John Carroll didn’t look like a team playing its first home game of the season and desperate for a win after an 0-2 start. After 15 minutes of play Sept. 28 at Don Shula Stadium, the Blue Streaks trailed visiting Heidelberg, 10-0, and appeared to be in trouble. JCU then came to life in the second quarter with three touchdowns and used that momentum for a 48-10 Ohio Athletic Conference victory. “I’ll be honest, it started in the pregame,” said JCU coach Jeff Behrman about his team’s slow start. “The coaches thought our pregame was flat. We can’t do that. It’s a learning lesson. You come out in the first quarter and you weather it a little bit. You can say, ‘What’s going on here?’ and respond in a negative way. But I thought our guys showed some resiliency.” The passing of Nick Semptimphelter and a pick-six touchdown by freshman linebacker Davon Badley of Harvey turned the game for the Blue Streaks. Trailing, 10-0, early in the second quarter JCU (1-2, 1-1 Ohio Athletic Conference) drove 41 yards after a poor Heidelberg punt. Semptimphelter finished off the drive with a 4-yard TD pass to Dorian Facen Jr. Dorian Facen Jr. catches a 4-yard touchdown during John Carroll’s 48-10 win over Heidelberg Sept. 28. (Brian Fisher — For The News-Herald) With one play, JCU appeared ready to put the first quarter behind it. Semptimphelter TD to Facian Jr and @JCUFootball gets on the board and trials Berg 10-7 @jcusports @NHPreps #d3fb pic.twitter.com/U39Jy458wV — Mark Podolski (@mpodo) September 28, 2024 Following a defensive stop — highlighted by a sack and tackle for loss by Joe Thimons — Semptimphelter went back to work and connected with Tyren Montgomery on a 55-yard pass to put the Blue Streaks in the red zone. Kenny Rawls’ 8-yard TD reception gave JCU its first lead of the game at 14-10 with 5 minutes, 56 seconds remaining before halftime. Rawls finished with four catches and 92 yards. Semptimphelter TD pass No. 2 (this oneto TE Rawls) and @JCUFootball leads Berg 14-10 q2 @jcusports @NHPreps #d3fb pic.twitter.com/iTA7ZGLX7J — Mark Podolski (@mpodo) September 28, 2024 “As a quarterback, it kind of falls on me if we’re not starting fast in the first quarter,” said Semptimphelter. “Once we started getting into our groove, we started moving the ball around.” On the next drive, a huge defensive play extended the lead. Badley stepped in front of a pass in the right flat, hauled it in and never lost stride en route to a 32-yard pick-six and it was 21-10. “At first, I was a little nervous because I thought I was gonna dropped it but once I got it I got really happy and took it to the house,” said Badley. “It was amazing.” Semptimphelter was on the mark last week against Mount Union and continued that against the Student Princes (1-2, 0-2 OAC). In the first half, he completed 12 of 14 passes for 144 yards and two TDs. He finished the game 18 of 23 for 272 yards and three TD passes. With a comfortable second-half lead, Coach Jeff Behrman used that advantage to work on his team’s rushing attack, which entered Sept. 28 averaging just 77 yards per game. The Blue Streaks were a bit better with 114 yards on 33 attempts. Nehemiah Jenkins led the way with 68 yards on 13 carries and his first TD with the Blue Streaks. Jenkins is a transfer from Wilmington, and in 2023 ran for 974 yards for the Quakers. The defense was dominant after the first quarter. The Student Princes had two first-quarter scoring drives but that was about it. They finished with 179 total yards, compared to JCU’s 386. Brothers Tyler Thimons and Joe Thimons combined for 16 tackles with Joe getting 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss. Badley had five stops and his pick 6. West Geauga grad Levi VeVerka of JCU recorded his first career college interception late in the fourth quarter. PHOTOS: John Carroll vs. Heidelberg football, Sept. 28, 2024 JOHN CARROLL 48, HEIDELBERG 10