OBERLIN, Ohio – Senior wide receiver Zach Homyk (Chicago, IL/St. Ignatius Prep) made 10 receptions for a career-high 201 yards and two touchdowns as the Case Western Reserve University football team defeated Oberlin College, 48-36, on Saturday, October 9 at Savage Field. The Spartans have now won 36 consecutive regular season games and stretched their win streak versus Oberlin to 26 straight.

With the win, Case improves to 5-0 overall and will return to action next Saturday, October 16, at Hiram College at 1:00 p.m. With the loss, Oberlin falls to 2-3 overall.

In addition to Homyk's performance, senior quarterback Joey Baum (Dalton, OH/Walsh Jesuit) completed 24-of-34 passes for a career-high 363 yards and three scores.

The game opened with five consecutive touchdown scoring drives as the two sides combined to score 35 points in the first quarter.

Oberlin took the opening drive 65 yards on eight plays and reached the end zone when Drew Mixter rushed straight up the middle for a 23-yard touchdown at the 11:48 mark.

Case came right back with a three-play drive that covered 61 yards in just 49 seconds and culminated in a one-yard TD run by sophomore fullback Trevor LeBarge (St. Louis, MO/Chaminade College Prep) at 10:59. Homyk highlighted the drive with two receptions for 60 yards, including a 45-yarder on the Spartans' first play from scrimmage.

The Yeomen answered with an 11-play, 62-yard drive  and scored again on a one-yard TD run by Moses Richardson with 5:51 left in the first quarter.

The Spartans took their next drive 30 yards on four plays and reached "pay dirt" when senior running back Billy Deitmen (Mentor, OH/Mentor) rushed off tackle for a five-yard TD. The possession was set up by a 51-yard kickoff return by junior wide receiver Bryan Metlesitz (North Royalton, OH/North Royalton) and the point after by senior kicker Sam Coffey (Middletown, OH/Lakota East) tied the score at 14 apiece.

Oberlin followed suit and took its next possession 67 yards on four plays and scored on a 55-yard shovel-pass from Josh Mandel to running back Adam Lowther. A Zach Richard PAT made the score 21-14 at the 2:19 mark.

After defensive stands by each side, the Spartans marched 74 yards on 13 plays and scored when senior RB Derek Bush (Kittanning, PA/Ford City) rushed in from three yards out with 8:36 left in the half. Key plays on the drive included a 22-yard run by Bush on second and 22 from the Case 30 and a 15-yard pass interference penalty committed against Homyk to set the Spartans up with a first and goal from the seven.

The Spartans then forced the Yeomen three-and-out and took their first lead when Homyk caught a seven-yard TD from Baum to cap a three-play, 64-yard drive that featured a 55-yard reception by Homyk.

Case then regained possession on the ensuing kickoff when sophomore linebacker Wade Self (Hawthorn Woods, IL/Lake Zurich) recovered a Yeomen fumble at the Oberlin 42. Four plays later, Baum and Homyk hooked up again for a 20-yard TD and Coffey's PAT made the score 35-21 at the 4:28 mark.

Undaunted, Oberlin took its next drive 73 yards on four plays and brought the score to 35-27 when Mandel found wide out Adam Niec for a seven-yard score. The Yeomen extra point attempt was no good.  

The next Spartan possession ended in three plays before the Yeomen took the final drive of the half 44 yards on 10 plays ending with a 41-yard field goal by Richard to make the score 35-30.

The scoring slowed down a bit in the second half but Case was able to extend its lead early when Baum connected on a 16-yard TD pass to junior tight end Bryce Coleman (Solon, OH/Solon) to cap a five-play, 52-yard drive at the 10:49 mark of the third quarter.

The Spartans added to the lead late in the third when Coffey connected on a 29-yard field goal following an 11-play, 65-yard drive to make the score 45-30 at the 3:23 mark.

Following another Coffey field goal from 28 yards to open the fourth quarter, Oberlin cut into the advantage when Mandel scrambled 59 yards for a touchdown with 10:25 left to play. The Yeomen scoring drive covered 80 yards on just five plays but a missed two-point conversion attempt left the score at 48-36.

The Case defense then stepped up to force two turnover on downs to secure the 48-36 victory.

For the game, junior linebacker Jacob Adams (Cincinnati, OH/Princeton) totaled a team-high 12 tackles, junior end Rich Doolin (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) recorded two sacks and junior tackle Dale English (Middleburg Heights, OH/Holy Name) recorded nine tackles and a sack.

Following next Saturday's game at Hiram, Case returns home to host the College of Wooster in the annual Baird Brothers Trophy game on Saturday, October 23 at 1:00 p.m. at Case Field in Cleveland.