Tigers Force Seven Turnovers To Pull Away From DePauw

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers started the day by forcing a DePauw turnover and ended the game by forcing another. In between, five other turnovers allowed Wittenberg to pull away for a 34-17 victory in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) opener for both teams.

The win squared Wittenberg's overall record at 1-1. More importantly, the Tigers started the 2014 NCAC schedule with a win, their 14th in a row against league competition.

DePauw fell to 1-1 overall and 0-1 in the NCAC. It was the Tigers' third straight loss to Wittenberg, which has won seven of the nine games in a series that dates back more than a century.

Wittenberg opened the scoring with a two-yard touchdown run by junior Sean Gary (Indianapolis, Ind./Decatur Central) at the 9:45 mark of the first quarter. The 41-yard drive was set up by a DePauw fumble.

DePauw had the answer just 21 seconds later, as D.J. Steward scored on an 82-yard pass play, the longest against Wittenberg since 2012. But the Tigers bounced back with a 35-yard field goal by junior Evan Grissom (Piqua, Ohio/Piqua) and a 25-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Zack Jenkins (Frostproof, Fla./Frostproof) to junior wide receiver Zach Culvahouse (Fort Myers, Fla./Estero). The latter score was set up by another DePauw fumble.

DePauw rallied in the second quarter to knot the score at 17-17 at the intermission. After Wittenberg opened the third quarter with a field goal, the teams traded punts before Steward hauled in another long pass and appeared to be headed for the end zone to DePauw the lead. However, Wittenberg senior cornerback Victor Banjo (Sugarland, Texas/Stephen F. Austin), an All-American sprinter for the Tiger track and field team, caught Steward at the 16-yard line and forced a fumble that was recovered by sophomore Winston Thomas (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy).

The Tigers marched right down the field to push the lead back out to 10 points, capped by a Jenkins to Culvahouse connection that covered 10 yards. The lone score of the final stanza came after an exchange of turnovers. Jenkins was picked off at the 3-yard line but DePauw fumbled on the following play, setting up a one-yard plunge by junior Jimmy Dehnke (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson).

Junior defensive tackle Josh Bannick (Enon, Ohio/Greenon) was a force in the game, collecting 11 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, and forcing a pair of fumbles. Senior safety Gabe Cunningham (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) recovered a pair of fumbles, and Banjo finished with one forced fumble, two passes broken up and a game-ending interception in the Wittenberg end zone.

Offensively, Dehnke finished with 65 yards on the ground and Gary added 61. Jenkins completed 19-of-41 passes for 215 yards, with his favorite target being freshman Tyler Everidge (Dayton, Ohio/Bellbrook) with six receptions for 55 yards. Sophomore Luke Landis (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) also had a fine game, hauling in five passes for 51 yards in his first career start.

Written By: Ryan Maurer