Fighting Scots Aim to Extend 16-Game Non-League Win Streak in Opener

Deron Boyd

The College of Wooster will kickoff its 109th year of intercollegiate football on the road Saturday, Sept. 1, attempting to extend a 16-game win streak against non-conference competition (during the regular season) as the Fighting Scots match-up against fellow northeastern Ohio foe John Carroll University (5-5 in 2006). It pits two consistent winning programs out of the NCAA Div. III North Region, as Wooster has placed fifth or higher in the North Coast Athletic Conference for more than a decade (since 1994) and John Carroll has finished top-four in the Ohio Athletic Conference every season since joining the league (19 years). The two also met in last year’s season opener, with the Scots taking a 24-0 halftime lead and then holding off a late charge by the Blue Streaks to prevail 30-22. Kickoff at 5,416-seat Don Shula Stadium is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. EDT.

On the Air: Wooster’s football games can be heard live each week in the Wooster area on WKVX 960 AM, or anywhere in the world on the College’s Web site (www.wooster.edu/interactive/). This week’s game will be called by Mike Breckenridge and Ron Hamilton.

The John Carroll-Wooster game will also be televised by SportsTime Ohio. The broadcast will be tape delayed, and its first scheduled airings are Saturday, Sept. 1, at 10:30 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 2, at noon.

Against the OAC: Wooster was formerly a long-time member of the OAC (1907-83), but it has played just eight games against OAC members since leaving the league. The Scots are 4-4 in those contests, losing to Marietta College (12-15 in 1984), taking one of four versus Mt. Union College (7-38 in 1986, 17-15 in 1987, 0-48 in 1990, and 8-24 in 1991), winning season openers against Muskingum College recently (27-6 in 2004 and 13-10 in 2005), and edging John Carroll just last year (30-22).

All-Time Series: Wooster owns a 6-4 edge in 10 meetings with John Carroll, but its margin of victory has never been more than 10. The Scots are riding a four-game winning streak against the Blue Streaks, but three of those took place when most of today’s players were toddlers (1985-87).

Lid-Lifters: The Scots are looking to continue their run of success in season openers on Saturday, having won nine of their last 10. Their lone setback during that stretch came at home to Kalamazoo College (39-37 in 2001).

Non-Conference, No Contest: Wooster currently owns a 16-game winning streak against non-conference competition during the regular season, and over the last 32 non-league games, the Scots are 28-4 overall (.875). That includes the two NCAA Div. III playoff games in 2004.

2007 Preview Notes: Having produced a winning record 10 of the last 11 seasons, including 8-plus victories during six of those years, Wooster fully expects to continue its winning ways and contend for the 2007 North Coast Athletic Conference championship, despite the graduation of a star-studded group. Among last fall’s seniors were 11 players who earned all-NCAC honors during their career, headlined by All-American left tackle Rick Drushal, who signed a professional contract with the Cleveland Browns but was then waived after the rookie mini-camp, and Justin Schafer, who had a 29-6 record (.829) as the team’s starting quarterback ... On offense, the Scots return junior running back Dustin Sheppard (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe), who will be counted on heavily as the unit adjusts to eight new starters. Sheppard became just the seventh different back in team history to produce a 1,000-yard season during 2006, totaling 1,020 and 14 touchdowns en route to a spot on the All-NCAC Team (honorable mention) ... Wooster’s top veteran pass-catchers are juniors Jordan Ferns (Canfield, Ohio / Canfield) and Luke McCann (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Keystone Oaks) and senior tight end Ben Schrock (Wadsworth, Ohio / Wadsworth). Up front, the second-team all-conference center returns in the form of senior Dan Sommers (Slippery Rock, Pa. / Slippery Rock) ... Defensively, the Scots were the best in the NCAC in 2006, leading the league in total defense (272.4 ypg), scoring defense (14.8 ppg), rushing defense (69.3 ypg), pass efficiency (108.5 rating), and sacks (37). Four starters return from that unit – senior cornerbacks Jeff Geffert (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor) and Keith Adams (Mogadore, Ohio / Field), senior linebacker Greg Schermbeck (Holly Springs, N.C. / Whitmer – Ohio), and senior defensive tackle Deron Boyd (Ravenna, Ohio / Ravenna). Geffert and Adams have combined for 12 career interceptions, with Geffert garnering first-team all-region and all-conference recognition a season ago, while Schermbeck was the squad’s top tackler with 76 stops en route to second-team all-NCAC selection ... Special teams should be an area of strength, with the return of placekicker Andy Milligan (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville), punter Kevin Friedman (Pepper Pike, Ohio / St. Peter Chanel), and all of its top return specialists. Milligan, a senior, is 16-for-25 on field goals during his career, while Friedman, a junior, ranked third in the conference (37.0 yards per punt) last fall. Adams has led the NCAC twice in punt return average, including last season’s 8.8 yards.

Depth Chart Notes: Several Scots will be making their first career starts on Saturday, with the most noteworthy being sophomore quarterback Chad Parker (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Penn Hills) and offensive linemen Cam LeMasters (Cross Lanes, W. Va. / Nitro), Storm Tropea (Hollywood, Fla. / Hollywood Hills), and Todd Spillman (Zoar, Ohio / Tuscarawas Valley) at left tackle, left guard, and right guard, respectively. On the other side of the ball, senior defensive end Ryan Thomas (Cincinnati, Ohio / Walnut Hills), junior defensive tackle Pat Byrne (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Central Catholic), junior defensive end Jeff Brown (Crestline, Ohio / Crestline), senior linebacker Trey Simmerman (Clarksburg, W. Va. / Notre Dame), sophomore linebacker Matt DeGrand (Stow, Ohio / St. Vincent- St. Mary), and sophomore safety Bryan Albani (Warren, Ohio / Howland) are making their debuts as starters.

Team Captains: Elected as team captains for the 2007 season by their peers were seniors Deron Boyd (Ravenna, Ohio / Ravenna), Jeff Geffert (Mentor, Ohio / Mentor), Greg Schermbeck (Holly Springs, N.C. / Whitmer – Ohio), Ben Schrock (Wadsworth, Ohio / Wadsworth), and Dan Sommers (Slippery Rock, Pa. / Slippery Rock).