Scots Prevail 64-58 in Epic Offensive Battle With Witt

Tony Sutton vaults over a Wittenberg defender and into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown in overtime.

WOOSTER, Ohio – Keith Adams (Suffield, Ohio / Field) intercepted a pass on the initial play of overtime and The College of Wooster then turned to its All-American running back, Tony Sutton (Akron, Ohio / Archbishop Hoban), for three-straight carries, the last of which he took 13 yards for the winning touchdown, as the Fighting Scots defeated long-time nemesis Wittenberg University 64-58 in an epic battle Saturday at John P. Papp Stadium.

With the victory, Wooster clinches at least a share of the 2004 North Coast Athletic Conference title – its first league championship since 1997 – and improves to 9-0 overall. The Scots’ have only been 9-0 two other times in school history, finishing the 1920 and 1923 seasons with that mark. They now have a chance to go 10-0, win their first outright championship since 1934 (OAC), and earn the NCAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Div. III Playoffs, which would also mark a "first" for Wooster football.

Wittenberg (6-3, 4-2 NCAC), which had won 26 of the teams’ 27 previous meetings dating back to 1950, took all of the momentum into the extra session. The Tigers had erased what was once a 48-17 third-quarter Wooster lead, as well as a 58-37 margin with 12:46 remaining in regulation, and tied the game at 58 when quarterback Ryan Holmes ran the ball in (three yards) out of a shotgun on a 4th-down play with just :15 left.

Wittenberg’s rally actually began when Will Block couldn’t find the handle on a kickoff. After initially mishandling the ball, Block picked it up at the two-yard line, worked his way around some would-be tacklers, found open ground in the middle of the field, and broke a couple of tackles just past midfield before reversing direction and eventually finding the end zone on a play that elapsed 20 seconds.

Leading 58-44, the Scots were able to work some time off the clock, making three first downs on a drive that took 6:12, however, they didn’t come up with any points, misfiring on a 36-yard field goal attempt.

Next, Holmes quickly directed Wittenberg on a seven-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a 27-yard touchdown pass to Eric Kubilus, which made it 58-51 with 4:16 remaining.

On the ensuing possession, the Tiger defense stepped up, holding Wooster to a "three-and-out" for just the third time all game.

Wittenberg got the ball back at its own 26-yard line with plenty of time remaining (2:38), and Holmes calmly guided his offense down the field, with the big play being a 38-yard connection to Joe Rumschlag which brought the Tigers to the three-yard line. The Scot defense stuffed two-straight rushing attempts and then nearly sacked Holmes, but the senior was able to throw the ball away. After a timeout, Wittenberg came out with a spread formation and Holmes found a clear path on the right side into the end zone.

Wooster won the coin toss before overtime, electing to take the second possession. On the first snap, Holmes looked left and threw the ball towards the sideline, however, his receiver cut inside, and Adams was there for his first career interception at about the five-yard line. The sophomore cornerback was in the lineup due to an earlier injury to one of the starters.

The Scots then put the game on the shoulders of Sutton, who responded with an eight-yard run and a four-yard gain for the first down before taking the next handoff right up the middle, eventually falling into the end zone with a Wittenberg defender draped around his legs.

Sutton was "limited" to 52 yards on 16 rushes and a 14-yard touchdown reception during the first half before exploding for 169 yards and four touchdowns on his final 22 carries. In the process of compiling 344 all-purpose yards (221 rushing, 14 receiving, and 109 on kickoff returns), Sutton broke conference career records for all-purpose yardage (5,749) and rushing touchdowns (70).

While Sutton was the key to Wooster’s offense in the second half, quarterback Justin Schafer (Bethesda, Ohio / Union Local) led the way to a 34-17 halftime lead. He threw touchdown passes to Sutton and Richie McNally (Westerville, Ohio / St. Francis DeSales) in the first quarter, and then sandwiched a pair of option rushing touchdowns around a 71-yard scoring pass play to McNally during the Scots’ 21-0 second quarter.

Wooster extended its string of unanswered points to 35 with third-quarter Sutton scores from 31 yards and two yards away, the second of which was set up by a 55-yard reception by Shaun Swearingen (Hilliard, Ohio / Bishop Watterson).

Down 31 with just over 10 minutes left in the third, Holmes and Tristan Murray began the Tigers’ comeback bid. Murray finished back-to-back drives of 70-plus yards with seven-yard and three-yard touchdown runs to pull Wittenberg within 48-31.

The Scots scored on their ensuing possession with Sutton punching it in from eight yards out, completing a drive that included another 31-yard scamper for the senior running back.

Next, the Tigers needed just three plays to cover 64 yards, scoring on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Holmes to Braden Freeman. After a blocked point after attempt, the score stood at 55-38.

Wooster then added what turned out to be its only points of the fourth quarter – a McNally 24-yard field goal, which was followed by Block’s kickoff return.

Overall, the teams’ 122 combined points set an NCAC single-game record and was just seven shy of the Div. III national record. They totaled 1,190 yards of offense – 638 for Wooster and 552 for Wittenberg – and averaged 8.2 yards per play.

Individually, Schafer’s numbers were equally as impressive as Sutton’s. The sophomore finished with 413 yards of total offense – the second most in school history – highlighted by his first career 300-yard passing day (315). Schafer added 98 yards on the ground on 13 rushes, while connecting on 12-of-20 through the air, averaging 26.3 yards per completion and not committing a turnover all day.

McNally, who had a 22-point day in his dual role as a wideout and kicker, made five receptions for a career-high 167 yards, while fellow senior receiver Tim Slovensky (Parma, Ohio / Parma Senior) caught four balls for 72 yards.

Holmes, despite having his top wide receiver (Jered Glover) see very limited action due to injury, produced a near-flawless performance, completing 25-of-44 passes for 439 yards and three touchdowns. The Tigers had three 100-yard receivers, led by Freeman’s 10 catches for 177 yards.

Murray finished with a rare 100-yard rushing, 100-yard receiving game, as he covered 107 stripes on the ground (23 rushes) and 105 via pass plays (five receptions), and scored three times (all rushing).

The Scots’ wrap up the regular season next Saturday (Nov. 13) with a trip to Delaware, Ohio, the home of Ohio Wesleyan University (5-4, 5-1 NCAC). The winner will receive the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Div. III Championships field.