GRANVILLE, Ohio (November 13, 2021) – The Denison University football team fell by 10, 35-25, to the Battling Bishops of Ohio Wesleyan University during the Big Red’s Senior Day on Saturday inside Deeds Field-Piper Stadium.
It was Senior Day for 20 Big Red players who got to hear their names called on the field one more time. Recognized before kickoff were Andrew Blanchard, Drew Dawkins, Trey Dawkins, Francis Fay, Thomas Gelorme, Griffin Green, Ryan Hallinan, Lewis Hurd, Pat Kramer, Jacob Kuhlman, Seven Lindsey, Jack Mangel, Sean McCafferty Thomas McDowell, Joey Muncie, Jailen Pierre, Casey Roberts, Anthony Rooney, Cory Swartzmiller and Will Thomas. Additionally, Denison’s student assistant coach Bryan Hickey and student first aider Caitlin Ellwanger were both honored for their contributions to Big Red football. Last but not least, Big Red cheerleaders Oliva Hervey, Nicole Zeid and Penelope “Poppy Boone” were also recognized.
Just like it did during each of its previous three home games this season, Denison fell behind by two touchdowns in the first quarter, but this time, the Big Red were never able to come all the way back and tie it up or take the lead.
They did get close, however, as after a takeaway by the Big Red defense in Bishops’ territory, a two-yard touchdown run by sophomore Trey Fabroncini cut Denison’s deficit in half at 14-7 with 11 minutes left in the second quarter. It was an eight-play, 23 yard-drive for Denison with each of the final five plays of the drive being rushes by Fabrocini.
Then, after the third passing touchdown of the game by OWU’s Ries Zane with seven minutes to go before halftime, Denison put together a 10-play, 70-yard scoring drive that ended with a 36-yard field goal off the leg of Kramer to make it 21-10 at the break.
Behind 28-10 in the third quarter, the Big Red got back-to-back rushing touchdowns by Blanchard from five yards out and then from Fabrocini from one-yard away. The touchdown by Blanchard was proceeded by a big 56-yard run by Fabrocini, and then the second touchdown drive of the third quarter for Denison featured fourth straight runs by Fabrocini before he punched it in.
The second touchdown of the game by Fabrocini was then followed by a two-point conversion from Dawkins to junior Mack Marston to make it only a three-point game at 28-25 still with over three minutes to play in the third quarter.
Unfortunately, after another takeaway by the Denison defense in OWU territory on the very next drive, the Big Red offense was unable to pick up a first down and gave the ball back to the Bishops, who put together a big 13-play, 89-yard touchdown drive to make it a 10-point game.
After another three-and-out on its first drive of the fourth quarter, the last chance for the Denison offense came from its own 19-yard line with only three and a half minutes to go. Facing fourth-and-seven from the Big Red 39 yard-line, the OWU defense came up with a big 18-yard sack to effectively end the game then and there.
Fabrocini finished with 140 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries, good for an average of seven yards per attempt.
During their Senior Day, Dawkins finished by completing 11 of his 21 passes for 111 yards, and Blanchard finished with 14 rushing yards and one touchdown in his final game.
Marston (39 yards) and juniors Josh Aiello (37 yards) and DJ Johnson (27 yards) each finished with three receptions.
On defense, sophomore Jeff Moore reached double-digit tackles for the fifth time on the season with 10.
Also on their Senior Day, Fay had nine tackles, Hallinan had seven, and Green had seven to go along with one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery. Additionally, Swartzmiller had four tackles and three pass breakups while Rooney had four tackles and one tackle for loss.
Last but not least, junior Clay Denstorff finished with six tackles, two tackles for loss and one forced fumble, freshman Collin Hill finished with six tackles as well, and junior Jonathan Bearden added five tackles.
Denison finished its 2021 season 6-4 overall and 6-3 in the North Coast Athletic Conference while Ohio Wesleyan improved to 8-2 and 7-2.
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