By Andrew Bell
The familiar sounds of bagpipes filled the air as Wooster’s pipe band led the Fighting Scots football team down the hill and onto the new Andrew Turf Field at John P. Papp Stadium. The Scots faced off in a non-conference contest against the University of Olivet Comets from the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, marking the first time these teams have ever competed. The Scots took control of the game early, but were later challenged by the Comets’ strong offense. Thankfully, Wooster’s stingy defense held off Olivet’s late comeback.
While Wooster only had 93 rushing yards, starting quarterback Chanden Lee’s ’26 arm was good for 267 passing yards. The real difference in the game was turnovers, as Wooster had zero turnovers and four takeaways.
Following a fast-opening drive by the Comets, the Scots held strong deep in the red zone. The Comets missed a field goal opportunity, keeping the score 0-0. Wooster responded from their own 20-yard line with an attack fueled by the spin moves of running back Jarvis Mims Jr. ’26 who scored the Scots’ first touchdown on a 3-yard run. Mims led the rushing offense with 89 yards for the day. The Scots shut down Olivet’s second drive with a crowd-pleasing interception in the end zone by defensive back Brock Sivon ’26, leaving Wooster ahead 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter started with a stalled Wooster drive on a failed fourth and two run at their own 42-yard line. After a series of Olivet penalties, the Scots forced a fourth down turnover at their 37-yard line. A long pass to wide receiver Andrew Hammer ’25 set up a three-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jordan Lewis ’26 with 9:18 remaining in the first half. After forcing a punt, Wooster gave the ball back on an attempted quick punt which hit a lineman.
Olivet took over at their own 47-yard line, but defensive lineman Domenic DeMuth ’24 recovered a forced Olivet fumble. A 25-yard reception by wide receiver Brazos Gadler ’25 set up a touchdown pass to Andrew Hammer ’25 with 1:45 remaining in the second quarter. Hammer was the leading pass receiver with 101 yards by the game’s end. The Scots went into the locker room with a 21-0 halftime lead.
The Scots opened the third quarter with a three and out series, which ended with a blocked punt by Olivet’s Keyon Johnson ’24. Long snapper Nick Bostic ’26 alertly covered up the ball. The Comets were unable to convert on the short field and fumbled the ball. The quick hands of linebacker Kobe Nadu ’24 held on to the fumble. Just a few plays later, Lee was flagged for intentional grounding while throwing from the end zone. The result was a safety and Olivet’s first points of the game. The Comets followed this up with a scoring drive capped off by a touchdown pass to Johnson at the 7:33 mark of the third quarter.
Wooster was not able to convert on their next drive but pinned the Comets at their own 3-yard line courtesy of a stellar punt from Lake Barrett ’24. The Black and Gold were back on offense four plays later from their own 37-yard line. The Wooster offense lunged forward on a 30-yard pass completion from Lee but was backed up on a penalty and forced to punt. Following multiple personal fouls and an extended officials’ conference, the Comets’ offense put together back-to-back first downs only to be stopped by an interception by Tate Journell ’26.
In the fourth quarter, an Olivet touchdown narrowed the Scots’ lead to 21-16 with 6:47 remaining. Brazos Gadler ’25 had an impressive kickoff return to the Comets’ 37-yard line. The Scots offense worked the clock with some short pass plays to set up a successful 29-yard field goal.
The Comets gained excellent field position and started their drive from their own 40-yard line. The Olivet offense was aided by a late hit penalty against the Scots, placing the ball at Wooster’s 29-yard line. Olivet carried the momentum down the field and scored a touchdown on a short run. The roar of the crowd and the tough Wooster defense shut down the Comets’ 2-point conversion, keeping the score a close 24-22. Wooster recovered the onside kick, set up in victory formation, and claimed the win.
In the words of Offensive Line Coach, Brian Kooser, “there are always things that we can do better, but this game goes as a win!” Jarvis Mims Jr. ’26 is looking forward to taking on conference teams. He explained, “working hard at practice and really focusing at all times is how we will continue to improve for conference play.” Domenic DeMuth ’24 was happy with the win, but also discussed the importance of improvement during the upcoming weeks. “Everyone did their job, and we really executed our game plan. Conference play is next, so we need to take it to another level.”
The Fighting Scots begin North Coast Athletic Conference play next Saturday against Ohio Wesleyan in Delaware, Ohio. The team hopes to carry the momentum from this win into the conference season.