W&J Disrupts Passing Game To End Tigers' Season In NCAA First Round

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – Playing in their 17^th NCAA Division III Tournament appearance and 36^th tournament game, the Wittenberg football team fell to visiting Washington & Jefferson by a 41-25 final margin.

The Tigers conclude the season 9-2 overall in a third-straight NCAA tournament appearance, their fifth in six years, and toting a North Coast Athletic Conference championship trophy for the third-straight year.

By beating Wittenberg, one of only three NCAA Division III teams with 700 all-time wins, Washington & Jefferson, one of the other two, has earned the right to face Mount Union, the third, in the second round of the tournament next Saturday after the Purple Raiders beat Adrian 63-3 in Alliance, Ohio.

The trouble started early for Wittenberg in the first meeting since 1930 with the Presidents, who scored two touchdowns and tacked on a field goal before junior Evan Grissom (Piqua, Ohio/Piqua) split the uprights from 36 yards out for a field goal to make it 17-3 just three minutes into the second quarter.

The second quarter transpired without any more scoring, though Wittenberg racked up 10 first downs and 126 yards of offense to the Presidents' 44. After a touch-and-go first quarter in which the Tigers' first play from scrimmage was an interception, junior quarterback Zack Jenkins (Frostproof, Fla./Frostproof) began connecting with his receivers in the second period, completing 10-of-15 attempts for 126 yards.

The increased activity in the air put Washington & Jefferson's superb passing defense into motion; the Presidents picked off three passes to scuttle any offensive momentum the Tigers could build. But Wittenberg's defense also kicked into gear. The Presidents racked up 213 offensive yards in the first quarter but were held to just 114 the rest of the game.

After the two teams traded field goals to open the third quarter and make it a 20-6 affair, Wittenberg got its first touchdown on a 54-yard pass to junior Corey Stump (Lima, Ohio/Central Catholic) from Jenkins, capping a five-play, 74-yard drive to bring the Tigers within a touchdown at 20-13.

The defense held W&J to a three-and-out on the ensuing possession, but the President defense again intercepted a pass, this time at the Wittenberg two, walking it in for a touchdown on the next play to make it 27-13.

Senior defensive lineman Dwight Hill (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) delivered the Tigers a safety early in the fourth quarter by chasing W&J quarterback Pete Coughlin into the endzone to the bring the score to 27-15, but again the visitors answered with a touchdown following an interception and a short field.

Grissom hit another field goal to make it 34-18, but W&J's Max Creighan returned the resultant kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.  Wittenberg capped off the game's scoring when senior tight end Clay Mangen (Union, Ohio/Northmont) caught a one-yard pass from Jenkins for his third career touchdown.

Jenkins finished the game with 28 completions in 56 attempts for 393 yards and two touchdowns, but was bit by eight interceptions on the day, tying a Division III high mark. His favorite target was again junior wide receiver Zach Culvahouse (Fort Myers, Fla./Estero), who finished with 10 catches for 169 yards on the day, and completes the season with a team record 81 receptions. Stump had five catches for 100 yards and one touchdown, while sophomore Luke Landis (Brookville, Ohio/Brookville) gained 96 yards on seven catches.

Junior running back Sean Gary (Indianapolis, Ind./Decatur Central) led the ground game with 14 carries and 82 yards and junior Jimmy Dehnke (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) contributed 52 yards on 13 totes.

The defense was led by senior linebacker Evan Killilea (Columbus, Ohio/DeSales) with 10 tackles and junior lineman Josh Bannick (Enon, Ohio/Greenon) with nine. Senior linebacker Nick Gibson (Marysville, Ohio/Fairbanks) made eight tackles and one interception for 12 yards, while sophomore linebacker Dustin Holmes (Springfield, Ohio/Tecumseh) broke up two passes and made six tackles. Senior cornerback Victor Banjo (Sugarland, Texas/Stephen F. Austin) led the secondary with three pass breakups.

Wittenberg Postgame Interviews
Washington & Jefferson Postgame Interviews

John Strawn '07