Football scores most points since 1960 to rout Wilmington

The Muskingum football team routed Wilmington in Ohio Athletic Conference play on Saturday afternoon, 62-14. The points are the most scored by a Muskie squad since 1960.

The Basics

• Records: Muskingum (3-1 overall, 2-1 OAC), Wilmington (0-3 overall, 0-2 OAC)
• Location: Zanesville High School - Sulsberger Stadium
• Attendance: 765

Game Notes

• Muskingum senior quarterback Jordan Garrett and junior linebacker Tristan Howell were named the Wally's Pizza Players of the Game.
• Muskingum erupted for a season-high 555 yards.
• Muskingum had a season-best 29 first downs.
• Muskingum's 62 points are the most for a squad since the Muskies beat Waynesburg 66-7 in 1960.
• Muskingum is 3-0 at games played at Zanesville High School this season.
• Muskingum went 12-of-16 on third-down conversions and was 2-of-2 on fourth-down conversions.
• Muskingum held a 34:28-25:32 advantage in time of possession. 
• Muskingum registered four turnovers (three interceptions, one fumble recovery).
• Muskingum had two interception returns for touchdowns - junior linebacker Tristan Howell (38 yards) and junior linebacker Gavyn Freeland (59 yards).
• Muskingum is off to its best start since 2011.
• The win was the 12th straight for the Muskies against the Quakers.

Inside the Numbers

• Junior quarterback Jordan Garrett directed the Muskie offense going 16-of-24 from 292 yards and four touchdowns. He also added one rushing score.
• Junior running back Donny Wilkinson rushed for a game-high 85 yards and one touchdown. 
• Junior receiver Ja'Lin Goodman, sophomore tight end Gannon Unger, and sophomore receiver Travis Roberson had a team-best four receptions. Goodman ended the outing with 86 receiving yards and one score, while Unger had 77 yards receiving and one score. Roberson had 69 yards receiving and a spectacular one-handed reception for a touchdown. 
• Junior receiver Zuri Edmondson had two grabs for 46 yards and a highlight reel one-handed touchdown reception.
• Senior defensive back Brian Brown led the Muskie defense with eight hits and one pass break-up.
• Sophomore defensive lineman Cortez Hatem, freshman linebacker Azarious Williams, freshman defensive lineman Toleo Malone, and Howell had six stops.
• Howell had a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the second quarter to put the Muskies up 34-7, heading into the half.
• Freeland completed the scoring with a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
• Derek Larimer led the Quakers going 14-of-22 for 164 yards with two interceptions.
• Dallas Rawlings rushed for 69 yards on 13 totes.
• Itika Wynn Jr. led the Wilmington receivers with three grabs for 62 yards.
• Tre'Quez Parks led the defense with 14 hits, and Chandler Wren added 10 tackles.

How It Happened

• Wilmington held a 7-6 lead late in the first quarter before Muskingum erupted for 49 unanswered points to take control of the game.
• The offensive onslaught started with Garrett's 31-yard pass to Goodman for a touchdown in the waning seconds of the first quarter.
• Muskingum scored 21 points in the second frame to take a 34-7 lead into the break. Edmondson and Roberson notched back-to-back steller one-arm catches for touchdowns, and Howell's interception return for a score completed the first-half scoring.
• The Muskies continued to dominate in the second half by scoring the first 21 points. Garrett rushed for a one-yard score, and Wilkinson scampered into the endzone from four yards out. Sophomore back Dylan Davis rushed for a four-yard touchdown to cap off Muskingum's 49 point unanswered explosion. 
• Freeland ended the scoring with his 59-yard interception return for a touchdown at the 5:05 mark of the fourth quarter.

Up Next

• Muskingum travels to OAC for John Carroll on Saturday, October 2. The game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Don Shula Stadium.