Wittenberg 21, Denison 16

Oct. 20, 2007

Freshman quarterback Mike Fisher (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) scored on a 3-yard run with 1:33 to play to bring the Bishops within 21-16, and Ohio Wesleyan got the ball back with a chance to take the lead, but Wittenberg turned aside the Bishop threat and held on for a North Coast Athletic Conference win on Saturday in Springfield.

The Bishops took an early 7-0 lead, taking the opening kickoff and driving 76 yards for a score. After picking up a first down on a Wittenberg penalty, Fisher found junior tight end Terrance Raeford (Brookline, Mass./Chesire Academy) for 12 yards and another first down before connecting with freshman split end Greg Orr (San Antonio, Texas/Clark) on a 35-yard scoring play.

Late in the first quarter, Wittenberg's Manny Rodriguez returned a Bishop punt to the Ohio Wesleyan 38-yard line, and the Tigers took advantage of the good field position. On the first play from scrimmage, Corey Weber broke loose for 33 yards for a first down at the Ohio Wesleyan 5, and two plays later, Aaron Huffman hit Patrick Williams on an 8-yard scoring toss, and Mark Porter's conversion kick tied the game at 7-7.

The Tigers took a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter. Williams returned a Bishop punt to the Ohio Wesleyan 44-yard line, and Wittenberg kept it on the ground from there. Rod Belcher ran twice for gains of 6 and 19 yards for a first down at the Bishop 19. From there, Andy Vanover got 3 straight carries and picked up 11 and 5 yards before scoring on a 3-yard run for a 14-7 Wittenberg lead with 10:05 left in the half.

Ohio Wesleyan answered by driving into Wittenberg territory. Freshman running back Brian Zelanko (Hanover, Pa./Littlestown) returned the enusing kickoff to the Bishop 49 and sophomore running back Jerell Cephas (Las Vegas, Nev./Centennial) picked up a first down with a 5-yard gain. Fisher hit
Raeford for 21 yards on a third-and-12 call, but a holding penalty on the Bishops left Ohio Wesleyan facing a third-and-1 situation, and the Tiger defense held Ohio Wesleyan on 2 attempts from the Wittenberg 32 to take over on downs.

The Bishops threatened again on their next possession, with Fisher converting a pair of third-and-long situations, first connecting with Zelanko for 23 yards and a first down before finding Raeford for 22 yards and another first down. The drive stalled at the Wittenberg 15-yard line, and junior Chris Kras (Aurora) came on for a field goal attempt, but the snap was low and the Tigers took over with 2:17 left in the half.

Huffman drove the Tigers downfield, running for 11 yards and a first down, then rushing for 4 yards on a fourth-and-3 from the Bishop 32 to keep the drive alive. A key sack by senior defensive end Patrick Trenor (Urbana) moved the ball back to the Ohio Wesleyan 17-yard line with :05 left in the half, and the yardage proved crucial when Porter missed a 35-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

Ohio Wesleyan closed to within 14-10 late in the third quarter. Sophomore defensive back Daniel DeLay (Pine, Colo./Conifer) put the Bishops in good field position by returning a punt to the Tiger 49-yard line, then on third-and-4, Fisher found senior split end Zach Dennis (Jefferson) for 32 yards and a first down at the Wittenberg 11. Fisher and junior running back Kyle Adams (North Canton/Hoover) each ran for 3 yards, but after a third-down incompletion, Kras came on for a 22-yard field goal with :05 left in the quarter.

Junior linebacker Tommy Saunders (Gallipolis/Gallia Academy) picked off a Huffman pass to end Wittenberg's next drive, but Brandyn Brown returned the favor by intercepting a Fisher pass at the Wittenberg 40-yard line. Facing a third-and-5 call, Huffman threw for 6 yards and a first down at the Bishop 49, and from there, the Tigers ground out the final 49 yards, with Vanover keeping the drive alive by picking up a yard on fourth-and-1 from the Ohio Wesleyan 2, and on the next play, Huffman went over for a 1-yard score and a 21-10 Wittenberg lead with 3:19 left in regulation time.

The Bishops answered with a scoring drive of their own, picking up a first down on a 16-yard connection from Fisher to Raeford and another first down on a Wittenberg personal foul on the next play, then moved the chains again when Fisher hit Dennis with an 11-yard strike. Facing a fourth-and-3 from the Tiger 21, Fisher hit junior tight end Corey Turner (Cleveland/Marshall) for 7 yards and a first down. Fisher and Turner hooked up again for 5 yards before Fisher ran for 6 yards and another first down, then went over from 3 yards out to make it a 21-16 game with 1:34 remaining. The Bishops went for 2, trying to reduce the deficit to a field goal, but Fisher's conversion pass was picked off.

Wittenberg recovered the ensuing onside kick, but the Bishop defense held and forced a punt.

Ohio Wesleyan got the ball back on its own 27-yard line with :25 remaining, but Dennis's pass on an end around option was intercepted and the Tigers ran out the clock.

Fisher completed 15 of 23 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown, with Raeford catching 6 of those passes for 88 yards. Fisher also led Bishop rushers with 30 yards on 19 carries.

Saunders led the Bishop defense with 15 tackles, including one for loss. Sophomore defensive back Rylan Mitter-Burke (Marlborough, Mass./Marlboro) added 11 tackles, while DeLay had 7 tackles and broke up 3 passes. Freshman defensive back Chris Newman (Lorain/Clearview) made 7 stops and broke up 2 passes.

Vanover led Wittenberg rushers with 106 yards on 24 carries. Huffman completed 12 of 24 passes for 131 yards, with Williams making 5 catches for 55 yards.

Box Score