Game Leaders
Team Stats
Passing Yards
Rushing Yards
Turnovers
Time of Poss.
WOOSTER, Ohio – Senior Andrew Yanssens found success early on the ground, but Wabash College contained The College of Wooster football team's passing game, and a near-perfect afternoon by its quarterback, Liam Thompson, enabled the Little Giants to roll past the Fighting Scots 48-14 at John P. Papp Stadium on Black and Gold Weekend.
Yanssens, who rushed for a career-high 141 yards, had five carries that went for at least 10 yards. One of those was a 31-yard gain on Wooster's (2-1, 1-1 North Coast Athletic Conference) first touchdown drive of the day. The Scots went right back to the senior running back, who capped the 7-play, 69-yard scoring drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. Senior Lake Barrett's extra point tied the game at seven with 5:32 to go in the opening quarter.
Wabash (2-1, 1-0 NCAC) answered right back with a 2-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that gave the Little Giants the lead for good. Thompson, who was 28-for-31 for 435 yards and four touchdowns through the air, hooked up with Jacob Riddle on a 73-yard completion that moved the ball to Wooster's 2-yard line. Donovan Snyder scored on the ground on the next play.
Wooster was within 21-14 at 10:08 in the second quarter when senior Mateo Renteria scored on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal from Wabash's 1-yard line. Wabash answered with three touchdowns before halftime to take a 41-14 lead at the break.
While the score did not go Wooster's way, there were several big highlights for the Scots. Senior Matt Pardi pinned Wabash at its 1-yard line with a 48-yard punt in the first quarter. First-year defensive end Q Renteria logged his second sack of the year when he chased down Thompson for an 11-yard loss in the second quarter. Senior defensive back Matt Ulishney stopped Cade Campbell short of the marker on a fourth-and-1 play early in the fourth quarter. Later, junior Kobe Nadu snuffed out a sweep to the left, spilling Riddle for a loss of 3 yards.
Yanssens 141 yards came on a career-best 26 carries. First-year Jarvis Mims Jr. found success as well on the ground, toting the ball 10 times for 57 yards. Renteria was just 17-of-40 passing for 136 yards, and senior tight end Cole Hissong was limited to six catches for 35 yards.
Ulishney led all players with 15 tackles, and junior linebacker Domenic DeMuth followed with 14. Pardi averaged 46.2 yards over six punts, and Renteria quick-kicked a punt for 51 yards that was downed at the 2-yard line.
Cooper Sullivan was a hard Little Giant to cover, going for 134 yards on five receptions. Snyder led the way on the ground with 17 carries for 68 yards and two scores. Thompson added a rushing touchdown giving him five total touchdowns on the afternoon.
Gavin Ruppert led Wabash with 10 tackles.
Wabash outgained Wooster 627-342 and went 8-for-14 on third down to the Scots' 5-of-16.
With the win, Wabash snapped Wooster's two-game series' winning streak. The Scots were looking to be the first team to beat the Little Giants in three consecutive (counting) seasons since DePauw University won five straight against Wabash from 1996-2000.
Next, Wooster is off to DePauw University (3-0, 1-0 NCAC) for a 1 p.m. game on Saturday, September 24.