Football
2002 Football News Releases
December 17, 2002
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| John Hauser |
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| Dustin Goldsbury |
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| Chad Thompson |
Picking up second-team honors were junior offensive lineman Chad Thompson (Ft. Thomas, Ky./Highlands), senior linebacker Dustin Goldsbury (Columbus, Ohio/Ready) and senior defensive back John Hauser (Columbus, Ohio/Hartley). Making the third-team were junior wide receiver Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) and senior tailback Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont).
In other Tiger football news, Hauser was selected to participate in the annual Aztec Bowl last weekend in Mexico. Hauser finished with eight tackles, second-most on the team, as he helped the Division III All-Stars to a 15-9 victory over a team of Mexican All-Stars.
Next: Season Complete
December 3, 2002
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| Andy Pope |
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| John Hauser |
Wittenberg controlled most of the statistics in the game and put up nothing short of a valiant effort, especially on defense. But, their ranks thinned to the point of no return by a slew of debilitating injuries, the Tigers couldn't overcome eight turnovers, including five fumbles and three interceptions, the last of which was returned for the clinching touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
Following a scoreless first quarter, Wittenberg got on the board first. Freshman wide receiver Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) made a diving catch in the end zone on a perfectly thrown pass by senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) that covered 31 yards. Wabash responded with an 18-yard touchdown pass with 5:44 left in the half on a fourth-and-15 play.
After a diving second-quarter interception by senior linebacker Andy Pope (Hamilton, Ohio/Lakota East), the Tigers drove 65 yards in 12 plays to set up a short field goal attempt that was blocked and stunted some momentum the Tigers had generated. Despite dominating the halftime statistics, Wittenberg went into the locker room tied at seven thanks to two fumbles and an interception.
The second half was dramatic until the last five minutes, when the biggest Tiger injury yet and more turnovers turned the tide. Wabash took a 13-7 lead with 2:34 left in the third quarter, but senior defensive back John Hauser (Columbus, Ohio/Hartley) blocked the extra point. On the ensuing possession, Wittenberg put together another long drive but committed another turnover and lost Cornett on the play to biceps tendinitis.
After senior linebacker Ryan Gresham (Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor) made an interception at his own 14-yard-line, Wittenberg back-up quarterback Kurt Forrest (Mechanicsburg, Ohio/Mechanicsburg) was blitzed and stripped of the football on his first two pass attempts, leading to two Wabash scores in just 20 seconds. Wittenberg never quit, however, rounding out the scoring on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Forrest to junior wide receiver Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) with 2:30 remaining.
Individually, it was a fitting performance for senior tailback Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont), who became the first person to go over 100 yards against Wabash this season. He finished with 147 yards on 30 carries, the fourth time in his career that he had surpassed the century mark in an NCAA Division III Playoff game. Cornett finished 18-of-31 for 142 yards and touchdown, and Glover had 10 receptions for 87 yards.
On defense, Gresham showed the way with 10 total tackles, including three for loss, an interception and two quarterback hurries. Senior linebacker Dustin Goldsbury (Columbus, Ohio/Ready) finished with eight tackles, including one for a loss of six yards, and senior defensive end Jim Lackmeyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) chipped in with six total tackles, including 3.5 for a loss of 13 yards.
Next: Season Complete
November 26, 2002
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| Jered Glover |
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| Greg Cornett |
Wittenberg rallied time and again, coming back from a 21-7 halftime deficit and a 33-28 fourth-quarter deficit and then surviving an errant 37-yard Hanover field goal attempt with just 25 seconds left. In a scene eerily reminiscent of Wittenberg's 2001 first round victory over Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, (38-35 in overtime) the Tigers survived to play another day. This time, Wittenberg earned itself a second-round match-up with undefeated North Coast Athletic Conference champion Wabash College next Saturday in Crawfordsville, Ind.
The Tigers had their share of problems in the first half as Hanover's fast-break offense wreaked havoc. The Panthers, who do not use a huddle on offense, ran out to a 21-7 halftime lead as Hanover's quarterback ran for one touchdown, passed for another and then caught a scoring pass on a halfback option. Wittenberg's only answer came on a 26-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) to junior wide receiver Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison).
