Woo-Witt the Season Finale (Football Game Notes)

Ticket and Tailgate Information: Tickets for Wooster home football games are $6.00 for adults, $5.00 for senior citizens and youth, and free for College of Wooster students, faculty, and staff with your College of Wooster identification card. You can purchase tickets at the ticket booth located at the main entrance of John P. Papp Stadium (cash and credit card), located off E. University St., or the table at the back access driveway (cash only) located off Gasche St. Tailgate policies can be found at https://woosterathletics.com/information/spectator_information.

 

Special Events: Prior to the game, Wooster will recognize its senior class consisting of Vincent Baioni (South Russell, Ohio/Charles F. Brush), Sebestyen Balassy (Medina, Ohio/St. Ignatius), Neil Clayton (Boydton, Va./Bluestone), Jacob Dugas (Ontario, Canada/St. James School (Md.)), Tyler Ellsworth (Ravenna, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary), Brazos Gadler (Houston, Texas/Cypress Creek), Max Guorgui (Oakville, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School), Andrew Hammer (Uniontown, Ohio/Lake), Jacob Johnston (Adrian, Mich./Adrian), Bryce Kamphues (North Manchester, Ind./Manchester), Roman LaBrosse (Olmsted Falls, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy), Greysen Meyer (Clarksville, Tenn./Fort Campbell), Tyler Miller (Uniontown, Ohio/Green), Adam Noonkester (Hattiesburg, Miss./Presbyterian Christian), Shakir Perkins (Austintown, Ohio/Mineral Ridge), Logan Pugh (Youngstown, Ohio/Jackson-Milton), Liam Regan (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua Academy), Seth Robinson (Mesquite, Texas/Mesquite), and Vell Robinson (North Port, Fla./North Port).

 

All-Time Series: Wittenberg leads the all-time series 43-13-1. The teams first met in 1912, a game won by Wooster 12-0. Wooster won the first two meetings in the series by identical 12-0 scores. Wooster's last win in the series came in 2022, when the Scots authored one of the biggest comebacks in college football, charging back from a 33-7 deficit over the final 26:45 to win 44-43. Alumnus quarterback Mateo Renteria escaped pressure twice, enabling alumnus All-American tight end Cole Hissong to find an opening in front of three defenders in the end zone prior to catching a game-winning 7-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds remaining. Alumnus Chris Savaglio had a game-sealing interception at Wittenberg's 42-yard line with three seconds remaining to secure the program's first win over its archrival since the 2008 season finale.

 

Last Meeting: Alumnus and NCAC Don Hunsinger Award winner (NCAC Male Athlete of the Year) Lake Barrett added to his field goal record and capped a career as one of Wooster's top placekickers in a 52-24 loss to Wittenberg that concluded the 2023 season. Barrett tied his career-long with a 42-yard field goal in the second quarter and capped his career 29-of-38 on field goals, with the makes ranking as the most in program history. Barrett concluded his career with a 76 percent success rate on field goals for second all-time in program history. Barrett ended the 2023 season without missing an extra point, marking three straight years not missing one.

 

This and That: Wooster has been flagged for just 36 penalties this fall, which ranks within the top-25 nationally. Wooster is 21st nationally in penalties per game. Wooster has lost just two fumbles this fall, which ranks as the eighth-fewest in Div. III. There are just three teams in Div. III - Grove City College, Plymouth State University, Whitworth University - which have not lost a fumble this fall. Wooster is looking to conclude the year on a three-game winning streak for the first time since 2013, when the Scots won four straight to finish out the year 7-3, in what was Frank Colaprete's first season leading the program. Wooster ranks sixth nationally with 26.1 yards per kickoff return. Gadler is 39th nationally in all-purpose yards with 126.78 per game, a total that is second within the NCAC. Gadler is seventh nationally with 32.0 yards per kickoff return. Clayton leads the NCAC 0.25 forced fumbles per game. Sophomore Michael Boyle (Pennsburg, Pa./Upper Perkiomen) enters the week 66th nationally with 149.6 passing efficiency points.