BOX SCORE COLUMBUS, Ohio - The #16 Capital football team outlasted OAC foe John Carroll, 28-20 on Saturday at Bernlohr Stadium behind the inspiring play of a Crusader defense that allowed just two field goals in a second half during which it spent 22 minutes on the field.
The Crusaders improved to 5-1 on the year (4-1 in the OAC) and the Blue Streaks dropped to 3-3 (3-2 in the OAC). Capital will now head to rival #13 Otterbein next Saturday for a 2 p.m. kickoff for second place in the OAC.
For the second straight weekend, Capital found itself in a game that came down to the last possession. This time, however, the Crusader defense stepped up to end John Carroll's last drive seven yards short of CU's end zone as time expired.
"Well, no one can say that we don't play interesting games. It was another Ohio Athletic Conference game," head coach Jim Bickel said. "Our defense battled the whole game. There are enough veterans on defense that have the mentality not to give in."
Senior Quarterback Marty Assmann (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Hartley HS) again spearheaded the offense, completing 16-of-24 passes for 254 yards, including touchdown passes to Evan Blake (Circleville, Ohio/Logan Elm HS) and Michael Zag (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Ready HS). Assmann and classmate Matt Merritt (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian Hill HS) also scored on rushing touchdowns for the Crusaders.
On defense, junior Sam Jacobs (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson HS) and senior Matt Heagen (New Concord, Ohio/John Glenn HS) both recorded 10 tackles for Capital, while Jacobs also snared in an interception.
Despite being on the field for over 22 minutes in the second half and 35:06 overall, Capital's stingy red-zone defense forced John Carroll to settle for only two second-half field goals after scoring two first half touchdowns.
"Our defense didn't play our best game, but we made some key stops in the second half," Jacobs said. "We realized that we needed to step it up after halftime. Luckily in the second half, we held them to field goals and made the big stop at the end of the game."
The offense stepped up when junior receiver Matt White (Mason, Ohio/Mason HS) made a balletic reception at the Blue Streak's one-yard-line, setting the scene for Merritt's game-winning touchdown run on the next play to stretch Capital's lead to 28-20 with 3:09 left.
"I was the second option on that pass, but Marty scrambled, found me, and had the confidence that I would make a play," said White, who led the squad with 64 yards receiving on four receptions. "We had good chemistry today as an offense, but we need to keep the mindset that we will score on every drive."
Bickel added, "That play was tremendous. Matt's catch was a huge play at a crucial part in the game. That was one great athlete throwing to another great athlete."
CU kicked off the scoring when Assmann's six-yard jaunt put the Purple and White ahead 7-0 five minutes into the contest.
"Marty's a solid, solid football player that keeps making big plays. He does a lot with his feet, which makes the old coach nervous sometimes," Bickel said.
The Crusaders used their first drive to the second quarter to march 78 yards in 12 plays, as Assmann capped off the drive by using his arm to find Blake for an eight-yard strike to increase Capital's lead to 14-0 with 7:03 reaming in the first half.
Capital responded to a John Carroll touchdown by quickly moving 66 yards in five plays, as Assmann found Zag in the end zone for a 10-yard strike to put the Crusaders ahead 21-7 with 1:42 left in the first half. The score came on the strength of a 34-yard Assmann connection to Blake to start the drive.
John Carroll's touchdown in the waning seconds of the first half cut Capital's lead to 21-14 heading into intermission.
Despite the Blue Streaks holding the ball for over 13 minutes and amassing 113 yards on their first two drives of the second half, Capital's defense twice held in the red zone, forcing a pair of John Carroll field goals and maintaining their lead at 21-20 with 13:01 left in the game.
Capital's defense then held the Blue Streaks to a turnover on downs with 9:42 remaining in the fourth quarter, igniting CU's seven-play, 72-drive that led to the game-winning points.
"They did a lot of crossing routes today and had success, but fortunately for us we were able to clog up their passing lanes in the red zone and held them to field goals," Jacobs said.