The second half was a totally different story. Wittenberg got key interceptions by sophomore defensive tackle Jarrett Brown (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles) and senior safety John Hauser (Columbus, Ohio/Hartley) and turned them into the only two scores of the third quarter, scoring receptions of 11 and 72 yards by Ivery.
Hanover re-took the lead at the 13:09 mark of the fourth quarter but missed the conversion. Wittenberg came right back, putting together a 10-play drive keyed by a 28-yard fourth-down reception by Adrian Crane (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) and concluded by senior tailback Daniel Grove's (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont) two-yard sweep.
After the Tigers took a one-point lead with the extra point, Hanover responded again with a touchdown pass but failed on the conversion. Then freshman wide receiver Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) made the play of the game, breaking a short screen pass into an 80-yard touchdown play. The Tigers also failed on their two-point conversion, and with 6:59 remaining the game was 34-33.
The Panthers took a shot at the end zone in their final drive and Hauser made a big defensive play by tackling the receiver out of bounds as he made what appeared to be a game-winning catch. On fourth down, Hanover missed a 37-yard field goal attempt when its kicker lost his footing on the muddy turf.
Individually, Cornett finished with 18 completions in 30 attempts for 336 yards and four touchdowns. Glover led with five receptions for 114 yards and Ivery added four catches for 120 yards and three scores.
Next: 11/30 at Wabash, Noon
NCAA Division III Playoffs
November 19, 2002
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| Daniel Grove |
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| Dustin Goldsbury |
This is the Tigers' fifth straight trip to the NCAA Division III Playoffs and 11th overall since the division was created in 1973 (Wittenberg also won the inaugural Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in 1969 as a member of the NCAA College Division). Wittenberg has an overall playoff record of 16-8. The Tigers won national titles in 1973 and 1975 and finished second in 1977 and 1979, all under the direction of National College Football Hall of Famer Dave Maurer. Under Fincham, Wittenberg is 6-4 in the national competition and has advanced to the quarterfinal round each of the last two years, only to lose to eventual national champion Mount Union College.
Hanover enters the playoffs with a perfect 10-0 overall record and the No. 9 ranking in the nation. The Panthers won the 2002 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference championship. Last Saturday, the Tigers pulled out a crucial victory at the College of Wooster to ensure themselves an opportunity to play in the national competitition. Playing in rain, cold and lots of mud, the Tigers came up with four huge defensive plays with the game - and season - on the line to pull out a crucial 14-9 victory over the Scots.
The biggest play of the game came with 3:33 left in the fourth quarter when senior linebacker Dustin Goldsbury (Columbus, Ohio/Ready) came clean on a blitz to sack the Wooster quarterback, force a fumble and then recover it as well. Wittenberg then ran out most of the clock, but when the Scots got it back senior defensive end duo of Jim Lackmeyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) and Allen D'Andrea (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) combined to register one final sack.
The great defense, a trademark of the Tigers, who have ranked first in total defense in the NCAC 10 of the last 11 years, didn't overshadow the phenomenal efforts of senior tailback Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont). Grove, playing his first game since breaking two bones in his foot five weeks earlier in an overtime loss to Wabash, posted 212 yards on 34 carries. It was Grove's second 200-yard rushing day in 2002 and his fourth in the last two seasons. He finished the season 929 yards and 16 touchdowns on 129 carries in just six games.
Grove's biggest carries of the game came immediately after two of the aforementioned huge defensive plays. After senior Andy Waddle (Springfield, Ohio/Greenon) intercepted a Wooster pass early in the fourth quarter, Grove went 27 yards on the second play of the ensuing possession to give the Tigers a little breathing room at 14-3. Then, after Wooster closed to within 14-9 but were stopped on Goldsbury's sack, Grove went 31 yards deep into Scots territory, which allowed the Tigers to nearly run out the clock.
