Page 26 - Dresden Buzz 11/14/2025

PAGE 26 | SPORTS NOVEMBER 14 - 27, 2025
Fighting Muskies hoping to hit 500 on the season against the

Purple Raiders on Saturday BY MATTHEW DOTSON | DRESDEN BUZZ

Nearing the end of the season, the big-play ability and dependable hands. Wilmington Quakers, in which the of- ers on Nov. 15 — the Muskies know the
Muskingum Fighting Muskies sit at 4-5 And Ross, while not posting video-game fense showed it could explode and the stakes. They are sitting in the middle of
overall and 4-3 in the Ohio Athletic Con- rushing numbers, is putting in work be- defense held on just long enough. (1-1) the pack in the OAC at 4-3 in conference
ference, a mark that reflects both prom- tween the tackles and helping create op- A 37-13 win at Otterbein Cardinals (2- play.
ise and lingering growing pains as the portunities. 1) gave the program some momentum Muskingum University has an illustri-
program adjusts under first-year head On the other side of the ball, the and allowed the Muskies to showcase ous tradition in the OAC, with 79 confer-
coach Matt Nardo. Muskies have earned respect but have both phases. ence championships across its history,
Coach Matt Nardo returned to his also been tagged too often. Musking- A heartbreaking 34-33 home loss to though the football program’s last title
alma mater this season, charged with um is surrendering approximately 31.2 Franklin Grizzlies dropped them to 2-2, run is decades past. The challenge now
reviving Muskies football after a 5-5 points per game and giving up about the kind of game that underscored the is bridging the history with tangible re-
finish in 2024. The philosophy is clear: 389 yards per game. While those aren’t “almost there” feeling. sults in the Div. III era. The support from
build off veteran leadership, preserve runaway numbers, in the OAC, that mar- A tough 54-16 defeat at Ohio Northern the New Concord community remains
the pass-first identity, and raise the bar gin often determines outcomes. Polar Bears showed the gap between strong, and the Fighting Muskies still
on both sides of the ball. Linebacker Martavious Johnson is the Muskies and the conference’s top- carry that nickname with pride.
Muskingum is averaging about 409 making his senior season count, the tier teams. (2-3) The coaching transition brings energy,
yards per game this year through nine veteran leader who has totaled north A bounce-back 35-31 win at Marietta while the veteran leadership provides
contests, with roughly 2448 passing of 80 tackles and is setting the tone for Pioneers gave hope again (3-3). stability. The younger players have got-
yards and 1235 rushing yards. That bal- a younger supporting cast. On special A 27-14 loss to Heidelberg Student ten meaningful snaps. The offense is
ance shows the identity: throw to open teams, the Muskies have had moments, Princes made it clear the Muskies still clicking more regularly. The defense is
things, run when necessary. but this is a unit Coach Nardo says will need consistency (3-4) improving, but needs to tighten the mar-
Senior Gurney (#9) has been steady, receive increased emphasis heading A 35-28 loss to Baldwin Wallace Yel- gins.
logging the bulk of the passing load with into the final stretch. low Jackets left the team at 3-5.
Cooper backing him up and providing The season opened with a hard-fought A 7-3 road victory over Capital head-
a change of pace. Together, they give 33-27 loss to Mount St. Joseph Lions: a ing into the final week (4-5) ISSUES OF THE DRESDEN BUZZ ARE ALSO
Nardo the flexibility to keep defenses off game the Muskies were competitive in, With three games remaining — includ- ONLINE IN FULL COLOR!
balance. Grant, now a junior wideout, is but couldn’t close out. ing a browsing date with the perennial WWW.DRESDENBUZZ.COM
emerging as the go-to receiver with his Then came a wild 56-49 victory over powerhouse Mount Union Purple Raid-

Bishops fall 78-46 to the Rockets in the opening round

BY MATTHEW DOTSON | DRESDEN BUZZ

In a hard-fought opening-round play- showed flashes of the offensive firepow-
off battle, the Bishop Rosecrans Bish- er that powered them this season.
ops came up short against the Conotton It was a rough start for the Bishops,
Valley Rockets Friday night, dropping a as Conotton Valley jumped out to an 8-7
78-46 decision at Bowerston. The final lead at the end of the first quarter. The
number may look lopsided, but the Bish- Rockets struck first on a touchdown and
ops battled through three quarters and converted a two-point try, then the Bish-

Bishops' wide receiver Nick Bernath gains yards in a match up earlier this season.
Matthew Dotson | FILE PHOTO

ops answered back late in the first when read 78-46, a tough exit from the post-
senior WR/CB Coen Grandstaff ripped season.
off an 11-yard rushing score. Then, the While the result is disappointing, there
PAT by junior kicker J.T. Robinson gave are plenty of positives for the Bishops to
the Bishops their seven points. hang their hats on. Offensively, Perdue
In the second quarter, the Bishops and Grandstaff were electric early on,
found an offensive groove. Quarterback combining for two explosive touchdowns
senior Hayden Perdue unleashed a 44- in the second quarter that showed the
yard touchdown pass to Grandstaff to play-making potential the program had
push the lead to 13-8, followed later by relied upon all season. The roster, in-
a 60-yard connection between Perdue cluding senior WR/CB Gage Bee and ju-
and Grandstaff to stretch it to 21-14. nior RB/OLB Jacobie Balo, will return in
Robinson’s PAT made it 21-14 heading key roles to build from this experience.
into the final minutes of the half. But Defensively, though the third and
the Rockets answered with a late touch- fourth quarters were rough, the Bishops
down of their own, cutting the Bishops’ made some plays and gave the court to
lead to 21-20 at the break. the opportunity they created for them-
The Rockets exploded for 30 points selves early. Senior DT Owen McNeil and
in the third, while the Bishops man- senior DE/C Haiden Omen, among the
aged just 13, sending the game into the leaders on the front line, will use this
fourth with a daunting 50-34 gap. game as fuel moving forward.
The fourth quarter only emphasized Indeed, the Bishops finish the season
the uphill climb. Conotton Valley piled with a respectable 6-5 record. The jour-
on 28 unanswered points, using a cut- ney ends here for 2025, but the founda-
throat passing attack and strong run- tion remains intact.
ning game to pull away. Meanwhile, the
Bishops tallied 12 more points, but were
unable to stem the tide. The final clock