Wooster's 16-Game Non-Conference Win Streak Ends at JCU

Kevin Friedman

UNIVERSITY HTS., Ohio – The College of Wooster’s 16-game winning streak in non-conference games (regular season only) finally came to an end Saturday afternoon, as John Carroll University shutout the Fighting Scots 24-0 during the 2007 opener for both squads.

The last time Wooster dropped a regular season game against non-league competition was way back on Oct. 20, 2001, at Ursinus College.

The Scots, who knocked off John Carroll 30-22 in last year’s season opener, had 11 players (five offense, six defense) making their first career start on the field Saturday. That inexperience showed at times.

The host Blue Streaks returned the opening kickoff to the Wooster 46-yard line. Then, they marched the remainder of the field in seven plays, including a 4th-and-1. After that conversion, Mark Petruziello connected with Vince Doorhy in the left corner of the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown.

It remained 7-0 deep into the second quarter. John Carroll would produce the longest play of the game when Petruziello found Frank Ross open in the middle of the field and Ross took it the rest of the way, just getting past a couple of defenders down the right sideline for the score at the 3:29 mark.

On the next possession, Scot quarterbacks were unable to control two different snaps, with the second one being recovered by the Blue Streaks on the Wooster 25. From there, the Scots’ defense held John Carroll to a 27-yard Josiah Kedzior field goal, which made it 17-0 going into the break.

In the second half, Wooster went three-and-out on the initial possession while the Blue Streaks drove 63 yards over nine plays for a touchdown on their first possession. They converted two long 3rd-down plays, including 3rd-and-26 from the Wooster 40, and on the following play, tailback Rai Stover rushed in from nine yards out. That turned out to be the final points.

The Scots’ best scoring opportunity came in the fourth quarter, as they advanced the ball from their own 21 to inside John Carroll’s 10-yard line, however, they eventually turned it over.

Individual highlights for Wooster came from punter Kevin Friedman (Pepper Pike, Ohio / St. Peter Chanel), who averaged 44.0 yards and landed three of his five attempts inside the 20-yard line, and freshman defensive end Luke Drake (Valrico, Fla. / Newsome), who had a sack on his first collegiate play.

Making his first start at quarterback, sophomore Austin Holter (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) completed 10-of-21 passes for 107 yards and also exhibited the ability to run with the ball, netting 24 yards. Dustin Sheppard (Johnstown, Ohio / Johnstown-Monroe) combined for 105 all-purpose yards, rushing for 57 on 16 carries and adding 48 on two catches out of the backfield.

For the Blue Streaks, Petruziello was 15-of-23 passing for 276 yards, with Peter Spachner being his top target with five receptions for 79 yards. Stover went for 68 yards on 16 rushes.

The Scots will look to bounce back in their home opener next Saturday when they welcome Waynesburg College (1-0) to John P. Papp Stadium for a 1 p.m. kickoff.