Football Moves to 1-0 in NCAC Play with 33-7 Win over OWU

DELEWARE, Ohio—On what could have been a sloppy night with the cell of weather that rolled through most of Ohio on Saturday, Wittenberg looked put-together in their NCAC season opener against Ohio Wesleyan University. The story of the game, and the season to this point, was the Tiger defense. Standout performances from linebackers Terrance Crowe and Dustin Holmes helped the unit to a game where they did not allow a score until the fourth quarter. Oddly enough, the touchdown was OWU's first points of the season, and the Tigers defense first touchdown allowed in 2016. When it was all said and done, the Ye Olde Skull trophy remained in the hands of the Springfield bunch, as the trophy has been a mainstay on campus for over a decade. Wittenberg moves to 2-0 in 2016 with the victory, but more importantly the Tigers start of 1-0 in NCAC play for the 20^th consecutive season.

QUICK HITS

• Will Gingery stole the show Saturday night, as the senior kicker sent four field-goals through the up-rights in Delaware, including a career high 50-yarder, two-yards off the Wittenberg record.  
• Holmes was a true throwback linebacker on Saturday night, covering sideline to sideline in the wet conditions, accounting for ten tackles and a sack on the night.
• The defensive highlight of the night was when Holmes scooped-and-scored a OWU fumble 47-yards for the score, putting the Tigers up 33-7 with 8:24 left in the game.
• For the second week in a row, Crowe recorded double-digit tackles, this week the Springfield product exploded for 15 solo tackles and five assists, as the linebacker was a nightmare for OWU's offense all night long.

OFFENSIVE KEYS

• In his second career start under center, Jake Kennedy connected on 12 of his 28 passes for 126 yards.
• Much like the week one, the Bellfontaine product used his legs to stretch out the defense, as Kennedy produced 81 yards on the ground and one touchdown.
• DeShawn Sarley broke the 100 yards rushing mark for the first time in his Tiger career, hitting the number right on the head, as well as scoring a touchdown in the 33-7 decision.

UP IN THE AIR

• Gingery knocked home three extra-points, four field-goals, a sixty-seven-yard punt, and a 50-yard field goal on Saturday night.
• If this wasn't enough, the senior recorded 244 net-yards on five punts, as well as 505 yards from kickoffs, including four touchbacks.

UP NEXT

• Wittenberg shifts their focus to a familiar opponent when the Wabash Little Giants travel to Springfield for a 1:00 kickoff next Saturday for homecoming.