Waynesburg College falls to Wooster
WAYNESBURG -Waynesburg College football coach Rick Shepas knows what emotion can do. He knows how important momentum is in dictating the outcome of a game. He knows his Yellow Jackets were one momentum changing play away from their first season victory Saturday afternoon at Wiley Stadium.
“I don’t think there’s any question that we hang on the seat of emotion,”Shepas said.
Unfortunately for the Yellow Jackets, The College of Wooster Fighting Scots came away with more momentum changing plays as they defeated Waynesburg, 31-10.
The loss drops the Yellow Jackets to 0-2 for the first time since 1998.
“The things affecting us now are momentum plays,” Shepas said. “What Wooster was able to do in the second half was get a little more momentum.”
Wooster’s momentum swings were apparent from its first drive to open up the third quarter.
A combination of the option and the no-huddle offense paved the way for the Scots as they scored on a Joe Francescangeli 7-yard touchdown run. The run capped a 9 play 69-yard drive that put Wooster up for good.
“We just wanted to change the tempo of the game,” said Fighting Scots coach Mike Schmitz. “In the first half Waynesburg’s defense was getting the better of us by a longshot. We felt we needed to do something to change that.”
The third quarter was the key for Wooster as the Scots outscored Waynesburg 17-0 in that quarter. A Greg Peltz 18-yard touchdown reception put the Fighting Scots up 21-3 and was just too much for the Yellow Jackets to overcome.
“We came out in the second half a little flat,” Shepas said. “We knew they would be able to no-huddle. The thing that gave them a plus was their two big tight ends.”
The Yellow Jackets struggled on third down as they were 0-13 in that category.
Waynesburg however was able to turn in its own momentum changing plays.
Senior defensive back Anthony Taylor intercepted the Scots’ Justin Schafer’s pass at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Yellow Jacket offense then struck quickly as they marched 84 yards on only nine plays.
An Eric Daniels 19-yard touchdown run capped the drive that put the Yellow Jackets in the game at 24-10.
“The best thing that happened to us was Anthony Taylor’s interception,” Shepas said. “That was the emotional thing on the other end that ignited us. “
Waynesburg’s Daniels proved to be a tricky player to stop for Wooster. Daniels not only scored on the 19-yard run but he also kept that scoring drive alive with a 23-yard run on second and 15. He also led the Yellow Jackets rushing attack, finishing the day with 62 yards on 12 carries.
“Daniels is lightning quick,” Schmitz said. “He just worries you because he’s bottle rocket. He could go off at any time.”
“There’s no question Eric can break one at any time,” Shepas said. “What people need to realize is it’s still early. We’re making playing with a lot of young guys. We’re playing with a lot of guys who don’t have much experience. It’s just going to take its natural course in time.”