Wooster 24, Ohio Wesleyan 6

Nov. 13, 2004

Justin Schafer ran for one touchdown and threw for another to lead Wooster to a North Coast Athletic Conference win over Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday at Selby Field.

The win gives Wooster the outright NCAC championship and the conference's automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

The Fighting Scots took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter. Pinned back to their 7-yard line after a coffin-corner punt by junior Neil Smiley (Cincinnati/Wyoming), the Scots put together a 16-play march that included only one pass. Schafer picked up 3 yards on third-and-1 from the Wooster 16, then tailback Tony Sutton broke loose for 31 yards to take the ball into Bishop territory. Sutton later gained 6 yards on third-and-3 from the Ohio Wesleyan 40. Later, faced with a fourth-and-2 from the Bishop 26, the Scots went for it and Sutton picked up 5 yards to the 21. Sutton carried on the next 3 plays to take the ball to the Ohio Wesleyan 2 before Schafer kept the ball on an option play and went over to put Wooster on the scoreboard. Richie McNally added the extra point for a 7-0 Wooster lead.

Ohio Wesleyan answered with a drive on its next possession with junior quarterback Ryan Sir Louis (Hinckley/Highland) rumbling for 13 yards to convert one third-down situation, then gaining 12 yards to give the Bishops a first down at the Wooster 29. Sir Louis came through on another third down call, this time from on third-and-3 from the Wooster 10, and the Bishops had a first-and-goal at the Wooster 1-yard line. The Scot defense stiffened, holding Sir Louis and junior fullback Tony Anderson (Westerville/Thomas Worthington) for no gain, then tripping up Sir Louis for a loss of one on third down. On fourth-and-goal from the 2, the Bishops went for the field goal, but junior Jason Whitcomb (Wauseon) saw his kick go wide right.

The Bishop defense held Wooster to 3-and-out, and Andrew Branch's punt went off the side of his foot and out of bounds at the Wooster 37.

Sir Louis found sophomore halfback Nick Rice (Dublin/Scioto) for one first down and a Wooster personal foul moved the ball to the Fighting Scot 12-yard line. Sir Louis then found junior halfback Matt Carducci (Hudson) for 8 yards and freshman fullback Mike Schleiden (Canton/Massillon Perry) ran the ball to the 1-yard line and another first down. On first down, the snap was high and Sir Louis chased the ball down at the Wooster 8, and after an incompletion, Sir Louis found sophomore split end Jody Vasileff (Birminghan, Mich./Seaholm) in the end zone to bring the Bishops within 7-6 with 6:34 left in the first half. Whitcomb's extra point try was wide right.

Later in the second quarter, Sutton helped move the Scots to a first down at the Ohio Wesleyan 22, but the Bishop defense held there and McNally booted a 38-yard field goal to give Wooster a 10-6 halftime lead.

The vast majority third quarter was a punting duel between the teams, but the last play of the period set up a Wooster score. Schafer hit McNally on a deep pattern for 41 yards, with sophomore cornerback Tom Thome (Macedonia/Nordonia) saving a touchdown with a tackle at the Bishop 12-yard line. It appeared as though the Bishops would dodge the bullet, as the Fighting Scots were penalized for holding and delay of game to take the ball back to the 26-yard line, but on second down, Schafer avoided pressure in the pocket, stepped up and threw toward the goal line, where tight end Mike Vyrostek went up and made the catch for the touchdown. McNally's conversion extended the Wooster lead to 17-6 with 13:29 left in regulation time.

Once again, Ohio Wesleyan countered with a long drive on its next possession. The Bishops picked up one first down when freshman linebacker Bo Mayer (Hilliard/Davidson) ran the ball on a fake punt, then got another when Sir Louis connected with Anderson for 11 yards on third-and-4 from the Bishop 45. Sir Louis then hit senior halfback Eric Indiciani (Delaware/Olentangy) for 19 yards and found Anderson on the sideline, with Anderson downed just short of the Wooster goal line. But on first down from the Wooster 1, the snap to Sir Louis was high and the Scots recovered on their own 7-yard line with 9:04 remaining.

Turning the ball over to Sutton, the Scots picked up a pair of first downs and chewed up the game clock. Ohio Wesleyan forced a punt from the Wooster 35 and the Bishops took over at their own 27 with 4:56 remaining but turned the ball over on downs at the Ohio Wesleyan 24 with 4:05 to play.

On the first play, Sutton went up the middle, bounced off a tackler and broke free around the left side for a 24-yard touchdown run that sealed the game.

Rice led the Bishops with 61 yards on 5 rushes and 5 receptions for 60 yards, while Sir Louis ran for 58 yards on 15 carries and completed 15 of 32 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown.

Sutton ran for 208 yards and a touchdown on 37 carries, while Schafer completed 7 of 16 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. McNally led the Scots with 5 catches for 86 yards.

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