Nov. 13 - Pierece Wade starts the game with a 6 yard rush followed by another rush for 11 yards and the first down. Matt Root finds LaMar Tipton for a 6 yard pass. Root and Tipton hook up again for the 9 yard first down catch. Wade receives the handoff and rushes for 5 yards. Matt Root completes a 13 yard pass to Dyshaun Edwards for the first down. Pierece Wade finishes the drive with a 3 yard run for the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. Central State is held and on fourth down, Tiffin blocks the punt and Jon Hemmelgarn of Tiffin falls on the ball in the endzone for the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. Tiffin’s onside kick attempt is recovered by Tiffin. Dyshaun Edwards finds Matt Root for 28 yards and the first down. Alvin McKnight comes into the backfield and rushes for 4 yards followed by a Root pass to Edwards for 14 yards and the first down. Pierece Wade reaches the endzone again on an 8 yard rush. Breen’s point after is good.
After Central State answered with a touchdown, the Dragons block another punt in the first quarter. Matt Root wastes no time finding Dyshaun Edwards for a 10 yard touchdown pass. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. Central State receives the ball at the end of the first quarter. Central State starts the second quarter with a punt. Matt Root completes a pass to Donnie Johnson for 20 yards followed by another Root pass this time to Sean Ostrowski for 30 yards and another first down. Matt Root completes a 9 yard pass to LaMar Tipton giving Tiffin the ball on the 1 yard line. Pierece Wade drives into the endzone for the 1 yard rush. Breen’s point after is good. Central State answers back with a touchdown. Tiffin starts the drive but on 4th and 1, Matt Root goes to the air finding Dyshaun Edwards for a 27 yard gain and the first down. Matt Root then finds Donnie Johnson for 15 yards and another first down. Root finishes the drive with a 4 yard touchdown pass to Alvin McKnight. Breen’s point after is good. Central State puts a long drive together but Chris Clark is sacked for a 3 yard loss by Parris Burt running out the time of the first half. Halftime Score, Tiffin-42, Central State-14.
Midway through the third quarter, CSU is held and on fourth down the snap is fumbled, turning the ball over on downs. Matt Root wastes no time finding Tom Fritsch on the next play for an 11 yard touchdown pass. Breen’s point after is good. Central State’s Chris Clark is sacked for a loss of 6 yards by Ryan Ault. On fourth down, Tiffin again blocks a punt and is recovered by Tiffin. Donnie Johnson strikes on the next play with an 17 yard touchdown run. Central State is sacked again for a loss of 2 yards by Tyler Hesson. Central State drives the field for the touchdown. Tiffin goes 3 and out and punts. Chris Clark of Central State is sacked again by Luke Seal for a 7 yard loss. Central State attempts a fourth down conversion but the pass is incomplete turning the ball over on downs. Pierece Wade receives the handoff and takes it 83 yards for the touchdown. Breen’s point after is good. Central State drives down the field. Along the way Chris Clark is sacked twice at the hands of Bill Robinson, Luke Seal and Josh Traxler. Final Score, Tiffin-62, Central State-26.
Offensive player of the week-Pierece Wade, Matt Root Defensive player of the week-Luke Seal, Paris Burt Offensive Scout player of the week-Adam Franz Defensive Scout player of the week-Dale Pande Special Teams player of the week-Jon Hemmelgarn Big Stick-Steve Yarbrough Offensive goals- 4/6, Defensive goals-2/5 25 players made % grade, 16 made Black Watch list.
