Sheppard Scores Three Touchdowns in 27-7 Victory at Oberlin

Dustin Sheppard

Dustin Sheppard (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) scored three of The College of Wooster's four touchdowns Saturday, giving him 34 for his career and leading the Fighting Scots to a 27-7 road win over Oberlin College in North Coast Athletic Conference action.

Wooster (7-2, 5-1 NCAC) was forced to turn the ball over on downs inside the red zone on the game's initial possession, but the offense bounced back to score on its second drive. After a 23-yard punt return by Taylor Trout (Nashport, Ohio / Tri-Valley), the Scots moved 42 yards in just four plays, including runs of 16 yards by Austin Holter (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) and 10 by Sheppard, the latter being a touchdown.

Early in the second quarter, Wooster put together its longest drive of the season, marching 90 yards to another score. Pinned deep in its own territory, Holter hit Jordan Ferns (Canfield, Ohio / Canfield) for 54 yards – the team's longest pass play of 2008. Two of the next four plays were 11- and 10-yard rushes, setting up the Scots with 1st-and-goal, and Sheppard eventually punched it in from one-yard out. Wooster misfired on the extra point, though.

Oberlin (2-7, 2-4 NCAC) had a chance to cut into that 13-0 margin, but on the second-to-last play of the half, Bryan Albani (Warren, Ohio / Howland) picked off a pass at the Wooster 12-yard line. It marked Albani's fourth interception this season.

Midway through the third quarter, the Scots would come up with another key interception, this one courtesy of Matt DeGrand (Stow, Ohio / St. Vincent-St. Mary) as the junior outside linebacker snagged the errant pass at the Wooster 30 and returned it 40 yards to the Yeomen's 30. Two plays later, Sheppard broke through for a 26-yard touchdown to give the Scots a 20-0 cushion at the 3:51 mark.

Oberlin would make things a little interesting early in the fourth quarter, when Greg Mangan found Mike Loll for an 11-yard touchdown pass, completing a nine-play, 81-yard drive.

The Scots' offense answered on the ensuing possession to seal the victory. After grinding out a pair of first downs, Holter connected with Sheppard and Mike Francescangeli (Brunswick, Ohio / Brunswick) on back-to-back plays of 15 yards and 22 yards, respectively. Then, Robert Flagg (Oldsmar, Fla. / Dunedin) found pay dirt from three yards away, marking the freshman's second touchdown this fall.

While the final outcome was a comfortable 20-point margin, Wooster only held a 319-285 advantage in total yards, and the Yeomen actually had more first downs (19 to 15).

Sheppard finished with his second 100-yard rushing game of the season, netting 114 on 20 carries. Holter chipped in 50 rushing yards, while going to the air just 15 times as he completed nine for 139 yards. Francescangeli had a squad-high four catches for 31 stripes.

Defensively, the Scots held last season's NCAC Offensive Player of the Year, R.V. Carroll, in check, limiting him to 37 rushing yards on 17 attempts. Mangan was fairly successful passing the ball, as he ended up 24-of-42 for 270 yards, but the two interceptions may have done in Oberlin.

In addition to his key interception, DeGrand was credited with a game-high 15 tackles, which gives him 107 for the season – the first Wooster player to reach the century mark since Tim Cline in 2001. Also of note, senior Kevin Friedman (Pepper Pike, Ohio / St. Peter Chanel) booted a career-long 65-yard punt.

The Scots will close out the regular season at home next Saturday when they welcome rival Wittenberg University (6-3, 4-2 NCAC) for a 1 p.m. kickoff.