Fighting Scots Win 13th-Straight Regular Season Game

Justin Schafer

After trailing 13-7 midway through the second quarter, nationally-ranked College of Wooster (No. 21 American Football Coaches’ Assoc.) scored 24 unanswered points on Case Western Reserve University, keying a 38-21 win in the teams’ annual non-conference meeting at Cleveland, Ohio.

It marked Wooster’s 13th consecutive regular season victory and its ninth-straight in the all-time series with Case as the Scots retain the Baird Brothers Trophy.

The Spartans’ (3-1) second-quarter lead was short lived. On the ensuing possession, Wooster marched 69 yards in eight plays, with Amil Tinsley (Detroit, Mich. / Martin Luther King) toting the ball in from eight yards out for his third touchdown in as many games. Andy Milligan’s (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville) extra point conversion made it 14-13 in favor of the Scots and it remained that way through halftime. 

Behind a defensive effort that didn’t allow Case a first down in the third quarter, Wooster (3-0) steadily pulled away. A Darren Farmer (Prospect, Ohio / Marion Pleasant) interception – the second of his career – in Spartan territory resulted in a Milligan 38-yard field goal, marking his sixth field goal already this fall.

Later in the third, the Scots took advantage of good field position again. Following a punt, Wooster took over on the Case 47-yard line and completed three of four passes, all to tight ends, mixed in with one short rush, to take a two-score lead (24-13). Greg Peltz’s (Amherst, Ohio / Amherst Steele) second reception of the drive was a 23-yard touchdown pass from Justin Schafer (Bethesda, Ohio / Union Local).

The Spartans finally got a second-half first down via a penalty on their next drive, but then punted it away where the Scots again took over on the Case 47. This time, Wooster ran the ball the entire drive, taking eight plays to grind out the 47 yards, with Schafer crossing the goal line on a six-yard rush. Sean Anderson (Lowell, Ind. / Lowell), who earlier had a 28-yard touchdown reception, totaled 20 rushing yards that drive.

With 6:38 remaining, the Spartans did make it a 10-point game (31-21) on a four-yard touchdown pass from Alex Harvey to Matt Skolnicki, and then a two-point conversion. However, Wooster proceeded to gain three first downs on the ensuing possession to work the clock, and later, capped the scoring on a Chris Craig (Newark, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) 20-yard interception return. It marked the junior safety’s third career pick and third career run back for a touchdown.

Overall, the Scots outgained Case 402-251 and controlled the ball for nearly 40 minutes (38:12).

Individually, Schafer accounted for nearly 300 yards of total offense and was part of three scores. He completed 19-of-32 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns, and added another 50 rushing yards.

Wooster’s top runner was freshman Dustin Sheppard (Newark, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe), who netted 56 yards on 13 carries, all coming in the fourth quarter, while Tinsley and Anderson finished with 36 and 32 rushing yards, respectively.

Shaun Swearingen (Hilliard, Ohio / Bishop Watterson) had a productive day with four catches for a team-leading 36 receiving yards as well as 130 return yards.

For the Spartans, Harvey was 14-of-37 through the air for 183 yards and two touchdowns, with Scott Moyer being his top target. Moyer had eight receptions for 129 yards, while James Rosenbury tallied 44 yards on 13 rushes.

The Scots finish non-league play with a perfect record for the fourth-straight year, and they’ll now head into North Coast Athletic Conference action next Saturday at Allegheny College (0-3).