OH, Canfield), plus a safety, staked John Carroll to a 16-0 lead less than one minute into the second quarter. 

On its second possession of the game, JCU marched 72 yards in nine plays, capped by a Javorek-to-Grobsmith screen pass that found paydirt from 13 yards out. Brad Marchese's extra point made the score 7-0 with 6:07 left in the opening period.

Heidelberg tried to cut into the lead with a field goal, but Michael O'Neal blocked the attempt and returned the ball deep into Student princes territory. Two plays later, Javorek found Ross for a 15-yard touchdown play. 

Already trailing 14-0, Heidelberg added to its misery on the second play of the second quarter. On a fourth-down play from their own six-yard line, the Student Princes snapped the ball out of the end zone on a punt.

It took a fluke play to get Heidelberg going back in a positive direction. A tipped ball on a pass intended for one Heidelberg receiver wound up in the hands of Mitch Lewis, who would run it down to the JCU 11. On the next play, Jemar Lewis scored on an 11-yard run to cut the JCU lead to 16-7.

The Blue Streaks appeared to put together a drive at the end of the half to carry the momentum into the next. When Chris Esparza (Tampa, FL, T.R. Robinson) scored his first collegiate touchdown with 31 ticks remaining on the first half clock, John Carroll took a 23-7 lead. 

But the Student Princes answered with yet another long pass play, this time from Andrew Miller to Mike Preston. Kenny Sims would score on a draw play with ten seconds left to pull Heidelberg to within ten points at 23-13. The two point conversion was no good, leaving the score as is heading into the locker room.

Heidelberg continued its charge by scoring on its opening drive of the third quarter. Clifton Powell hauled in a five-yard from Miller to cap a seven-play, 57-yard drive. Jesse Hawkins added the point after to make the score 23-20 with just four minutes elapsed

Neither team managed much on their next respective drives, but when JCU took over with 5:18 left, it did so on the Heidelberg 48. It took five plays for the Streaks to navigate the distance, ending with a
Kenneth Owens (Cleveland, OH, Shaker Heights) one-yard dive. With 1:19 left, JCU led by a 30-20 score.

It would be the last points either team would score until Heidelberg tacked on a touchdown with 1:22 left. Powell caught his second touchdown of the game -- a 26 yd pass from Miller -- to cut the deficit to three points. Scottie Williams would recover the ensuing onside kickoff, and the Blue Streaks ran out the clock from there.

JCU did its part by holding the ball for over nine minutes of the final quarter.

John Carroll (2-1, 2-0 OAC) was led by Javorek, who followed up his OAC Player of the Week honors by going 24-44 for 241 yards. He had three touchdown passes and was intercepted twice. Ross (7-72, 1 TD), Esparza (4-41, 1 TD) and Williams (3-44) were his favorite targets. Grobsmith was the leading rusher in the game with 75 yards on 13 carries.

This was John Carroll's 16th consecutive win over Heidelberg dating back to 1994.

Heidelberg (1-2, 0-2 OAC) was led by Miller, who was 12-26 for 234 yards and two touchdowns. Preston led all receivers with 126 yards on five receptions.

JCU (367) and Heidelberg (331) combined for 698 yards of total offense.