Late score lifts #4 Mount Union to tight 42-35 victory over Football

By Tim Glon

ADA — Ohio Northern was even with No. 4 Mount Union for nearly 58 minutes before falling 42-35 in an Ohio Athletic Conference football game on Saturday afternoon at Mount Union Stadium.

The Polar Bears fall to 4-4 overall and are 3-4 in the OAC, while the Purple Raiders improve to 8-0, 7-0.

Northern scored three consecutive touchdowns to rally from a 20-7 deficit.

Senior Brody Hahn (Louisville) hit senior Chase Rose (Kenton/Upper Scioto Valley) on an 18-yard TD pass to get ONU within 20-14 at halftime.

On the opening drive of the second half, senior All-American Brock Martin (Attica/Seneca East) banged in from 1 yard out to give Northern a 21-20 lead with 4:39 gone in the period.

Hahn then hit senior Austin Eick (Rossford) on a 9-yard touchdown pass to extend Ohio Northern's lead to 28-20 with 5:06 left in the third.

Mount Union tied the game three plays later on a 47-yard touchdown pass and converted a 2-point play to tie the game at 28-28 with 4:16 left in the third quarter.

The Purple Raiders took a 35-28 lead with 13:04 left in the game.

But Ohio Northern rallied, marching 75 yards in 12 plays and tied the game at 35-35 with 8:40 to go when Hahn scrambled in from 9 yards out.

MtU then drove 86 yards in 14 plays and took 6:21 off the clock to grab a 42-35 lead with 2:14 to play.

Northern drove to the Mount Union 30-yard line, but a desperation pass was picked off in the end zone and Mount Union has escaped with the win.

Hahn completed 26-of-45 passes for 326 yards and three TDs. Rose caught seven passes for 123 yards and a score and Eick caught nine passes for 101 yards and a TD for ONU.

Senior Johnny Rupp (Maumee/Anthony Wayne) had eight tackles to lead the Ohio Northern defense.

Ohio Northern out-gained Mount Union 539-385 in total offense.

The Polar Bears will return to action next Saturday when they host Baldwin Wallace at Dial-Roberson Stadium.