Sheamus Dalton
Sports Editor
In 2012, the College of Wooster football team finished 2-8. In 2013, first year Head Coach Frank Colaprete led his Scots to a 7-3 finish. A five win improvement in only one season is surely impressive and is reason enough for excitement to be building around the 2014 Scots football team.
“Last season was good,” said Colaprete in a Wooster Athletics article. “But this is a new year…We need to come in with the right attitude and effort in order to put us in a position to win.”
This season, the Scots return 17 starters to bolster the 2014 roster. Notably, Richard Barnes ’15 returns as quarterback to lead the Scots’ high-powered offense, which averaged a school-record 443.6 yards per game last season. Individually, Barnes will likely look to improve on his efforts from last year, when he set a new school single-season record with 2,243 passing yards.
Sean Hackel ’15 returns as the starting running back for the Scots after leading the NCAC in rushing a year ago with 1,097 yards and nine touchdowns. He will be alongside a trio of talented wide outs, Justin Rice ’15, Keir Pace ’16 and Darrian Owens ’17. The trio will be the Scots’ main passing targets with Jake Zoldan ’16 coming in as a versatile tight-end option. On the offensive line, Michael McCants ’15, Nick Flannery ’16 and Paul Kelby ’16 return as starters while Matt Margida ’16 and Taylor Bowen ’16 will likelyfill vacant spots on the veteran line.
Defensively, the Scots return seven starters, including linebacker Mitchell Czerniak ’15 and strong safety Brandon James ’15, both of whom were All-NCAC second team selections last season. Defensive end Stephen McKinney ’16 earned honorable mention All-NCAC honors last season after recording six sacks and three fumble recoveries. McKinney will look to improve on his 2013 efforts and will be joined by defensive lineman Matt Osolinksi ’15 who recorded three sacks and recovered two fumbles last season.
The Scots will also have a special teams weapon in Shawn Bowman ’15 who was selected as a D3football.com All-American after last season. In 2013, Bowman blocked three kicks including a late-game field goal block against Ohio Wesleyan that secured a 28-27 win for the Scots. His talents complete a solid team that will challenge for the NCAC championship this season.
Looking at his new squad and the season ahead, Colaprete said the team will build upon last season’s success and apply what they learned in 2013.
This will be key as the Scots work to improve their record with a difficult NCAC schedule. The Scots will begin their 2014 campaign away at Washington & Jefferson College on Sept. 6 in Washington, Pennsylvania. The Scots will return home for their first home game on Sept. 27 against Hiram College at 7:00 p.m. in John. P. Papp Stadium.