OXFORD – Any slim chance Oxford had at making the playoffs was erased by a Deposit club that dominated Oxford for all but a brief sequence of the first half

Scoring 20 unanswered points over the final two quarters, the Lumberjacks improved to 4-1 on the season winning 20-7 Friday on Oxford’s homecoming weekend.

“Their athleticism really paid dividends for them in the second half,” said Oxford coach Mike Chrystie.

Deposit struggled to get on track with its passing game in the first half, and the running game was equally ineffective against a stingy Oxford defense.

The Blackhawks, meanwhile, did few things right for a quarter and half of the second quarter. In fact, Oxford’s first seven plays from scrimmage included two turnovers and two penalties. After each turnover, Oxford averted any damage forcing a punt after the first one, then stopping a deep Deposit progression at its own 12.

Oxford’s only glimmer of sustained offense in the game came midway through the second quarter. Lumbjerjacks quarterback Brett Hauber made an ill-advised pass into swarming Oxford coverage, and John Witchella picked off the pigskin. Situated at Deposit’s 41, five straight runs led to a 10-yard TD dash up the middle from Scott Shackelton. After that, Oxford would not gain a first down until its next-to-last drive of the game.