Scots Force Five First-Half Turnovers, Leading to 66-14 Rout

Bryan Albani

The College of Wooster forced five turnovers, including three interceptions by Bryan Albani (Warren, Ohio / Howland), and scored a season-high 42 points during the first half alone on Saturday, and the Fighting Scots went on to a 66-14 win over Earlham College in North Coast Athletic Conference action at Richmond, Ind.

It was a day of milestones for Wooster (3-6, 3-3 NCAC). The 66 points marked the most for the Scots since a conference-record 84-point explosion at Kenyon College three years ago (Oct. 9, 2004). Albani became just the fourth player in school history with three or more interceptions in a game, with the last being a four-pick day for Seth Mastrine at Allegheny College on Oct. 2, 1999. Also, Keith Adams (Mogadore, Ohio / Field) set the Wooster record for career punt return yardage with 11 such yards, which raised his total to 988, eclipsing Mastrine’s mark of 981 from 1997-2000.

Saturday’s match-up started innocently enough, as neither squad scored on the first two possessions. Then, Jeff Geffert (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor) picked off an Earlham pass, which marked the Scots’ secondary first interception of the season. Wooster took over around midfield and quickly marched 52 yards, capped by a 17-yard pass from Austin Holter (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) to freshman Mike Redick (Wooster, Ohio / Northwestern). It marked the freshman wide receiver’s first career touchdown.

Following a lengthy kickoff return by the Quakers (3-6, 2-4 NCAC), the Scots would get the ball back two offensive plays later on a fumble, recovered by freshman defensive end Luke Drake (Valrico, Fla. / Newsome). Wooster’s offense then put together its longest drive of the opening half, going 66 yards over 13 plays, culminating in a Holter 18-yard rushing score. He had an 11-yard run to convert a 3rd-and-10.

The Scots made it 21-0, when Earlham again turned it over two plays into its offensive series, as Albani intercepted his first career pass and brought it back 55 yards for his first career touchdown.

In the second quarter, Wooster would add to its cushion after another Albani interception. This time, the sophomore speedster raced it back 40 yards to the Quakers’ 33-yard line. From there, it took just three plays for the Scots to punch in another score, with Holter finishing again on a rush (five yards).

Albani’s third interception came with less than four minutes remaining in the half, and again he brought it back from Wooster territory to Earlham territory with a 26-yard return. On the very next play, Holter connected with Will Miska (Hillsborough, N.J. / Hillsborough) for a 33-yard touchdown pass.

On the ensuing possession, Earlham would turn the ball over on downs deep in its own territory, and the Scots again took advantage, as three plays later, Holter found Ben Schrock (Wadsworth, Ohio / Wadsworth) for a 20-yard touchdown pass on a 3rd-and-15 play.

Leading 42-0, Wooster started out the third quarter with its longest offensive drive of the game, as the Scots covered 79 yards in nine plays. Dustin Sheppard (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) set the tone with a 24-yard scamper on the first snap and eventually scored from six yards away.

The rest of the second half was a mere formality. Wooster would make it 52-0 on a 20-yard field goal by Andy Milligan (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville) before the Quakers finally got on the scoreboard.

During the fourth quarter, the Scots tacked on touchdown runs by Orlando Jones (Elyria, Ohio / Elyria) and Kyle Murdock (Marysville, Ohio / Marysville) of 19 and 60 yards, respectively. For Murdock, it marked the freshman running back’s first career score.

Overall, Wooster gained 30 first downs and 584 offensive yards, both season highs, and the defense limited Earlham to 12 first downs and less than 300 yards (290).

Individually, Holter, who was involved in five of the Scots’ first six touchdowns, was 14-of-23 through the air for 183 yards and added 43 yards on the ground. Sheppard reached the 100-yard rushing mark for the fifth consecutive game, netting 119 on 21 carries, while Murdock nearly did so as well, despite just four attempts, as he ended up with 97 yards. Miska led the receivers with 78 yards on four catches.

For the Quakers, quarterback Randy Kerns had a rough day, completing less than half his passes (16-of-33 for 151 yards) and getting picked off three times. Joe White was a bright spot, hauling in 11 for 89 yards, while Manny Myers contributed 53 yards on nine rushes.

Wooster will close out the 2007 season next Saturday when it welcomes Kenyon College (2-7, 1-5 NCAC) to John P. Papp Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff.