Streaks end as Tigers fall 46-43 in overtime to Wabash

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - All good things must come to an end. On a perfect afternoon for football, that's exactly what happened. The Wittenberg University Tigers had streaks of 30 straight North Coast Athletic Conference victories and 36 consecutive regular season home wins snapped simultaneously as Wabash College pulled out a thrilling 46-43 overtime victory at Edwards-Maurer Field.

Billed by many as the Game of the Year in the NCAC, two senior-laden teams started out in a defensive struggle and wound up in a full-blown offensive shootout, won by Wabash in the first overtime on a 27-yard field goal by Mark Server. Wittenberg, winner of five straight NCAC titles, fell to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the conference with the loss, the Tigers' first since a 21-19 defeat at Wooster on Nov. 4, 1997. Wabash, last year's NCAC runner-up and the preseason choice to do the same in 2002, improved to 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the NCAC.

The scoring started with 5:24 left in the first quarter as Wittenberg sophomore defensive tackle Joey Binkley (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) blocked a pass by Wabash's Jake Knott and senior defensive end Jim Lackmeyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) caught the deflection and went 22 yards for the score. Then with 2:53 remaining in the opening stanza, senior tailback Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont) went 80 yards on two carries to make the score 14-0.

Then it was Wabash's turn. Aided by a pair of Wittenberg turnovers and some timely penalties, the Little Giants rallied for three second-quarter scores, an 11-yard run by tailback Chris Morris and a pair of touchdown connections between All-American tight end Ryan Short and Knott. The score was 21-14 going into the locker room in favor of Wabash, the first time that Wittenberg had trailed at a regular season game's midpoint since the Tigers' last regular season loss at Alma on Sept. 15, 2001.

The second half was a fine back-and-forth affair. In the third quarter, Wabash struck first on an 86-yard touchdown, the Tigers came right back with a 15-yard scoring reception by junior wide receiver Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) from senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin), Morris went in from two yards out and then Ivery and Cornett again connected. The difference, however, was that Wabash made both extra points, while Wittenberg had the first attempt blocked and then had a two-point conversion attempt fail.

In the fourth quarter, Wabash again struck first with a one-yard TD by Matt Piechocki and a two-point conversion hook-up between Short and Knott. Facing a 17-point deficit, the Tiger defense finally stiffened and the offense drove to a 19-yard field goal by sophomore Jacob Thomas (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany), an eight-yard scoring reception for senior wide receiver Adrian Crane (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) on a pass from Cornett, and Grove tied it with a two-yard run and two-point conversion with just 3:24 remaining on the clock.

Overtime ended as regulation began for Wittenberg, unfortunately. The Tiger offense had a late opportunity to win the game, but an interception stifled the rally with about a minute remaining and then in the extra session the offense couldn't pick up a first down and a field goal attempt went wide right. Wabash picked up one first down and then kicked the winning field goal on third down from the 10 yard line.

It was an amazingly even game on the scoreboard and on the statistics sheet. Wabash finished with 506 yards of total offense, while the Tigers had 497, including a 373-367 advantage through the air in a match-up of the two best quarterbacks in the NCAC.

Cornett had his best statistical game as a starter, setting a school record with 33 completions for 367 yards, a total that ranks No. 2 in school history. Grove had 91 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries and Ivery finished with eight receptions for 91 yards and two scores. In addition, Crane had seven catches for 101 yards and freshman Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) added 10 receptions for 121 yards. On defense, the Tigers got 11 tackles from senior linebacker Ryan Gresham (Columbus, Ohio/Eastmoor) and 10 more from senior safety Andy Waddle (Springfield, Ohio/Greenon).

For Wabash, Morris had 80 yards on 18 carries, Knott went 27-of-51 for 373 yards and three touchdowns and Short led the receivers with seven catches for 84 yards.Defensively, linebacker Nate Boulais led both teams with 16 total tackles.