Wittenberg Overcomes Stern Challenge From College Of Wooster

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- The last time the Wittenberg University Tigers lost a regular season on the gridiron, it was the College of Wooster Fighting Scots celebrating in the second to last week of the 1997 season. The Scots had just defeated the Tigers 21-19 in a dramatic, hard-fought contest at John P. Papp Stadium in Wooster – and earned a three-way tie for the top of the North Coast Athletic Conference as a result.

Since then, the Tigers have reeled off 28 consecutive regular season wins and 19 straight NCAC victories – totals that include a 42-26 victory over the visiting Scots Saturday at Edwards-Maurer Field in Springfield.

In this year's annual showdown, the two teams battled to an even draw – with the lead see-sawing back and forth - through the first three quarters until Wittenberg's star running back Casey Donaldson (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) broke off a 16-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds left before the final stanza to put the Tigers back on top for good at 33-26. Donaldson was the difference in the game, going for 262 yards on 34 carries and scoring four touchdowns. He now has 953 yards this season and 4,669 for his career, both Wittenberg and NCAC records. In addition, he has 62 career touchdowns - 61 rushing - and 372 career points, all Wittenberg and NCAC records.

Donaldson's 61-yard TD burst with 8:34 left in the game sealed it for the Tigers, who improved to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in the NCAC. With a road contest at Ohio Wesleyan University up next, followed by back-to-back home dates against Hiram College and Earlham College the last two weeks, Wittenberg firmly controls its own destiny in terms of a third consecutive league championship and NCAA Division III playoff berth.

Also finding the end zone in the game was junior wide receiver Mike Aljancic (Louisville, Ohio/Louisville), who hauled in a 44-yard TD strike from senior quarterback Anthony Crane (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) to open the scoring in the first quarter. The pair added a 29-yard hook-up late in the second quarter as well.

Rounding out Wittenberg's scoring was a safety in which Tim Daoust (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) sacked Wooster third-string quarterback Mike Ray in the end zone.

For Wooster, which fell to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the NCAC, Josh Arbour caught an 8-yard TD pass from Justin Abraham in the first quarter; Scott Jones scored on a one-yard run in the first quarter, caught a 6-yard TD pass in the second, and scored on another one-yard plunge in the third quarter. The Scots missed their first extra point, and on the play placekicker Joe Zombek injured his knee. So Wooster went for two after each ensuing score.

Wittenberg got another fine performance from Crane, who threw for 227 yards on 13 completions in 23 attempts. He threw two touchdowns, both to Aljancic, and also had two balls intercepted. Senior wide receiver Labon Storts (Columbus, Ohio/Westland) was his favorite target, catching five passes for 97 yards. Defensively, junior linebacker Dustin Goldsbury (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Ready) had a game-high 12 tackles for the Tigers.