Tigers Clinch At Least A Share Of A Fourth Straight NCAC Title With First Shutout Of 2000 Campaign

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- The Wittenberg University Tigers scored on their first play from scrimmage and dominated visiting Hiram College from start to finish for a 66-0 victory before a Homecoming crowd of 3,520 people at Edwards-Maurer Field. It was the Tigers 30th straight overall regular season victory and 21st straight NCAC victory, dating back to a 1997 loss at the College of Wooster, and Wittenberg clinched at least a share of a fourth consecutive NCAC championship.

The 66 points were the most scored by the Tigers this season, topping a 62-point effort against Denison on Oct. 7. And the shutout was the first for Wittenberg this year, as the Tigers yielded just 64 total yards and five first downs. The Terriers never advanced past the Wittenberg 36-yard line in the game and crossed midfield just once on a drive that actually started at the Tigers 45 after a fumbled opening kickoff.

Following that miscue, Wittenberg forced Hiram to punt and took possession on the 17-yard line. On the Tigers first offensive play from scrimmage, senior quarterback Anthony Crane (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) hit junior wide receiver Michael Aljancic (Louisville, Ohio/Louisville) on a school record-tying 83-yard touchdown pass.

From that point, it was all Tigers. Senior placekicker Ryan Walker (Newark, Ohio/Newark) hit a 23-yard field goal, senior fullback Gary Henson (Columbus, Ohio/Marion-Franklin) had a career-best 39-yard TD run, senior tailback Casey Donaldson (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) added a 17-yard TD burst, junior defensive lineman Juan Howard (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster) returned an interception 10 yards for score, and junior wide receiver Steve DeGraffinreed (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) caught a pair of touchdown passes from Crane all in the first half as the Tigers built up a 45-0 lead by halftime.

In the second half, no Wittenberg offensive starter played a down. Sophomore Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont) scored on a pair of touchdowns from 43 and 22 yards out and junior defensive lineman Nic Black (Piqua, Ohio/Piqua) chipped in with a 35-yard fumble recovery.

Wittenberg ran up 403 yards rushing and 590 total yards of offense. Donaldson and Grove both topped 100 yards rushing, Crane posted 183 yards and three touchdowns on just eight completions in one half of work, and Aljancic finished with 111 yards on three catches. Donaldson, the Wittenberg and NCAC all-time leading rusher and scorer, now has 1,247 yards in the 2000 season and 4,957 yards in his illustrious career. Crane topped the 4,000-yard mark in passing yardage in his career.

Defensively, junior defensive lineman Tim Daoust (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) recorded seven tackles, including four for loss. Among them were two sacks, giving him nine for the season and 18 for his career both putting him No. 4 in Wittenberg history.

The Tigers can close out a third straight perfect regular season with a win next week against neighboring conference rival Earlham at Edwards-Maurer Field.