Jeremy Ludemann
Contributing Writer
The College of Wooster football team decided last Saturday night that they were not going to turn into the Great Pumpkin, courtesy of a star-studded performance from first-year wide receiver Darrian Owens ’17 and two interceptions from quarterback-turned-safety Tyson Vogel ’17. Owens executed the offensive battle plan to perfection, racking up a school record 230 receiving yards and four total touchdowns in the first half alone as the Scots (4-3, 4-2 NCAC) dominated the Denison Big Red (4-3, 3-3 NCAC) by a 41-23 score Saturday night at Papp Stadium. With the win, the Scots recaptured the Old Red Lantern -— a trophy created in 1988 to mark the 100-year anniversary of the rivalry between the schools.
The Scots started with the ball and made quick work of the Big Red defense as quarterback Richard Barnes ’14 threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Owens, who caught the pass in stride and sprinted to the end zone. After Zack Moore ’16 kicked the extra point, the Scots surged ahead 7-0 only 50 seconds into the game. However, the Scots offense was stopped twice by Denison’s defense, and the score remained 7-0 late in the first quarter. Wooster put together a strong drive near the end of the first quarter that was sparked by a 29-yard return by LaBaron Sylvester ’15. One play later, Justin Rice ’15 took the handoff from Barnes on a reverse for 39 yards to the Denison 19.
Although Rice’s fabulous run put the Scots in the red zone, he injured his ACL on the play and will most likely miss the rest of the season. Wooster had no choice but to move on, and the Scots would cash in on Rice’s effort through trickery. On second and goal, Barnes pitched the ball to Owens, who then threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Sean Hackel ’15 to put the Black and Old Gold in front 13-0 at the end of the first quarter. Although Denison blocked Moore’s extra point, the Big Red offense failed to convert on third down.
Needing a touchdown in the beginning of the second quarter, the Big Red had to punt yet again. Wooster would put together another terrific drive, and Barnes found Owens in stride again on the left sideline for a 51 yard touchdown. Owens was one step ahead of the Denison secondary throughout the game, yet the Big Red refused to double team him. Although the Scots missed the PAT, they still were comfortably ahead by a 19-0 score with 11:58.
It was then time for the Wooster defense to take center stage. Shawn Bowman ’15 was able to stop a Denison drive by recovering a fumble from Big Red quarterback Brandon Sklenar. Two plays later, Barnes would again connect with Owens for a 50-yard gain, but Wooster would not get the ball into the endzone this time. However, Tyler Gerwig ’15 kicked a 25 yard field goal through the uprights, and Wooster led Denison 22-0 with seven minutes remaining in the first half.
The Denison offense could do nothing with Brandon James ’15 defensively throughout the game, and James stopped the Big Red twice, forcing another Denison punt. This gave enough time for Barnes and Owens to take flight again — the senior signal caller found the freshman phenom for a 56-yard touchdown. Gerwig’s extra point pushed Wooster to a 29-0 advantage. The touchdown confirmed Owens’s school record for receiving yardage, and Barnes would finish the day with 280 yards passing and the three TD passes, all to Owens.
Denison’s lone chance to get on the scoreboard in the first half went awry when James intercepted Sklenar’s pass in the end zone.
The second half proved to be more profitable for Denison, but Tyson Vogel ’17 led the charge for Wooster’s dominant defense. Vogel, a quarterback on the roster, had two interceptions in the second half. His first interception set up a 29-yard touchdown run by Hackel, who returned to the Scots’ offense after an injury held him out of the Wittenberg game.
Hackel’s scoring scamper powered the Black and Old Gold to a 36-7 lead with four minutes left in the third quarter. Denison then cut the lead to 36-14 with an impressive 10-play, 80-yard drive, and appeared to be more in sync, as their pistol offense was able to confuse the Scots’ defense with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Sklenar to Dushawn Brown. After three quarters, the Scots maintained a 36-14 lead. Wooster was able to finish the victory off thanks to Vogel, who picked off Sklenar for a second time and then returned the interception for 73 yards to the Denison two. Vogel, a local product out of Ashland, utilized his blockers to perfection. Two plays later, Hackel sealed the deal for the Scots, scoring from two yards out. Gerwig’s point after made the score 43-14, and, although the Big Red would add another touchdown, Wooster’s finest performance of the season was complete and the bright light of the Old Red Lantern shines again in Wayne County.
Owens and Vogel were honored as the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively on Monday by the North Coast Athletic Conference for their efforts, and their inspiring performances have given the Scots a significant opportunity to finish in third place in the NCAC if they win their final three games. Tomorrow, the Scots will battle against the DePauw University Tigers (3-4, 3-3 NCAC) on the road in Greencastle, Ind. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