The fourth huge defensive play was made by junior cornerback Tim Gaal (Amanda, Ohio/Clearcreek), who intercepted his first pass of the season in the first quarter, which led to Wittenberg's first scoring drive. Sophomore fullback Raymar Hampshire (Lima, Ohio/Elida) capped that eight-play, 74-yard drive with a 22-yard run.
Senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) finished 13-for-22 passing for 120 yards and freshman wide receiver Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) topped the team in catches with six for 50 yards.
Defensively, Goldsbury, the team's leading tackler, finished with seven stops, including two for a total loss of 13 yards. Lackmeyer and senior linebacker Ryan Gresham (Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor) added six total tackles and one for loss each.
While it wasn't much of a day for offense, Wittenberg did break two school and NCAC offensive records. The Tigers broke the record for total points in a season (485) and points-after-touchdowns in a season (57). Wittenberg came into the game leading the nation in scoring with 52.3 points per game and concluded the regular season averaging a phenomenal 48.5 points per outing.
Next: 11/23 at Hanover, Noon
NCAA Division III Playoffs
November 12, 2002
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| Jason Stephan |
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| Tim Gaal |
The scoring started almost immediately. The first time Wittenberg touched the ball, senior tailback Jason Stephan (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) capped a three-play drive with a four-yard touchdown run, the first of three touchdowns on the day that ran his two-week total to eight. Also in the first half, junior defensive back Tim Gaal (Amanda, Ohio/Clearcreek) blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown, freshman wide receiver Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) had one rushing score and one receiving score, sophomore fullback Raymar Hampshire (Lima, Ohio/Elida) scored on a five-yard run and senior fullback Trent Coffman (Springfield, Ohio/Northeastern) rounded things out with a seven-yard burst.
In the second half, senior defensive back Geoffrey Moorehead (Columbus, Ohio/East) scored on a 48-yard interception return, freshman tailback Kyle Williamson (Newark, Ohio/Catholic) scored touchdowns from 23 yards and 70 yards and freshman kicker Justin Bockbrader (Columbus, Ohio/Franklin Heights) capped things with a 22-yard field goal on a second down play.
No Wittenberg player had more than nine carries in the game, and every running back who touched it had at least 20 yards for 434 total in the game. Senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) completed five of eight passes, and the rest of the Tiger signal-callers handed the ball off. Defensively, senior linebacker Andy Pope (Hamilton, Ohio/Lakota East) finished with game-highs of nine tackles, including two for a loss of eight yards. Senior defensive tackle Lloyd Hudson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) was one of four players with at least six tackles, and he topped the team with three tackles for a cumulative loss of 13 yards.
Wittenberg, which is now 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the NCAC, wraps up the season this Saturday at Wooster, another 8-1 and 5-1 team. The Tigers must win that game to have a chance to advance to the NCAA Division III playoffs for a fifth consecutive year.
Next: 11/16 at Wooster, 1 p.m.
November 5, 2002
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| Skip Ivery |
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| Jason Stephan |
The win improved the 12th-ranked Tigers to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the NCAC. Wittenberg remains one game behind league-leading Wabash in the NCAC standings, but the Little Giants clinched the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs today with a 42-22 victory over Wooster. The Tigers also remain alive for one of just three Pool C bids into the NCAA Division III tournament, which kicks off with first round games on Saturday, Nov. 23.
In this game, the Tigers were dominant from the start. With 5:37 remaining in the first quarter, junior wide receiver Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) capped a six-play, 82-yard drive with a 40-yard touchdown reception from senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin). After sophomore defensive tackle Jarrett Brown (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles) intercepted the first pass of his collegiate career, senior tailback Jason Stephan (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville), making his first start of the season, scored on a two-yard run with 2:14 left in the opening stanza.
The second quarter offered more of the same as Stephan dove across the finish line for a one-yard touchdown and Ivery hauled in a 32-yard scoring strike to open up a 28-0 lead. In the second half, it was the Jason Stephan show. Filling in for All-American tailback Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont), who is sidelined with a broken foot, Stephan rushed for 123 yards in the second half and crossed the goal line three more times. He finished the day with career highs of 23 rushes, 181 yards and five touchdowns.
