Sheppard Erupts for 278 Yards in 41-13 Win at Kenyon

Dustin Sheppard

Dustin Sheppard (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) rushed for the fourth-most yards in College of Wooster history on Saturday afternoon, netting 278 on 41 carries, and scored all five of the Fighting Scots’ touchdowns as they secured third-place in the North Coast Athletic Conference via a 41-13 win at Kenyon College.

Sheppard’s 278 rushing yards marked a career-high and allowed the sophomore to eclipse the 1,000 milestone for the season (1,020). The five rushing touchdowns was just one shy of the team’s single-game record of six, which has occurred four times, and it raised his season total in that category to 14, with eight coming during the last five quarters. Additionally, Sheppard’s 41 attempts tied for the fourth-highest total in a game by a Scot.

While Sheppard piled up the big numbers, it was Wooster’s defense that set the tone early. The Scots (8-2, 5-2 NCAC), who excelled on that side of the ball all season, turned away Kenyon’s initial drive, which started on the Wooster 39-yard line, with two sacks. Then, the offense got on the scoreboard with a 32-yard field goal from Andy Milligan (Orrville, Ohio / Orrville).

On the next two possessions for the Lords (4-6, 3-4 NCAC), the Scots recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass, with Josh Feesler (Canal Fulton, Ohio / Manchester) making the pick to set the offense up right before midfield. Sheppard accounted for 39 of the 57 yards on the ensuing drive, scoring from a yard out on the first play of the second quarter to take a 10-0 lead.

After the Wooster defense forced a three-and-out, the Scots went to the air on their next possession, as Bobby Reiff (Bay Village, Ohio / Bay) completed 5-of-6 passes for 44 yards to help move the ball inside the 20, but they had to settle for a 25-yard field goal from Milligan, making it 13-0.

Three offensive plays later, Keith Adams (Mogadore, Ohio / Field) intercepted his fourth pass of the year, giving Wooster the ball back at its own 47. A 36-yard pass play between two former high school teammates, Reiff and Aaron Gertz (Bay Village, Ohio / Bay), gave the Scots 1st-and-goal at the 2-yard line and Sheppard took it in from there for a 20-0 advantage with 5:01 left in the first half.

Kenyon then mounted its best drive of the day, advancing to all the way to Wooster’s 5 where it elected to go for it on 4th-and-4, but was turned away by the Scots’ defense with 2:24 remaining.

So, instead of it potentially being 20-7, Wooster turned around and handed it off to Sheppard four times, and on the fourth, he ripped off an 81-yard touchdown rush – the fourth-longest in school history – with just :14 on the clock.

Wooster all but put the game away on the first possession of the second half. A 33-yard kickoff return by Bryan Albani (Warren, Ohio / Howland) started the Scots’ offense at their own 49-yard line. Four plays later, Sheppard got loose again, this time going 32 yards for the touchdown.

The Lords would avoid the shutout two drives later when Rafael Sanchez found Carlin Shoemaker for a 26-yard touchdown pass.

Wooster eliminated any thoughts of a miracle comeback on the ensuing drive, when Sheppard scored from one yard out to cap an 11-play, 76-yard drive early in the fourth quarter (41-7).

In addition to Sheppard’s big day, Reiff completed 13-of-20 passes for 151 yards, with Greg Peltz (Amherst, Ohio / Amherst Steele) hauling in five for 63 yards. The senior tight end was the team’s leading receiver throughout 2006, finishing with 32 catches for 356 yards.

Sanchez accounted for almost all of Kenyon’s offense, netting 88 yards on the ground and throwing for 233 on 16-of-30 attempts.

The Wooster defense held Alby Coombs to 41 rushing yards after he gained 167 and 182 on the Scots the last two years. Wooster, which also had four sacks, was led by Greg Schermbeck’s (Toledo, Ohio / Whitmer) 11 tackles.