The College of Wooster continues North Coast Athletic Conference play this week with hopes of improving to 3-0 in the league, as the Fighting Scots travel to Earlham College (2-1, 0-0 NCAC) Saturday, Oct. 3. While Wooster already has two relatively convincing NCAC victories the last two weeks, it will mark Earlham's initial conference game of 2009. The Quakers tied for third in the NCAC a season ago (4-3) and have won six of their last eight games dating back to the second half of last year. Kickoff at Darrell Beane Stadium is slated for 1 p.m. EDT.
On the Air: Wooster's football games can be heard live each week in the Wooster area on WKVX 960 AM or anywhere in the world by following links on the radio station's Web site at http://wkvx.com/.
All-Time Series: Earlham and Wooster did not start playing each other until 1989 when the Quakers joined the NCAC. The Scots have dominated the brief all-time series 13-2, including winning the last 10 meetings by an average of 26.4 points. However, Wooster barely escaped with the victory last season, as Dan Grangaard converted a 17-yard field goal with 1:58 to play and the Scots hung on for a 16-14 triumph.
Last Game: Behind 345 yards of total offense from senior quarterback Austin Holter (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe), including a career-high 116 rushing, Wooster celebrated its Homecoming with a 26-7 triumph over NCAC foe Denison University at John P. Papp Stadium.
The game took place in rain showers, but thanks to the newly-installed synthetic playing surface (Sprinturf), Wooster's offensive unit, which entered ranked among the top-30 in NCAA Div. III in scoring offense and total offense, was not effected much. The Scots began their second possession pinned inside the 20, but they found the end zone in five plays, keyed by a Holter 32-yard gallop, a short pass in the right flat to Cameron Daniels (Clarksburg, W. Va. / Byrd) that ended up going for a 30-yard gain, and a Jordan McIntyre (Steubenville, Ohio / Steubenville) 16-yard scoring run as the freshman found a big hole on the left side for his first career touchdown.
Following the defense's second three-and-out in three Denison drives, Wooster produced an 11-play, 47-yard scoring series, which resulted in a 35-yard field goal by Russ Palm (Williamstown, W. Va. / Williamstown) for a 10-0 lead late in the first quarter.
The Scots' offense would move the ball again, but missed a field goal from 42 yards away and then the Big Red mounted their best offensive possession. Running the ball 11 times on a 14-play, 75-yard drive, Denison eventually scored on a five-yard rush to pull within 10-7.
As it approached late in the second quarter, a loud rumble of thunder not only interrupted Wooster's ensuing possession, but the game was delayed for approximately 30 minutes. The Scots would eventually punt, but thanks to another three-and-out by their defense, including a sack by Chris Wade (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Penn Hills), the offense would get another shot before the half. From its own 38 with 1:32 remaining, Wooster would move 54 yards in eight plays, highlighted by 20, 12, and 19-yard passes, and the Scots eventually settled for a 25-yard field goal off the foot of Palm on the last play of the half for a 13-7 advantage.
Wooster started the third quarter with the ball, but came up empty on a 4th-and-3 from the Denison 21. The Scots would get the ball back just two plays later, as Matt DeGrand (Stow, Ohio / St. Vincent-St. Mary) forced a fumble and freshman Girard Ogletree-Crawford (Delaware, Ohio / Hayes) recovered it at the 41-yard line. From there, Holter hit Logan Dunn (Morral, Ohio / Ridgedale) down field for a 27-yard gain, and following an incompletion, Holter took it himself around right end for a 14-yard touchdown and 19-7 lead.
As the rain came down a little heaver, both defenses dominated most of the action in the fourth. Wooster did score late when Mike Redick (Wooster, Ohio / Northwestern) hauled in a five-yard touchdown reception from Holter with :31 left, capping a seven-play, 42-yard march.
Overall, the Scots outgained the Big Red 391-204, with Holter playing a part in all but 46 yards of Wooster's offense. He completed 21-of-36 for 229 yards and his 116 yards on the ground came on just 14 attempts. Daniels, a tight end, was his top target through the air with four receptions for 46 yards.
Defensively, linebackers Steve Custenborder (Rocky River, Ohio / Rocky River) and DeGrand shared team honors with 12 tackles apiece, and they each recorded a forced fumble.
Team Award Winners: For the second consecutive week, the coaching staff doled out its Player-of-the-Week awards to Austin Holter (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe), Matt DeGrand (Stow, Ohio / St. Vincent-St. Mary), and Russ Palm (Williamstown, W. Va. / Williamstown) for their respective performances on offense, defense, and special teams. DeGrand was also part of the "Gamebreaker" honor along with Girard Ogletree-Crawford (Delaware, Ohio / Hayes) for their third-quarter forced fumble and recovery, respectively. Also, senior center Josh Clark (Dennison, Ohio / Tuscarawas Central Catholic) was awarded the "Mule" after grading out as the top offensive lineman at 81 percent, plus seven knockdown blocks, and Brian Swan (East Canton, Ohio / East Canton) picked up the "Be the Difference" recognition for his special teams effort.
This and That: Russ Palm (Williamstown, W. Va. / Williamstown) currently leads NCAA Div. III in field goals made (2.33 per game), Bryan Albani (Warren, Ohio / Howland) is second in kickoff return average (39.6 yards), and Austin Holter (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) ranks 14th in total offense (325.0 ypg) ... Austin Holter (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) scored his 20th career rushing touchdown last Saturday, the 12th Scot to reach that milestone.