Tigers Stop Skid With Shutout at Oberlin

OBERLIN, OH - The Wittenberg Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak in a big way, exploding for a 52-0 shutout win at North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival Oberlin.

The win moved the Tigers, playing their first game under Interim Head Coach Joe Nemith, to 3-5 overall and 2-4 in the NCAC. Oberlin fell to 0-7 overall and 0-5 in the league.

After the two teams traded punts on four combined possessions to start the game, Wittenberg broke the ice on a one-yard scoring run by Omar Holloway (Dayton, OH / Riverside) that capped a 56-yard, 9-play drive. From that point, Wittenberg's offense broke out, scoring on its next two possessions and capping the first half with a defensive score, and then the Tigers tacked on three more touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.

Five different players scored touchdowns for Wittenberg. Following Holloway's score, freshman wide receiver Brody Graham (Cape Coral, FL / Barron Collier) hauled in a pair of touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback JJ Miller (Amelia, OH / Williamsburg) covering 51 yards and nine yard. With 2:52 left before halftime, Jah'Marione McCallister (Pickerington, OH / Pickerington Central) found the end zone for the first time in his collegiate career as he recovered a fumble and returned it four yards for the score.

In the third quarter, sophomore wide receiver Pierce Ayers (Alexandria, KY / Williamsburg) got the Tigers going with a 13-yard scoring run and a 50-yard touchdown pass from Miller. Wittenberg closed out the third quarter with a 14-yard connection for a score between freshman wide receiver BJ Williams (Fort Myers, FL / Barron Collier) and junior quarterback Stephen Lauterbach (Oakwood, OH / Oakwood).

Wittenberg rounded the scoring on a short field goal by sophomore Sumner Shroyer (Cincinnati, OH / Summit Country Day) midway through the fourth quarter.

Wittenberg's defense shined on this day as the Tigers held Oberlin to just 74 total yards. The Yeomen managed just five first downs, allowed four sacks for a whopping 33 yards lost, had a pass intercepted, and lost three fumbles in the game. Individually, five Tigers finished with four tackles in the game, led by Dalton Allen (Delaware, OH / Hayes) with 2.5 tackles for loss and Trenton Carter (Carmichaels, PA /Carmichaels Area) with two forced fumbles.

Offensively, Miller was efficient through the air with 157 yards and three touchdowns on just eight completions in the game. Holloway led the way on the ground with 70 yards on nine carries, and Graham was tops amongst the Wittenberg receiving corps with three catches for 64 yards.