Austin, Clayton, Warstler the Early Playmakers in Saturday Loss to Wabash

WOOSTER, Ohio – Sophomore Jace Austin sparked The College of Wooster football team early with a score-opening 70-yard touchdown run in Saturday's 55-19 loss to visiting Wabash College at John P. Papp Stadium.

Austin took the handoff on the third offensive play and found a crease on the left side. Once there, the Fighting Scots' (1-4, 0-3 North Coast Athletic Conference) speedster beat the Little Giants (3-1, 2-0 NCAC) down the field for the 70-yard score. The touchdown was Austin's second of 70 yards or more on the season.

Senior Carter Warstler became one of the latest Scots to play both ways, and his athleticism carried over to the defensive side. While playing corner, Warstler picked Campbell off in the end zone with an acrobatic grab. Unfortunately, Wooster could not gain momentum following the first-career Warstler interception. On the next drive, Warstler momentarily saved a touchdown, tackling Wabash's Xavier Tyler short of the goal line on what went in the log as a 55-yard run up the middle. Javon Garry did get in the end zone, scoring Wabash's go-ahead touchdown from a yard out with 27 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Senior Sebestyen Balassy found his footing in the second quarter, knocking 30- and 26-yard field goals through the uprights. Those were Balassy's first two field-goal makes. The first was aided by a 25-yard deep middle completion from junior quarterback Chanden Lee to Austin, and a 1-yard rush by junior Jarvis Mims Jr. kept the chains moving on a fourth-and-1 snap from Wabash's 41-yard line.

Warstler set up the second Balassy field goal, which pulled Wooster within 21-13 with 1:48 remaining before halftime. Warstler ran a kickoff back 42 yards and an additional 15 stripes were added on due to a Wabash facemask on the return. The Scots' all-around playmaker went on to block a Little Giant extra point try in the third quarter.

Junior Shakir Perkins scored Wooster's final touchdown of the day on a 12-yard rush early in the fourth quarter. Senior left guard Jacob Johnston kept the drive alive by recovering a fumble. Later, Austin went three yards up the middle when the Scots rolled the dice and went for it on fourth-and-1 from Wabash's 15-yard line.

Lee and sophomore Michael Boyle combined to go 20-for-35 for 172 yards on the afternoon. Austin was Wooster's leading rusher with 88 yards on nine carries and Perkins finished the day with 45 yards on 10 rushes. Senior Andrew Hammer's 49 receiving yards led Wooster. Defensively, junior Louie Lindsay and senior Jacob Dugas had six tackles each. Senior Neil Clayton logged Wooster's sack, with that setting Wabash back five yards on its opening offensive play.

Wabash got it done on the ground, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. The Little Giants totaled 334 yards rushing, 185 of which came from Tyler. Wabash scored five rushing touchdowns in the game. Campbell completed 15-of-20 passes for 232 yards and three scores. TJ Alexander was over 100 yards receiving for the Little Giants. Gavin Ruppert was a defensive force again, this time finishing with eight tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack.

Wabash finished the day with 577 yards of offense to Wooster's 301. The Little Giants were 7-of-9 on third down, to a 5-of-16 mark for the Scots.

Next, Wooster hosts Denison University (3-2, 3-0 NCAC) at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 12. The teams will play for the Old Red Lantern.