SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Behind a balanced offensive attack and a vicious defense that yielded only a meaningless fourth quarter touchdown, the Wittenberg University Tigers improved to 6-0 on the 2000 season and 3-0 in the North Coast Athletic Conference with a convincing 62-7 drubbing of visiting Denison University before a crowd of 3,008 on Parents' Weekend.
The Tigers scored early and often in this one, starting with a five-yard touchdown reception by junior wide receiver Michael Aljancic (Louisville, Ohio/Louisville) from senior quarterback Anthony Crane (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) just 3:42 into the game. Junior defensive tackle Juan Howard (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster) added a second Wittenberg touchdown in the first quarter, picking up a fumble by Denison quarterback Greg Neuendorf and ran 34 yards for a touchdown. The play was set up by a Trevor Yost (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster) sack.
Wittenberg, which won for the 27th consecutive time in the regular season and 18th straight time in the NCAC, broke the game wide open in the second quarter. Senior tailback Casey Donaldson (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from Crane and followed that up just moments later with a three-yard TD jaunt. The two touchdowns, including Donaldson's first as a receiver, extended his school records for touchdowns (58) and scoring (342), both of which also broke NCAC records.
Senior wide receiver Labon Storts (Columbus, Ohio/Westland) added a 24-yard TD catch and junior wide receiver Steve DeGraffinreed (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) tacked on a two-yard TD reception to round out the first-half scoring. Crane wound up 14 for 20 for 190 yards and a career-best four touchdowns in the first half alone. He did not play in the second half.
The third and fourth quarters were primarily played by Wittenberg reserves, and three young Tiger players made it into the end zone for the first time in their careers. Sophomore DeAaron Long (Dayton, Ohio/Belmont) returned the Tigers' second blocked punt of the day 17 yards for his first collegiate TD; sophomore wide receiver Adrian Crane (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) caught an 11-yard TD pass from senior quarterback Chris Damico (Delaware, Ohio/Rutherford B. Hayes) and freshman Jamaal Jones (Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor) punched the ball in from two yards out to cap the scoring.
The Tigers now set their sights on back-to-back important NCAC contests. Next Saturday, the College of Wooster Fighting Scots visit Edwards-Maurer Field in Springfield, and then a week later Wittenberg travels to Ohio Wesleyan University to play the Battling Bishops. Both teams are among those in hot pursuit of the Tigers as they go for a fourth straight NCAC title.