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Pioneers look to bounce back vs. Baldwin Wallace

Marietta College’s final home game at 1:30 p.m. today

Photo by Jordan Holland Marietta College’s Robert Nelson (87) catches a touchdown pass from Darrien Fields during a college football game against Wilmington earlier this season at Don Drumm Stadium.

MARIETTA — Marietta College nearly pulled off one of the biggest wins in program history last week.

The Pioneers ultimately lost 27-24 at 10th-ranked John Carroll, a program they’ve never beaten, but proved they can hang with one of the best teams in Division III. People clearly took notice of the performance as the Pioneers, still unranked, received more votes in the d3football.com Top 25 Poll than they had all year.

One person not surprised by Marietta’s effort against the Blue Streaks was MC head coach Andy Waddle.

“I don’t know that I learned anything about our team that I didn’t already know or expect,” said Waddle, whose Pioneers (6-1 overall, 5-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference) play host to Baldwin Wallace at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. “I expected us to be in a football game and we were. I thought hopefully we’d be able to win the game, but John Carroll made a few plays down the stretch that we didn’t make.”

Baldwin Wallace is quarterbacked by senior Jake Hudson. Hudson leads an offense averaging 39.3 points per game. He’s completed 123 of 186 pass attempts for 1,731 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. His 66.1 completion percentage is second in the OAC behind only Marietta QB Darrien Fields (69.4). Hudson is also second on the Yellow Jackets with 287 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

He has some talented people to throw the ball to as well. Rob Wolfington (24 catches, 409 yards, 3 TDs), Jordan Leverette (23-475-3 TDs) and Chad Steinwachs (25-306-5 TDs) are three of Hudson’s favorite targets. He also has freshman Jon Murray Jr. out of the backfield. Murray Jr. has rushed 93 times for 613 yards and seven scores this year.

“Everybody they play at receiver — all five, six, seven guys — is a good player,” Waddle said. “They have some big guys that can go over the top of you for balls. They have the fastest kid we’ve seen, as fast as anybody in the league in (Leverette) and a couple really quick guys in (Deion and Darion Greer). He’s throwing to some really good players. He throws the deep ball really well.”

It will be a big test for Marietta’s secondary, which has been led by senior safety Javi Zaragoza. Zaragoza leads the OAC with four interceptions, including one last week in the John Carroll game.

“Javi tracks the ball as good as anybody I’ve coached,” Waddle said. “He does some things better than others, but he’s very good at tracking the ball in the air and playing center field. It’s always good to have him back there.”

Look for the usual suspects when Marietta has the ball, with Fields and running back Tanner Clark both playing well against one of the top defenses in the country last week.

Fields threw for 209 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers and also ran for a touchdown. He’s 136 for 196 passing for 1,699 yards, 18 touchdowns and three interceptions on the season.

After not allowing more than 60 yards to an opposing rusher all season, John Carroll watched Clark take 25 carries for 142 yards and a touchdown. His 1,1198 yards and 17 touchdowns lead the OAC.

Receiver Andrew Baker returned to action for Marietta after missing two games and caught four passes for 67 yards. He’s got 506 yards and seven touchdowns on 23 catches this season. Maguire Morris is fifth in the OAC in receptions with 36 for 343 yards and two TDs while Ryan VanMeter has hauled in 20 passes for 230 yards and four scores.

The Jackets have a couple of guys on defense who could present problems for Marietta. Wezlee Spence is tied for second in the OAC with eight sacks, while Jordyn Johnson’s three interceptions put him in a tie for second in the league as well.

For Marietta, Garrett Davis is third in the OAC with 68 tackles.

The Pioneers won’t be at full strength this week which is not unusual at this point in the year.

“We’re beat up,” Waddle said. “We’ll be down a couple starters. Hopefully we’ll have the guys we need this week to win.”

This is the last home game on Marietta’s schedule. The Pioneers are 4-0 at Don Drumm this season.

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