Standouts: Pierece Wade- 150+ yards, Matt Root- 3 TDs, Jon Hemmelgarn- Blocked punt recovery, Paris Burt- 10+ tackles, Steve Yarbrough- 10+ tackles, Luke Seal- 10+ tackles, Henry Russell- 10+ tackles, Joe Crawford- sack, Bill Robinson- sack, Tyler Hesson- sack, Kenny Harris- blocked punt, Wyatt Thames- blocked punt
Comments: Coach Nate Cole commented on how Central State just couldn’t stop the offense of Tiffin. “We just did what we wanted to do with the ball. We gained 200+ yards rushing and 200+ yards passing. That’s great execution by our players,” said Cole. He was pleased that his defense held their star player, Derrick Moss, to just 38 rushing yards, the lowest of the year. The only negative comment was about penalties. He said they had too many penalties that gave them extra yards, extended drives and led to cheap points. Beside the penalties Coach Cole was excited to bring Tiffin University the first ever football conference championship. By putting up big numbers, Coach Cole was able to get players into the game to get playing time. “I am proud of our players and coaches who have worked hard all year to bring home the conference championship. It’s a great way to end another season,” said Cole. Coach Cole was excited about next year already and playing in the GLIAC.
Nov. 5 - Tiffin University receives the kickoff from Missouri-Rolla. Matt Root completes a 9 yard pass to Mike Lento followed by a 14 yard run by Pierece Wade for the first down. Donnie Johnson then rushes for 12 yards and another first down. Matt Root returns to the air and finds Dyshaun Edwards for 20 yards. Donnie Johnson finishes the drive with an 8 yard rush for the touchdown. The point after is no good. Missouri-Rolla answers immediately with a 90 kickoff return for the touchdown. Dyshaun Edwards follows with an 87 yard kickoff return for the Tiffin touchdown.
Missouri-Rolla returns the next kickoff for 35 yards starting their next drive. Tiffin’s Joe Crawford pushes J. Miller back 3 yards on a rush for a loss followed by a sack at the hands of Tiffin’s Drew Douthit and Luke Seal. Missouri-Rolla punts away. Tiffin fumbles the ball and Missouri-Rolla recovers and returns it for a touchdown. Missouri-Rolla tries an on-side kick but is recorded as a -3 yard loss on the kickoff. Alvin McKnight starts the drive with a 22 yard rush for the first down. Once again, Donnie Johnson rushes into the end zone for a 4 yard touchdown. Tiffin’s two point conversion is good with a Root pass to Sean Ostrowski. Missouri-Rolla can’t drive the field and punts away. Pierece Wade starts off with a 7 yard rush. Donnie Johnson rushes for 8 yards and a first down. Pierece Wade breaks away for a 36 yard touchdown run. Andrew Breens kick is good. Missouri-Rolla is stopped again by Tiffin’s defense and is forced to punt away.
Matt Root finds Donnie Johnson for an 18 yard pass and the first down. Tiffin is held and John McCoy punts ending the first quarter. Missouri-Rolla’s quarterback, Watson, is intercepted by Andrew Manocchio who returns it 19 yards. Pierece Wade strings two rushes together for a total of 9 yards. Alvin McKnight comes in on 3rd down and gains 3 yards for the first down. Matt Root finds Donnie Johnson for 7 yards and another touchdown. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. Missouri-Rolla’s Gronewold strikes again on the kickoff returning it 94 yards for the touchdown. Point after is no good. Tiffin receives the ball. Donnie Johnson rushes for 27 yards and the first down followed by a Wade 13 yard rush. Tiffin is stopped and McCoy punts away. Missouri-Rolla is held with a 3rd down sack by Wyatt Thames and punts away. Donnie Johnson sparks the drive with a 21 yard rush for the first down followed by a 2 yard Root pass to Tom Fritsch for the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. Missouri-Rolla drives down the field but settles for a field goal.
Tiffin continues the offensive attack with an Alvin McKnight 4 yard rush followed by a 5 yard pass from Matt Root to Dyshaun Edwards for the first down. Root and Edwards hook up again with a 30 yard pass for the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. On Missouri-Rolla’s next drive ends with Watson’s pass intercepted by Courtney Embry. Matt Root starts Tiffin’s drive with a 9 yard pass to Mike Lento. Root attacks the secondary again with an 18 yard pass to Donnie Johnson for the first down. Root keeps the next snap and rushes for 8 yards followed by a Root pass to Johnson for 8 yards and the first down. Matt Root continues to strike through the air with a 6 yard pass to Johnson, a 19 yard pass to Edwards and an 11 yard pass to Edwards. Root finishes the drive with a 19 yard pass to tight end Sean Ostrowski for the touchdown. Breen’s point after is good. Halftime Score, Tiffin- 56, Missouri-Rolla-23.