Rounding out the offensive numbers, Cornett had another outstanding game, finishing 14-of-20 passing for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Ivery had three catches for 88 yards and senior wide receiver Adrian Crane (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) chipped in with six receptions for a game-high 91 yards. Defensively, the Tigers stifled the Gators, holding them to just 141 total yards on 53 plays.
Next: 11/9 vs. Kenyon, 1 p.m.
October 29, 2002
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| Jim Lackmeyer |
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| Greg Cornett |
Lackmeyer posted career-highs of 10 total tackles,six solo tackles and 5.5 tackles for a loss of 21 yards. He was one of three Wittenberg players to finish in double-digits in tackles - the others being senior linebackers Dustin Goldsbury (Columbus, Ohio/Ready) and Gary George (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian). The Tigers gave up 357 total yards on 82 plays, including 218 yards on 55 rushing attempts, but the defense was opportunistic, intercepting two passes and limiting the Bishops to 6-of-17 on third-down conversions.
The scoring started on a 28-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Jacob Thomas (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany) at the 12:33 mark of the first quarter, a score set up by a 55-yard pass play between Cornett and junior wide receiver Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) on the game's first play from scrimmage. Less than two minutes later, after an interception by senior safety John Hauser (Columbus, Ohio/Hartley), sophomore tailback Alex Smith (Blue Bell, Pa./Germantown Academy) went into the end zone from nine yards out to stake the Tigers to a 10-0 lead.
Wittenberg scored on its first three possessions of the second stanza, all on picture-perfect passes by Cornett. The first was a two-yard lob to senior tight end Erich Schoeneberger (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum), his first catch of the year and first touchdown of his career. The second was a nine-yard pitch to senior wide receiver Adrian Crane (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis). And the third was a 42-yard bomb down the sideline to senior wide receiver Josh McCoy (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster). Cornett then operated the two-minute drill to perfection following an OWU score, nailing Crane with another scoring pass with just 11 seconds left in the half.
The second half opened with three more Wittenberg scores as sophomore fullback Raymar Hampshire (Lima, Ohio/Elida) had a one-yard scoring plunge, Smith added a five-yard burst and freshman Adam Hewitt (Piqua, Ohio/Lehman Catholic) rounded things out with a fine 17-yard scoring jaunt two minutes into the fourth quarter.
Individually, it may have been Cornett finished with 16 completions in 19 attempts for 262 yards and a career-high tying four touchdowns, all thrown in the second quarter. His favorite target was Ivery, who had 111 yards on six receptions, while Crane finished with five catches for 83 yards and two scores. Hampshire topped the team in rushing with 42 yards on eight carries.
Wittenberg is now 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the NCAC, and more importantly the Tigers remain very much alive for either the conference title or one of three at-large berths in the NCAA Division III tournament. Wittenberg, the five-time defending NCAC champion and the 12th-ranked team in the nation in the latest American Football Coaches Association poll, returns home for another crucial match-up against Allegheny next Saturday.
Next: 11/2 vs. Allegheny, 1 p.m.
October 22, 2002
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| Mike Freeman |
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| Andy Dooley |
Wittenberg scored on every first half possession, starting with a 54-yard punt return touchdown just 1:07 into the game by freshman Mike Freeman (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne). That was followed by a two-yard score by freshman tailback Adam Hewitt (Piqua, Ohio/Lehman Catholic), a six-yard scoring reception by freshman wide receiver Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) and a 19-yard TD catch by junior Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison). Senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) tossed both scoring passes.
In the second quarter, Hewitt, who was making his first start in place of the injured Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont), scored his second career touchdown on a 10-yard burst. Glover added a 44-yard scoring reception and then junior tailback Andy Dooley (Lima, Ohio/Elida) got into the act, scoring a pair of touchdowns from six yards out and one yard away.
Dooley added a one-yard TD run to account for the only scoring in the third quarter and then senior wide receiver Josh McCoy (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster) hooked up with sophomore quarterback Ryan Holmes (Oxford, Ohio/Talawanda) on a 33-yard fourth-quarter touchdown and then freshman running back Tom Hornsby (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) rounded things out with a 24-yard scoring run with 43 seconds left in the game.
