Big-Play Scots Roll Past Wilmington, 56-13

WOOSTER, Ohio – Senior Carter Warstler returned the opening kickoff of the 2024 season 90 yards for a touchdown, and The College of Wooster football team had three touchdowns 59 yards in length or longer in Saturday's 56-13 win over Wilmington College at John P. Papp Stadium.

Warstler, an all-region returner the last season he played football at the College, ran the opening kickoff back 90 yards for his third-career return touchdown. It was 8-0 seconds into the game when senior placekicker Sebestyen Balassy took a snap under center from senior Bryce Kamphues and caught the entire Wilmington (0-1) defense napping for an easy two-point conversion.

Wooster (1-0) answered Wilmington's first score of the game, with junior quarterback Chanden Lee getting pushed into the end zone from a yard out at the first period's 4:03 mark. Lee's touchdown capped Wooster's 9-play, 73-yard drive, that was headlined by a 39-yard Lee completion to senior Brazos Gadler.

Marching right down the field continued for Wooster in the second quarter. A 1-yard slant route upped senior Andrew Hammer's career receiving touchdown haul to 11. A 23-yard Lee-to-Balassy completion and a 14-yard rush from junior Jarvis Mims Jr. were the big offensive plays of the first second-quarter scoring drive.

Wooster needed one play to score the next time it gained possession, as Warstler hauled in a lengthy downfield pass and went the rest of the way for the 59-yard score. The touchdown pass followed an interception by sophomore Wyatt Wilkie.

Junior defensive back Louie Lindsay picked off Wilmington's Isaac Ross on the next possession, and that pick was returned to Wilmington's 30-yard line. Wooster was inside the five after a 13-yard completion to Hammer, then Mims Jr. scored for the first time. Balassy's ensuing extra point made it 35-6 Wooster with 5:22 to go before halftime.

Wooster scored again before halftime, logging its second special teams touchdown on opening day. A bad punt snap skipped past Wilmington's Jace Thuma at the Fightin' Quakers' 17-yard line. The ball rolled all the way to the end zone, where Wooster sophomore Jace Austin fell on it for the score.

Mims Jr. added a second rushing touchdown in the third quarter, which put Wooster up 49-13, following Balassy's extra point. The junior running back did the heavy lifting on the scoring drive, toting the ball five times for 51 yards.

Big plays continued for Wooster come the fourth. Wilkie tackled Joseph Spann a yard shy of the first-down marker on fourth down. Wooster turned to Austin on the first play following the change of possession, and the sophomore outraced the Fightin' Quakers to the end zone for a 74-yard score. It marked Wooster's longest rushing play since Mims Jr.'s 80-yarder in the 2022 season.

 Later, junior corner Tate Journell denied Wilmington a touchdown inside the final six minutes, picking off Ross in the end zone.

Lee completed 18-of-25 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Warstler was the big threat, going for 92 yards on four receptions. Gadler had a steady day, turning seven receptions into 77 yards. Wooster rushed for 264 yards, 112 of which came from Austin, who had just six carries. Mims Jr. followed with 68 yards on 10 touches, and junior Shakir Perkins went for 57 yards on nine carries.

Defensively, sophomore Mo Bajinka led the way with seven tackles in his first collegiate start, a feat matched by first-year Landon Covele. Journell was the third Scot with seven tackles on the day. First-year Cam Crago stripped Ross of the ball on the opening drive of the fourth quarter for the defensive back's first collegiate sack. Senior Neil Clayton knocked the ball free of Ross behind the line in the first half, but the play was already deemed a rush due to Ross having a second fumble on the same play. On the day, Wooster totaled 11 tackles for loss, with sophomore Isaac LaFay leading the charge with two.

Ross threw for 400 yards, but was just 29-of-49 and had the three interceptions. Lathan Jones recorded 110 receiving yards on six receptions. Kai Smith had a rushing touchdown as part of a 7-carry, 61-yard afternoon.

Na'Zere Neal led Wilmington with seven tackles. The Fightin' Quakers were held without a sack and had just three tackles for loss.

Wooster had 507 yards of offense to Wilmington's 492. Wooster was very effective early in the downs, having just nine third downs the entire game.

Of note, Wooster's 56 points are the second-most scored in a season-opener, trailing the 58 hung on Denison University in 1890.

Next, Wooster plays at The University of Olivet (Michigan) (0-1) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 14.