Ohio Northern outscored the Falcon football team, 21-6, in the second half en route to a 35-21 win in a game played in Ada, Ohio on Thursday afternoon.

The contest was tied, 21-21, midway through the third quarter before the Polar Bears scored twice to take the win in both teams' first game of the 2010 season.

UWRF running back Taylor Edwards (Janesville, Parker) ruched for 191 yards and two touchdowns. He scored on a 53-yard run in the first quarter and a 3-yard burst in the second. With ONU leading 21-15 in the third quarter UWRF wide receiver Joe Ganske (Shakopee, MN, Shakopee) caught a 16-yard pass from quarterback Ryan Luessenheide (New Hope, MN, Cooper) to tie the game with 6:40 to play.

But ONU's Brent Donley scored on a 4-yard run later in the third quarter and Evan Elliot caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Kyle Simmons early in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

Luessenheide finished 12-23 passing for 118 yards and one touchdown. ONU's Donley picked up 115 rushing yards while Simmons was 15-26 for 195 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored twice on runs of 8 and 5-yards.

The Falcons took the opening kickoff but picked up just one yard and were forced to punt. That set up ONU's first score. Simmons scored on an 8-yard run with just 3:46 gone in the game. The Polar Bears drove 55 yards in six plays.

But the Falcons responded with a scoring drive of their own. With a first-and-10 at the Falcon 47, Edwards took the ball 53 yards to put UWRF on the scoreboard. The Falcons went for two points and Luessenheide scored the points to make it an 8-7 game with 9:18 to play in the opening quarter. The Falcons drove 80 yards in just five plays.

Ohio Northern, ranked No. 11 in the D3Football.com poll, scored on its next possession to take a 14-8 lead 2:33 to go in the first quarter. ONU used 15 plays in the ball control drive with the touchdown coming on a 3-yard pass from Simmons to Jared Oehler.

The Falcons came back again to take the lead, 15-14, scoring the only touchdown of the second quarter. The Falcons took the ball of their 20 yard line and 11 plays later were in the end zone. Edwards rushed for 42 yards in the drive that finished in his 3-yard run with 3:04 to play in the half.

ONU took the second half kickoff and scored to take a 21-15 lead. Simmons covered the final five yards on a run with 12:28 to play in the third quarter.

For the third time the Falcons came back, this time to tie the game, 21-21, with 6:40 to go in the third quarter. Luessenheide hit Ganske with a 16-yard touchdown pass for the score.

The Falcon defense held ONU on its next drive, and the Falcons took over at their seven yard line. But on RF's first play from scrimmage the Falcons fumbled and ONU recovered the loose ball at the Falcon six. It took the Polar Bears just two plays to reach the end zone and take a 28-21 lead.

The Falcons put together a great drive and nearly tied the game on their next possession. The Falcons reeled off plays gaining 10, 11, 12 and 23 yards to give them a first down at the ONU 16. A loss of two yards put the ball at the ONU 18. But Luessenheide's pass into the end zone was picked off by ONU's Eric Wenzler on a great play to kill the drive.

ONU took advantage of the turnover to score its final points. They drove 80 yards in 10 plays to score. The points came on an Elliot touchdown reception from Simmons.

The Falcons got the ball back twice more but couldn't score. On their first drive the Falcons drove to the ONU 14 before the Falcons turned the ball over on downs. On the team's final drive they were able to gain 12 yards before handing the ball away on downs again.

Keith Lofgren (Esko, MN, Fond du Lac CC) led the Falcon defense with six solo and 12 total tackles. Five other Falcons had eight tackles each. Steve Marich (Cottage Grove, MN, Park) and Tim Wendroth (Austin, MN, Austin) both had sacks.

The Falcons will next play at No. 5 ranked St. Thomas on Sept. 11. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

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