For the game, Wittenberg amassed 587 yards to 86 for the host team. Dooley led the way on the ground, gaining 134 yards on 19 carries, Cornett had a stellar day under center, finishing with nine completions in 11 attempts for 160 yards and three touchdowns, and McCoy topped the team with five receptions. Nine different players caught passes and eight different running backs had at least three carries in the game. Three quarterbacks attempted at least six passes each.
On defense and special teams, the Tiger bench cleared by game's end and the tackles were spread around to no less than 28 different players registered at least one statistical entry. Senior safety Dane Dudley (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) topped the team with five solo tackles. In addition, Dudley was part of a record-breaking punt return unit as he combined with Freeman to return seven punts for 181 yards. The previous record was 174 punt return yards in a game, set in 1953 against Akron. Freeman just missed the individual mark, picking up 148 punt return yards on five attempts, two short of the record set by Russ Fedyk against Bluffton in 1997.
Next: 10/26 @ Ohio Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
October 15, 2002
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| Jim Lackmeyer |
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| Greg Cornett |
Billed by many as the Game of the Year in the NCAC, two senior-laden teams started out in a defensive struggle and wound up in an offensive shootout, won by Wabash in the first overtime on a 27-yard field goal. Wittenberg, winner of five straight NCAC titles, fell to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the conference with the loss, the Tigers' first since Nov. 4, 1997.
The scoring started with 5:24 left in the first quarter as Wittenberg sophomore defensive tackle Joey Binkley (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) blocked a pass senior defensive end Jim Lackmeyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) caught the deflection and went 22 yards for the score. Then with 2:53 remaining in the opening stanza, senior tailback Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont) went 80 yards on two carries.
Wabash came back to score three touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 21-14 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The second half was a fine back-and-forth affair. In the third quarter, Wabash scored twice and the Tigers responded with a pair of scoring receptions by junior wide receiver Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) from senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin). The difference, however, was that Wabash made both extra points, while Wittenberg had the first attempt blocked and then had a two-point conversion attempt fail.
In the fourth quarter, Wabash struck first with a touchdown and two-point conversion. Facing a 17-point deficit, the Tiger defense stiffened and the offense drove to a 19-yard field goal by sophomore Jacob Thomas (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany), an eight-yard scoring reception for senior wide receiver Adrian Crane (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) on a pass from Cornett, and Grove tied it with a two-yard run and two-point conversion with just 3:24 remaining on the clock.
Overtime ended as regulation began for Wittenberg, unfortunately. The Tiger offense had a late opportunity to win the game, but an interception stifled the rally with about a minute remaining and then in the extra session the offense couldn't pick up a first down and a field goal attempt went wide right. Wabash picked up one first down and then kicked the winning field goal on third down from the 10 yard line.
It was an amazingly even game on the scoreboard and on the statistics sheet. Wabash finished with 506 yards of total offense, while the Tigers had 497, including a 373-367 advantage through the air in a match-up of the two best quarterbacks in the NCAC.
Cornett had his best statistical game as a starter, setting a school record with 33 completions for 367 yards, a total that ranks No. 2 in school history. Grove had 91 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries and Ivery finished with eight receptions for 91 yards and two scores. In addition, Crane had seven catches for 101 yards and freshman Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) added 10 receptions for 121 yards. On defense, the Tigers got 11 tackles from senior linebacker Ryan Gresham (Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor) and 10 more from senior safety Andy Waddle (Springfield, Ohio/Greenon).
Everyone now wants to know what's next for the Tigers, who were ranked No. 16 in the latest American Football Coaches Association poll. The answer is that Wittenberg is still just one game back in the race for the conference crown and is a front-runner for an at-large berth in the national tournament should the Tigers win the rest of their games. That task was made more difficult by the revelation that Grove and back-up tailback Jason Stephan (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) were both injured in the loss to Wabash. Grove is out at least three weeks with broken bones in his foot. The road back to the playoffs begins again this weekend at 0-5 Hiram.
