Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
10
Heidelberg HEI 1-2 , 0-2
48
Winner John Carroll JCU 1-2 , 1-1
Heidelberg HEI
1-2 , 0-2
10
Final
48
John Carroll JCU
1-2 , 1-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
HEI Heidelberg 10 0 0 0 10
JCU John Carroll 0 21 10 17 48
Garrett Sparks vs. Heidelberg 9-28-24
Doug Beigie
Garrett Sparks and the defense stepped up after a slow start.

Game Recap: Football | | Jack Stephens, Staff Writer

Blue Streaks Recover from Slow Start to Dominate Berg in Home Opener

The Blue Streaks scored 48 unanswered points in the home win

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS — In the home opener for the John Carroll Football team at Don Shula Stadium, the Blue Streaks used great efforts in all three phases to grab their first win of the young season, defeating the Heidelberg Student Princes, 48-10. 

The Blue Streaks were hungry for a win after facing two top five opponents in the first two weeks of the season, giving them their first 0-2 start since 2011. However, JCU saw great offensive strides made against Mount Union, scoring 31 points and racking up 402 total yards of offense against an elite Purple Raider defense. 

The Blue Streaks carried that momentum into Kickoff Weekend and First Responders Day against the Student Princes, albeit after a cold start. 

A roller coaster of a first drive saw five total penalties, two from the Blue Streaks that moved the sticks for Heidelberg, the woes from the JCU rushing defense continued as the Student Princes moved the ball at will on their opening drive. Heidelberg punched the ball in the end zone courtesy of their sophomore tailback Drew Miller, marking the third straight game this season the Blue Streaks gave up a score on the opening drive. After a three and out from the offense, the defense bent but did not break holding the Student Princes to a field goal, but the Blue Streaks were once again facing a deficit early, trailing 10-0.

"I felt like our pregame was a little flat," Head Coach Jeff Behrman '95 stated on the slow start. "You come out in the first quarter and weather it a little bit, but our guys were resilient and did not respond negatively."

Momentum started to swing for JCU after the defense forced a punt and graduate student quarterback Nick Semptimphelter found fifth-year senior Tyler Mintz for a big 25-yard gain at the end of the first. The aerial assault continued as the Bucknell transfer rolled to his right and found sophomore wide receiver Dorian Facen Jr. in the back of the end zone to trim the Heidelberg lead to 10-7. 

The JCU defense continued to step up as the game dragged on, as sophomore linebacker Ivory Travers collected his first career sack on a third and nine, forcing another punt. Two plays into the ensuing Blue Streak drive, Semptimphelter hit Nicholls State transfer wideout Tyren Montgomery on a big gain of 55 yards, putting John Carroll into the red zone. Three plays later, Semptimphelter evaded the blitz and found a wide open graduate student tight end Kenneth Rawls for six, giving the Blue Streaks their first lead of the game, 14-10. 

The Blue Streaks continued to wreak havoc on the Student Princes, as junior linebacker Joe Thimons collected a tackle for loss and a sack on back-to-back plays. Then, freshman linebacker Davon Badley picked off Heidelberg quarterback Alex Aldridge, and took it to the house for a pick six. The sudden score gave the Blue Streaks a commanding 21-10 lead. 

"I leaned on my coaches for advice," Badley told reporters about what went through his head on his pick six. "I made sure I did my job correctly, saw the ball, made sure I caught it and then I took it to the house."

John Carroll finished the half by forcing a punt and driving down the field but missing a 50-yard field goal, sealing a second quarter of tremendous complimentary football from the Blue Streaks, possession a 21-10 lead. 

Semptimhelter finished the half going 12-of-14 for 144 yards and two touchdowns in the first 30 minutes of play. Montgomery was the game's leading receiver hauling in two catches for 52 yards. Arledge went 12-of-22 for 103 yards and an interception, but it was the ground game that was working for the Student Princes. Miller rushed for 33 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown. 

"Taking what the defense gives me," Semtimphelter said about what has been so successful about the passing game the last two games. "We have great skill guys, I have to get the ball in their hands, the offensive line did a great job run blocking which opened up the passing game."

The third quarter began with more of the same from JCU, as the Semptimphelter to Montgomery connection continued to grow. The duo linked up for a 24-yard gain on the first play of the second half. The drive would stall, but sophomore kicker Colin Schuler connected on a 45-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 14. That kick was tied for tenth longest in Blue Streak history, and longest since a Grant Gonya 47-yarder in 2021. 

