DELAWARE, Ohio – Moving like a freight train – slowly at first, grinding and cranking, gaining speed and ultimately becoming unstoppable – the Wittenberg football team routed Ohio Wesleyan 42-6 with a passing game for the ages.
The victory, earned on the continued prowess of the Tiger passing game, makes Wittenberg 7-1 overall and keeps the team untouched at 7-0 in the North Coast Athletic Conference, while keeping the ghoulish rivalry trophy known as "Ye Olde Skull" in Springfield for the seventh straight year.
Junior quarterback Zack Jenkins (Frostproof, Fla./Frostproof) lofted 38 pass attempts and completed 29, the third highest total in school history, to finish with two touchdown passes and a dizzying 401 total yards, the fourth highest total in program records. Jenkins also scrambled across the goal line for three touchdowns, making him responsible for five touchdowns, which ties him for fourth in the record books.
At the other end of Jenkins' passes, junior wide receiver Corey Stump (Lima, Ohio/Central Catholic) stepped back into the spotlight after dealing with injury issues through much of the season. He hauled in 12 receptions, tied for the second highest total in school history behind only junior wideout Zach Culvahouse (Fort Myers, Fla./Estero), who caught 14 at Butler on Sept. 6, 2014, and compiled 177 yards and one touchdown.
Not to be overshadowed today, Culvahouse now has 57 receptions on the season, ranking him seventh in the team's season records.
For all the success of the passing game, the Tiger offense at first came in fits and starts. A three-and-out series preceded a possession terminated on downs despite four completions and positive yards on each of four rushes.
The third possession turned out to be the charm. After a fumble recovery by senior linebacker Nick Gibson (Marysville, Ohio/Fairbanks), Jenkins found Culvahouse for 44 yards to set up Jenkins' first touchdown run, a seven-yard scamper late in the first quarter. But another turnover on downs and a fumble kept Wittenberg off the board again until late in the second quarter.
The Tigers finally capitalized on the momentum by scoring on the next possession just before the end of the half to make it 21-0. Out of the break, Wittenberg kept the pressure on and scored on three of the last five possessions, wracking up a total of 497 offensive yards against the Bishops' 291 by the time the final whistle had blown.
The ground game was led by junior Sean Gary (Indianapolis, Ind./Decatur Central), who rumbled for 57 net yards and a touchdown, with junior Jimmy Dehnke (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) contributing 38 yards to the cause.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Tigers posted two interceptions, including one with a 31-yard return by sophomore linebacker Dustin Holmes (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh), who also topped the charts with 16 total tackles, including 11 solo stops and one and a half for a loss of six yards.
Senior defensive back Victor Banjo (Sugarland, Texas/Stephen F. Austin) accounted for the other interception and blocked Ohio Wesleyan's only extra point attempt, while senior linebacker Evan Killilea (Columbus, Ohio/DeSales) made nine tackles, four solo, and Gibson had seven tackles.
With two weeks remaining in the season, the Tigers' most formidable obstacle on the way to a third straight league title looms large in the form of Wabash, also 7-0 in NCAC action. The two teams will meet in Wittenberg's home finale at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, at Edwards-Maurer Field.
John Strawn '07