Next: 10/19 at Hiram, 1 p.m.
October 8, 2002
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| Raymar Hampshire |
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| Jered Glover |
Grove, the leading scorer in the NCAC and in all of NCAA Division III, tacked on three more touchdowns last Saturday against Denison in a 53-7 romp for the Tigers. And that was without playing a single snap in the second half.
Grove scrambled for touchdowns of 39 yards, 14 yards and five yards to take his tally for the season to 13. They were part of an efficient 18-carry, 173-yard performance for the senior, who now ranks No. 2 in school history with 264 career points.
Sophomore fullback Raymar Hampshire (Lima, Ohio/Elida) chipped in with two scores and a career-high 72 yards. Senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) guided the Tigers' ball-control offense well, finishing 14 completions in 18 attempts for 187 yards and one touchdown. That scoring pass went to freshman Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown), who had his best day in the Red & White with seven receptions for 114 yards. Junior wide receiver Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) was the other favorite target of the Tiger quarterback, hauling in six passes.
On the defensive front, senior linebacker Dustin Goldsbury (Columbus, Ohio/Ready), who was named NCAC Player of the Week after making three tackles, two drive-killing sacks for a loss of 14 yards and one interception against Thomas More the previous week, led the Tigers with 10 first-half tackles. In his stead, freshman linebacker Anthoni Fazio (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) contributed seven tackles in the second half.
Next up for the Tigers is a crucial Homecoming battle against Wabash this Saturday at Edwards-Maurer Field. A standing-room-only crowd is anticipated in a game that will go a long way toward determining the 2002 NCAC champion and who gains the opportunity to participate in the NCAA Division III playoffs in November and December. Wittenberg, which is riding a conference record 30-game NCAC win streak and a home winning streak of 36 games dating back to 1996, has won the last four titles outright.
Next: 10/12 vs. Wabash, 1 p.m.
October 1, 2002
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| Daniel Grove |
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| Dustin Goldsbury |
The road toward a fifth straight outright crown and a sixth consecutive championship overall (Wittenberg tied Allegheny and Wooster for the top spot in 1997 and the Gators were awarded the automatic bid based on tiebreaker criteria) begins this weekend as the Tigers host Denison at Edwards-Maurer Field in Springfield. Last week, the Tigers put the wraps on yet another perfect non-conference slate with a 31-6 decision at Thomas More.
Playing on a field decimated by the remnants of Hurricane Isidore, Wittenberg kept things simple against its hosts on Saturday. The Tigers scored touchdowns on their first four possessions, each of which was set up by outstanding defensive efforts that gave Wittenberg a significant field position advantage. Senior tailback, and scoring machine, Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont) rambled for three of the scores to run his total to an NCAC-best 10 on the still-young season, and sophomore fullback Raymar Hampshire (Lima, Ohio/Elida) chipped in with a score as well.
Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) had a fine first half, guiding the Tigers' ball-control offense well before misfiring on his last five passes before halftime. For the game, Cornett finished with a season- and regular season career-high 297 yards on 16 completions.
On the defensive front, senior linebacker Dustin Goldsbury (Columbus, Ohio/Ready) was named to the NCAC Player of the Week thanks to his three tackles, which included two drive-killing sacks for a loss of 14 yards, and one interception. In addition, senior safety Andy Waddle (Springfield, Ohio/Greenon) topped the Tigers with five solo tackles and two assisted tackles. Wittenberg posted two more sacks, one each for Jim Lackmeyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) and Gary George (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) for a total loss of 28 yards.
Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) was again the go-to man for Cornett, picking up 95 yards over six catches, and Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) was a close second with three catches for a gain of 78 yards, his longest a 78 yard catch-and-run that set up a first-half touchdown.
Next: 10/5 vs. Denison, 1 p.m.
September 24, 2002
The fourth-ranked Tigers are coming off a rare in-season bye, and now one final non-conference game awaits on Sept. 28 at Thomas More. Last year, Wittenberg traveled to Kentucky and defeated the Saints 41-0 in the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament.
