SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Wittenberg Tigers started slow but finished strong to pick up a share of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championship with a 52-10 rout of visiting Allegheny.
The win moved the Tigers to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the NCAC and kept Wittenberg atop the conference standings with one game remaining in the 2009 regular season. It also clinched the NCAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament, the Tigers' first berth in the national competition since 2006. Allegheny dropped to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in the NCAC.
Wittenberg's offense put together its best collective performance of the 2009 season, piling up 570 yards of total offense - 271 rushing and 299 passing. Individually, it was a big day for senior quarterback Aaron Huffman (Newark, Ohio/Newark), who finished with 17 completions in 24 attempts for 299 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 35 yards and three scores.
Huffman got the Tigers on the board first with a three-yard scoring run with 9:20 left in the opening quarter, but he was intercepted on Wittenberg's second possession and Allegheny then became the first team in 2009 to score a first-half point on the Tigers when Matt Griffith hauled in a 19-yard scoring strike from T.J. Salopek.
The Tigers took control in the second quarter with 17 unanswered points. Huffman scored on runs of nine and three yards and senior kicker Zack Harris (Plain City, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) capped things with a 35-yard field goal. After Allegheny recovered an onsides kick to start the second half and converted a 32-yard field goal, Wittenberg went to work again, starting with a 48-yard touchdown run by sophomore tailback Conner Warye (Maineville, Ohio/Kings) just 16 seconds after the Gator field goal.
Sophomore wide receiver Michael Cooper (Springfield, Ohio/South) was next in the scoring parade as he caught a nine-yard scoring strike, followed by junior tailback Corey Weber (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial) with a two-yard burst and senior tailback Jeff Wilbur (Ann Arbor, Mich./Community) with a one-yard plunge.
Weber finished with 20 carries for 101 yards and 50 yards on his lone pass reception. Wilbur added 98 yards on seven carries and Warye chipped in with 53 yards on three carries. Cooper finished with 60 yards on four receptions, while sophomore wideout Josh McKee (New Carlisle, Ohio/Tecumseh) led the way with six catches for 122 yards. Also of note, senior wide receiver Patrick Williams (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) caught six passes for 67 yards to draw within five of the school's career receiving record of 167.
While the Tigers' defense allowed an opponent to reach double figures in scoring for the first time in 2009, Wittenberg still limited Allegheny to just 189 yards in total offense. Salopek came into the game averaging more than 250 yards through the air this season, but he managed just 13-of-28 for 143 yards. He was sacked four times.
Sophomore linebacker Zach Hurtt (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands) led the Tigers with eight tackles, while junior defensive tackle Nic Wolfe (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) was tops with two sacks, followed closely by junior defensive endEddie Vallery (South Solon, Ohio/Madison Plains) and junior defensive tackleAdam Kattoua (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) with 1.5 sacks apiece. Also of note, senior safety Trent Brunic (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) intercepted a pass and was credited with a pair of break-ups.
Wittenberg can close out its first 10-0 regular season since 2000 and its first solo conference title since 2001 with a win over visiting Wooster next Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Edwards-Maurer Field.