Round Up: Tigers Rain Touchdowns For Another Win
When it rains it pours. No, not the weather. In Springfield, Ohio, it has been raining touchdowns for senior tailbackDaniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont).
When it rains it pours. No, not the weather. In Springfield, Ohio, it has been raining touchdowns for senior tailback Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont).
Grove, the leading scorer in the NCAC and in all of NCAA Division III, tacked on three more touchdowns last Saturday against Denison in a 53-7 romp for the Tigers. And that was without playing a single snap in the second half.
Grove scrambled for touchdowns of 39 yards, 14 yards and five yards to take his tally for the season to 13. They were part of an efficient 18-carry, 173-yard performance for the senior, who now ranks No. 2 in school history with 264 career points.
Sophomore fullback Raymar Hampshire (Lima, Ohio/Elida) chipped in with two scores and a career-high 72 yards. Senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) guided the Tigers' ball-control offense well, finishing 14 completions in 18 attempts for 187 yards and one touchdown. That scoring pass went to freshman Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown), who had his best day in the Red & White with seven receptions for 114 yards. Junior wide receiver Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) was the other favorite target of the Tiger quarterback, hauling in six passes.
On the defensive front, senior linebacker Dustin Goldsbury (Columbus, Ohio/Ready), who was named NCAC Player of the Week after making three tackles, two drive-killing sacks for a loss of 14 yards and one interception against Thomas More the previous week, led the Tigers with 10 first-half tackles. In his stead, freshman linebacker Anthoni Fazio (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls)contributed seven tackles in the second half.
Next up for the Tigers is a crucial Homecoming battle against Wabash this Saturday at Edwards-Maurer Field. A standing-room-only crowd is anticipated in a game that will go a long way toward determining the 2002 NCAC champion and who gains the opportunity to participate in the NCAA Division III playoffs in November and December. Wittenberg, which is riding a conference record 30-game NCAC win streak and a home winning streak of 36 games dating back to 1996, has won the last four titles outright.