NCAC action opens on October 5 against Denison on Parents Weekend in Springfield, and then the Homecoming opponent is Wabash College on Oct. 12.
Next: 9/28 at Thomas More, 1:30 p.m.
September 17, 2002
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| Allen D'Andrea |
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| Daniel Grove |
The Tiger football team took care of business last Saturday night at Urbana, rallying from a slow start to defeat the host Blue Knights 37-10. It was the third straight year that Wittenberg had met its neighboring educational institution on the gridiron and the third straight year that the Tigers came away with a decisive victory.
In the first American Football Coaches Association poll released today, the Tigers were ranked No. 4 in the nation. Last year, Wittenberg finished the year ranked No. 7.
Urbana had the ball for the first eight minutes of the game, and the long drive led to a 20- yard field goal and the first lead the Blue Knights have ever held against Wittenberg. It didn't last long, however, as senior tailback Daniel Grove (Urichsville, Ohio/Claymont) went to work immediately, buidling on his four-touchdown performance against Albion in the season opener to score on a 22-yard sprint. Grove went on to top the 100-yard mark in rushing for a sixth straight time in the regular season and ninth consecutive time including playoffs, both Wittenberg records.
Grove added another six points two minutes into the second quarter and senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) hooked up with sophomore fullback Raymar Hampshire (Lima, Ohio/Elida) for a eight-yard score a few minutes later to build the lead to 21-3. The defense came up with the game's biggest play after Urbana had drawn to 21-10. Senior defensive end Allen D'Andrea (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) pressured the Urbana quarterback and forced an errant pass that fell into the waiting arms of senior safety Andy Waddle (Enon, Ohio/Greenon), who was stopped one yard short of the promised land. Hampshire got his second score of the game on the next playwith a short plunge over the line.
Sophomore Jacob Thomas (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany) added a field goal and Grove added to his phenomenal early-season scoring barrage with a 67-yard dash.
A rare in-season off week approaches this Saturday and one final non-conference game awaits on September 28 at Thomas More. Last year, Wittenberg traveled to Kentucky and defeated the Saints 41-0 in the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament. NCAC action opens on October 5 against Denison on Parents Weekend in Springfield.
Next: 9/28 at Thomas More, 1:30 p.m.
September 10, 2002
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| Skip Ivery |
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| Daniel Grove |
The first test for Tigers football team was Albion College, a traditionally strong Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association squad that was coming off an 8-2 season in 2001. As season openers go, this was appeared to be a barnburner on paper, but it didn't materialize as the homestanding Tigers used several big plays to break the game open early and cruise to a convincing 44-7 win.
After a first-quarter blocked punt put the Tigers under early pressure, the Wittenberg defense forced a fumble and the next play resulted in a new Wittenberg record as senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) hit the junior wide receiver Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) on a 94-yard touchdown pass. Jacob Thomas (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany) converted a 24 yard field goal to end the quarter to put the Tigers up 10-0.
The second period turned into a scoring frenzy as Wittenberg put 21 points on the board and Albion registered its only touchdown. The home team's second touchdown came on a great defensive play as the defensive line forced an interception by senior linebacker Dustin Goldsbury (Columbus, Ohio/Ready), who ran it back 19 yards to register his first score of the season.
The second period also was when senior tailback Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont) come alive and registered the first two of his four touchdowns. He ran through the Albion defense on a 77-yard scoring play and then added a 1-yard run five minutes later.
The second half was more a formality than anything else as Grove added the only score in the third on a 2-yard run following a 13-play drive of 76 yards. Grove finished his excellent day in style with a 94-yard run, the second-longest rushing play in Tiger history.
In addition to his touchdown, Goldsbury starred for the defense, finishing the game with four solo tackles and four assists. He was ably assisted by Andy Pope (Hamilton, Ohio/Lakota East), who completed three solo tackles and six assists.
For his outstanding performance in the game, which included three receptions for 122 yards, all of which went for either a first down or a score, Skip Ivery was named NCAC Offensive Player of the Week.
Next: 9/14 at Urbana, 7:30 p.m.
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