SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - September 18, 2021 – Hiram Terriers football fell to the Wittenberg University Tigers, 51-21, in their first road contest of the 2021 campaign on Saturday at Edwards-Maurer Field.
 
The Terriers received the opening kickoff, but their drive stalled after a sack and a short punt gave Wittenberg the ball at the Terrier 43-yard line. Three players later, Bryce Anderson's 24-yard touchdown run gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead.
 
After another three-and-out, Wittenberg put together the makings of another scoring drive, driving 52 yards over 10 plays, but a goal-line stand by the Terriers' defense held the Tigers to just a field goal, extending the lead to 10-0.
 
Wittenberg would add another first-quarter score on LaShon Bright's three-yard touchdown run, before Hiram's offense put together an impressive 11-play, 65-yard drive, beginning with Xavier Reyero finding Rene Jimenez for a 26-yard completion. However, on fourth-and-three from just inside the Wittenberg red zone, Malcolm Rogers was stuffed, and Hiram turned the ball over on downs.
 
The Tigers added two more scorers on ensuing drives, before Hiram's offense again got going, with a 17-play, 52-yard drive that setup a 40-yard field goal from the Wittenberg 23-yard line. However, Chris Miller's attempt sailed wide right, keeping Hiram off the scoreboard in the first half.
 
Wittenberg would add one more first-half score on Bobby Froehlich's five-yard touchdown pass to Sam Kayser, to take a 37-0 lead into the locker room.
 
Both sides struggled to get anything going offensively in the third quarter, with the Terrier defense forcing a pair of punts, before a seven-play, 63-yard drive extended Wittenberg's lead to 44-0 at the end of the third.
 
At the end of the third and to start the fourth, Hiram's offense again got going. Gabriel Hoskins ended the third quarter with a 15-yard rush, and Reyero completed a 13-yard pass to Zion Paynther to put Hiram in Wittenberg territory.
 
Another Hoskins rush gained 17, and Reyero then found Dexter Coleman for 11 yards to put Hiram in the red zone. Three plays later, on fourth-and-17, Reyero found Marcus Freeman for his first of two scores, this one a 24-yard touchdown pass to cut Wittenberg's lead to 44-7.
 
And on the ensuing Wittenberg drive, Dylan Baliker sacked Tiger quarterback Max Milton for a loss, and Terry Allison forced and scooped up Milton's fumble and ran it in from 30-yards out, cutting the Tigers' lead to 44-14.
 
Wittenberg answered with an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown drive of their own, but the Terriers had one last scoring drive in them as well.
 
On first-and-10 from the Hiram 29-yard line, Xavier Irving opened the drive with a 17-yard rush, and on fourth-and-six from midfield, Reyero found Freeman for 29-yards to extend the drive.
 
A pass interference penalty then moving the Terriers into the red zone, where Reyero found Freeman for a five-yard touchdown to make it a 51-21 ballgame.
 
And though the Terriers outscored the Tigers, 21-7, in the fourth quarter, Wittenberg was able to run out the clock on their next drive, giving the Tigers a 51-21 victory.
 
Hiram drops to 1-2 (0-2 NCAC) with the loss, while Wittenberg moves to 1-1 (1-0 NCAC) with the win.
 
Offensively, Reyero completed 18-of-38 for 228 yards and two touchdowns, while Freeman led all Terrier receivers with four receptions for 77 yards and two scores.
 
On the ground, Rogers and Hoskins each tallied 30+ yards, with Rogers leading the way with 36, and Hoskins notching 33.
 
Defensively, Brock Mancini tallied a team-high nine tackles, while Knowledge Wallace recorded eight. Sherman Cox led the Terriers with 1.5 tackles for a loss, while Baliker had the Terriers' lone sack.
 
On special teams, Coleman led the Terriers with four kickoff returns for a total of 69 yards.
 
Following a bye week, the Terriers return to action against the DePauw University Tigers on Saturday, Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. in Greencastle, Ind.