The Cincinnati Enquirer

Thomas More senior Tim Nieman recovered a blocked punt with less than one minute remaining and carried it 19 yards on fourth down to seal a 38-31 victory for the Saints over Mount St. Joseph in the eighth annual Bridge Bowl at Mariemont High.

Thomas More ends its season with a 6-4 record, having won five of its last six; the Lions finish 6-4 after three consecutive losses to end the season. The Saints have never lost to Mount St. Joseph, running their record to 8-0 in the series that dates to 1990.

Prior to the muffed punt, on the previous drive for Thomas More, freshman receiver Jesse Junius gave the Saints the lead after hauling in a 78-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Nate Berkley with 2:39 left in the game. The score came 1:10 after Mount St. Joseph had tied the game at 31-31 on an 80-yard touchdown pass from Mike Dane to Andy Wellendorf at 3:49.

The teams combined for 902 yards in total offense.

Mount St. Joseph earned 412 yards of its 501 yards through the air, as Dane set a Mount single-game record by passing for those 412 yards, and he tied his own mark for TDs with four.

TMC stopped the Lions' running game, allowing just 89 yards on 33 carries. Mount St. Joseph's Ricky Story, who came into the game averaging 111.8 yards per game rushing, was held to just 14 yards on eight carries after leaving the game with an injury.

Mount Union 58, Wilmington 0

WILMINGTON - Mount Union won its 12th consecutive Ohio Conference championship and clinched a playoff berth for the three-time defending Division III national champions.

The Purple Raiders (10-0, 9-0) won their 85th straight game in the OAC and 52nd in a row overall, two short of their NCAA record.

Wilmington fell to 2-8 (2-7).

Hanover 33, Franklin 24

FRANKLIN, Ind. - Brett Dietz threw for 354 yards and four touchdowns as Hanover (8-2, 6-0) won the Heartland Conference title with a victory over Franklin.