Defense, Milligan, and Tinsley Key Scots' 13-10 Season-Opening Win

Amil Tinsley ran for 101 yards and scored Wooster's only touchdown at Muskingum.

NEW CONCORD, Ohio — Andy Milligan (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville) knocked through a 31-yard field goal with 3:19 remaining in regulation, lifting The College of Wooster to a season-opening 13-10 victory against Muskingum College Saturday night on Muskingum's new artificial surface, ProGrass.

Milligan's game-winning field goal actually came on his second attempt, as a 36-yarder was off target. However, a Muskie player had jumped off-sides.

After Milligan's field goal, Muskingum (0-1) brought the kickoff back to midfield. Wooster's defense, though, held the Muskies in check, a common theme for the entire game. In fact, Muskingum had the ball in the "red zone" four times, but only came away with 10 points.

Tied 10-10 at the break, the Muskies controlled the ball much of the second half, driving it down to the Wooster 19, 5, and 25 on their first three possessions. During that same span, the Scots ran just eight offensive plays. Jeff Geffert (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor) came up with the key play, as the sophomore intercepted a pass in the corner of the end zone on a 3rd-and-goal from the 9-yard line, which closed the third quarter.

Tailback Amil Tinsley (Detroit, Mich. / Martin Luther King) kicked off Wooster's third drive of the fourth quarter with a 13-yard run, giving the Scots just their third first down of the second half. Then, Justin Schafer (Bethesda, Ohio / Union Local) found freshman Luke McCann (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Keystone Oaks) for a 14-yard reception, followed a play later by a Tinsley 15-yard rush.

The Muskingum defense then forced the Scots into Milligan's field goal.

Wooster turned it over twice within the first 3:48, and Muskingum took advantage of the second. Taking the ball at the 17-yard line, the Muskies ran the ball six-straight plays, with quarterback Steve Raymond sneaking it in from inches away to put the first points on the board.

After looking out of sorts its first few possessions, the Scot offense put together a 15-play, 80-yard drive that took 7:36 off the clock, with Tinsley serving as the catalyst. Tinsley rushed on 11 of those plays, grinding out 50 yards, and finished it off on a dive over the left side on 4th-and-goal. With the extra point, Wooster tied it 7-7.

Milligan made it a 10-7 game with :24 remaining in the opening half, connecting on a 25-yard field goal to cap a 12-play, 72-yard drive.

Muskingum came right back, though, using a 44-yard pass from Raymond to Baz Alfred to get down to the 11-yard line. Mike Zimmerman then converted a 29-yard field goal.

Overall, Tinsley toted the ball 26 times for 101 yards, while Schafer added 37 on the ground. Through the air, Schafer was 12-of-23 while distributing the ball to seven different receivers for 136 yards.

The Scots' defense, led by Evan Watson's (Crawfordsville, Ind. / Crawfordsville) eight tackles, limited the Muskies to just 11 first downs, 217 net yards, and an average of 3.6 yards per play. Steve Mamak led seven Muskingum rushers with 45 yards on nine attempts.

Wooster will make its 2005 home debut next Saturday (Sept. 10) against MacMurray College.