By: Andrew Korba
HIRAM, Ohio -- Junior Nic Paolo (Chardon, Ohio/Harding) hooked up with senior Nate Eaton(South Euclid, Ohio/Walnut Ridge) on a 54-yard touchdown with 1:09 left to lead the Hiram College football team to a 40-36 win over Wooster on Senior Day.
The Terriers have now won three out of their last four and are 3-6 on the season and 3-5 in NCAC play. The Fighting Scots see their record drop to 2-7, 2-6.
After Wooster converted a field goal to take a 36-34 lead, Paolo found Eaton for the go-ahead score. Eaton made the catch on the right side and spun out of a tackle, while picking up a few key blocks downfield to put Hiram in front.
Wooster looked to mount a comeback drive and got to the Hiram 13 yardline. Facing a fourth and three with 12 seconds left, Fighting Scot quarterback Gary Muntean threw a pass into the endzone that was knocked down by senior Ronnie Jones (Aurora, Ohio/Kent Roosevelt) to preserve the victory.
For the Terriers, Paolo threw for 279 yards and four touchdowns, to four different receivers. Eaton finished with seven catches for 154 yards and the game winning touchdown. Senior Britton Lewis (Tampa, Fla./Paul R. Wharton) had five catches for 60 yards and a score. Junior Jacob Luc (Freemont, Ohio/Ross) and sophomore Mike Skizenta(Bedford, Ohio/Bedford) also had touchdown receptions.
On defense, junior Kyle Burchett (Fairport Harbor, Ohio/Harding) had a game-high 17 tackles. Junior Zayd Mabin(Lehigh Acres, Fla./Winter Haven) tallied 16 tackles, with five coming for a loss.
Senior Tevin Weaver (Garfield Heights, Ohio/Garfield Heights) finished with five tackles to go along with two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
The Fighting Scots received the opening kickoff and Weaver intercepted a Muntean pass on the second play of the game to give Hiram great field position. The Terriers turned the interception into a touchdown thanks to a two-yard run by sophomore Danny Robinson (Labelle, Fla./Labelle).
Hiram would benefit on another miscue by Wooster. The Fighting Scots Connor Allan muffed a punt that sophomore Dillon Walsh (Wyandotte, Mich./Roosevelt) fell on midway through the first quarter.
It took the Terriers six plays to find the endzone, capped off on a 12-yard strike from Paolo to Lewis to make the score 13-0 with 4:20 left in the first quarter.
Wooster would trim the Terrier lead to 13-7 and appeared to be driving again late in the first quarter. Allan caught a pass and Mabin chased him down to strip the ball, that Weaver fell on to bring an end to the drive.
Hiram would turn that turnover into points, marching 75 yards on seven plays with Robinson scoring from seven yards out to make the score 20-7.
Weaver would record his second interception two plays later and Paolo hooked up with Skizenta on a eight-yard toss to give Hiram a 27-7 lead with 10:15 left in the first half.
The Fighting Scots responded with 10 unanswered points to trim the Terrier lead to 27-17 at the break.
Wooster would add another field goal to trim Hiram's lead to 24-20 midway through the third, but the Terriers came right back on a seven play, 81-yard drive with Paolo hitting Luc on a 20-yard touchdown strike, to make the score 34-20 with 4:36 left in the third.
The Fighting Scots would add a touchdown with 2:24 left in the third and got three field goals from kicker Trevor Bowden in the fourth, including one to put them up 36-34 with 2:17 to play.
But Eaton's touchdown catch and the late defensive stand gave the Terriers the thrilling win.
Muntean finished the game with 488 yards and two touchdonws. Dan Gorzynski had 164 yards receiving and a touchdown.
The Fighting Scots outgained Hiram 555-364, but the Terriers forced four turnovers and turned them into 27 points.
The win was also the first for the Terriers over the Fighting Scots since 1989.
Hiram will close out the 2015 campaign on November 14 as they travel to take on Oberlin in a 1 p.m. game.