All-American Christiaan Williams reaches 1,000-yard rushing plateau for school record third season, leads Football to 49-0 victory over Capital

By Tim Glon

ADA — Junior All-American Christiaan Williams (Sidney/Anna) became the first Ohio Northern player to run for 1,000 yards in three different seasons, leading the Polar Bears to a 49-0 football victory over Capital on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Dial-Roberson Stadium.

Ohio Northern improves to 4-3 overall and is 4-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, while Capital falls to 0-7, 0-6.

Williams carried the ball 25 times for 218 yards and three touchdowns, giving him a league-leading 1,018 yards in seven games this season.

He ran for 1,623 yards as a sophomore in 2017 and 1,208 yards as a freshman in 2016. He ranks second all-time in ONU history with 3,847 career rushing yards in just 26 games.

Senior Anthony McFadden (Chillicothe/Paint Valley) was 11-of-20 passing for 185 yards and three scores for Ohio Northern.

Senior Mark Niles (Miramar, Fla.) had a career-high 16 tackles and a pass broken up to lead the ONU defense, which pitched the ninth shutout in Dial-Roberson Stadium history. Niles now leads the league with 78 tackles this season.

Ohio Northern limited Capital to 131 yards of total offense, including just 24 yards passing on a 5-of-17 effort with four Polar Bear sacks.

After an early punt, Ohio Northern scored on six of its next seven possessions.

McFadden opened the scoring with a 10-yard touchdown pass to junior Ryan Rockwell (Broadview Heights/Saint Edward) with 5:11 left in the opening quarter.

Sophomore Trevor McConnell (Troy, Mich./Cranbrook) came off the bench to throw his first career touchdown pass, hitting sophomore A.J. Marks (Guysville/Alexander) on a 7-yard shovel pass to make it 14-0 after the first quarter.

McFadden hit Marks on a 12-yard score and Williams scored on runs of 22 and 1 yards as ONU led 35-0 at halftime.

Junior Chase Rose (Kenton/Upper Scioto Valley) caught a 26-yard touchdown pass from McFadden on the first possession of the third quarter to make it 42-0.

Williams wrapped up the scoring with he banged in from three yards out with 8:52 left in the game.

Rose finished the game with five receptions for 86 yards and sophomore Austin Eick (Rossford) caught four passes for 72 yards for ONU.

Freshman Josh Bever (Ashland) had four tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss to help in Northern's stout defensive effort.

The Polar Bears will return to action next Saturday with a 1:30 pm contest at No. 2-ranked Mount Union.