The offensive struggles for Heidelberg carried over from the end of the first half as a fifth straight empty possession gave the ball back to the Blue Streaks. On the third play of the ensuing drive, Semptimphelter found Rawls over the middle and the big man did the rest, rumbling his way to a 69-yard gain, with a facemask penalty added onto the play. Two plays later, senior running back Evan McVay found paydirt for the first time this season, giving JCU a 31-10 advantage with just under seven minutes to play in the third. 

JCU's front seven gave the Heidelberg offensive line fits all game, as senior Garrett Sparks laid some lumber for a five-yard loss. The defense once again forced a Heidelberg punt, closing out the third quarter with a 31-10 John Carroll lead. 

John Carroll opened the final period with a 27-yard rush from junior transfer running back Nemo Jenkins, the longest from any JCU ball carrier so far this year. Two plays later, the Wilmington College transfer punched it in for six making the lead 28, with a commanding 38-10 lead. 

Joe Thimons collected his second sack of the game on the following Heidelberg drive, and on their sixth punt of the game Mintz made a few cuts returning it to the Student Prince 35 yard line and with a person foul flag after the play, the Blue Streaks were set up with great field position. JCU took full advantage of it, as Semptimphelter found junior tight end Connor Cohan and he did the rest, scampering for 14 yards, scoring his first collegiate touchdown. 

"It felt great to finally hit the end zone and follow in the footsteps of my teammates who have been great role models for me," Cohan stated after the game about getting into the end zone for the first time. 

The Blue Streaks remained in the driver's seat with a little over five minutes left to play, as senior cornerback Levi VeVerka stepped in front of a Heidelberg pass, intercepting and returning it into the red zone to the Student Prince 13 yard line. John Carroll's offense stalled and Shuler made his second field goal of the game, concluding the scoring in the contest. 

Semptimphelter led the offense completing 18-of-23 passes for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns. Rawls was the leading receiver with 92 yards on four receptions and a score. Jenkins was the bellcow back for JCU with 70 yards on 13 attempts and a touchdown. Defensively, it was a group effort, but brother Tyler and Joe Thimons tallied 10 and six total tackles respectively, the most for JCU. 

"This win continues to make us hungry and makes us want to improve day after day," Behrman stated after the game about their newfound momentum. "This team has certainly done that, they come to practice and meetings with a purpose and intention to get better. I told the team I was proud of them but the focus turns to Muskingum and getting our first road victory."

John Carroll hits the road once again as they head south to New Concord, to take on the Muskingum Muskies on Saturday, October 5 at 1:30 pm. 
Print Friendly Version

Scoring Summary

Scoring Summary
Scoring Play Visiting Team Score Home Team Score
1st Quarter HEI JCU
HEI
08:46 - HEI - Miller,Drew 10 yd run (Ramsdail,Ethan kick), 16 plays, 70 yards, TOP 06:09
7 0
HEI
04:37 - HEI - Ramsdail,Ethan 27 yd field goal 9 plays, 45 yards, TOP 02:47
10 0
2nd Quarter HEI JCU
JCU
12:03 - JCU - Facen Jr,Dorian 4 yd pass from Semptimphelter,Nick (Schuler,Colin kick) 7 plays, 41 yards, TOP 03:01
10 7
JCU
05:56 - JCU - Rawls,Kenneth 8 yd pass from Semptimphelter,Nick (Schuler,Colin kick) 5 plays, 70 yards, TOP 02:50
10 14
JCU
04:20 - JCU - Badley,Davon 32 yd interception (Schuler,Colin kick)
10 21
3rd Quarter HEI JCU
JCU
11:26 - JCU - Schuler,Colin 45 yd field goal 8 plays, 47 yards, TOP 03:28
10 24
JCU
06:57 - JCU - McVay,Evan 3 yd run (Schuler,Colin kick), 5 plays, 83 yards, TOP 01:38
10 31
4th Quarter HEI JCU
JCU
12:58 - JCU - Jenkins,Nemo 2 yd run (Schuler,Colin kick), 6 plays, 57 yards, TOP 03:16
10 38
JCU
09:33 - JCU - Cohan,Connor 14 yd pass from Semptimphelter,Nick (Schuler,Colin kick) 3 plays, 20 yards, TOP 01:20
10 45
JCU
03:18 - JCU - Schuler,Colin 22 yd field goal 4 plays, 8 yards, TOP 02:03
10 48

Related Headlines

Sponsors