Missouri-Rolla receives the ball after halftime but goes 3 and out punting the ball back to Tiffin. Pierece Wade starts the half for Tiffin with a 5 yards run followed by a 13 yard run for the first down. Matt Root finds Mike Lento for 14 yards and another Tiffin first down. Alvin McKnight comes into the back field and rushes for 8 yards. On 4th and 1, Matt Root keeps it and rushes ahead for 6 yards and the first down. Matt Root finds Mike Lento for 7 yards but short of the first down. Andrew Breen kicks a 30 yard field goal. Missouri-Rolla can’t answer back and is forced to punt back to Tiffin. Donnie Johnson finds a hole and breaks away for 22 yards and the first down. Donnie again rushes for 11 yards and another first down. Pierece Wade strings some rushes together for a 5 yard gain, 27 yard gain and 5 yard gain. Donnie Johnson rushes but fumbles recovered by Missouri-Rolla. Missouri-Rolla capitalizes on the turnover and scores a touchdown. Tiffin continues rushing the ball after the kickoff. Wade carries the ball for 7, 11 and 4 yard gains. Jon Hemmelgarn comes into the backfield and has a 12, 8 and 3 yard rush. Matt Root then completes a 23 yard pass to LaMar Tipton for the first down and ending the 3rd quarter. Root rushes for 5 yards scoring yet another touchdown. Andrew Breen’s kick is good.
Missouri-Rolla completes a pass to Gronewold but when hit fumbles and Tiffin’s Drew Douthit recovers the fumble. Tiffin can’t move down the field and McCoy punts it out of bounds pinning Missouri-Rolla within their 15 yard line. Missouri-Rolla is held and forced to punt. On Tiffin's final scoring drive, Jon Hemmelgarn rushes every play in the drive gaining a total of 49 yards and the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. Final Score, Tiffin-73, Missouri-Rolla-30.
Offensive player of the week- Pierece Wade & Rob Cameron, Defensive player of the week- Drew Douthit, Offensive player of the week- Steve Feeman, Defensive player of the week- Dale Pande, Special Teams player of the week- Dyshaun Edwards, Big Stick- Ryan Dunn, Offensive goals- 5/6, Defensive goals- 5/6, 24 players made % grade, 17 players made Black Watch list.
Standouts: Wade- 100+ yards and 2 TD, Donnie Johnson- 3 TD, 100+ yards, Dyshaun Edwards- 2 TD, Matt Root- threw 4 TD’s, rushed for 1 TD, Jon Hemmelgarn- 1TD, Tom Fritsch- 1 TD, Sean Ostrowski- 1 TD and two point conversion catch, Josh Traxler- fumble recovery, Parris Burt- Fumble recovery, Drew Douthit- sack, fumble recovery, Rahsan Wilson- 10+ tackles, Wyatt Thames- sack, Andrew Manocchio- interception, Courtney Embry- interception.
Coach Nate Cole was happy how his offense came right out of the gate to establish the run and score first. He was impressed that after the two kickoff returns for touchdowns, his team was still focused. Coach Cole was impressed all around with his team's play and ability to dominate on offense. “Our offense did all that I could ever ask of them and our defense was just tough,” said Cole. The only negative that coach brought up was mistakes on kickoff coverage.
Concering this week's Central State GLFC Championship game, Cole said "This is a really big game; we go to Central State and play for the league championship. This is what we have worked for all year and we want what we wanted last year, the league championship.” Coach Cole expressed his game plan by saying that they need to stop Derrick Moss who is one of the best running backs in the country and make them pass. He wants to establish the run game and keep possession to keep CSU’s run game off the field. “It’s going to be a great Saturday for football. I don’t care if we win by 2 points or by 200 points, just as long as our team wins,” said Cole.
Oct. 29 - The game started on the wrong foot for Tiffin, as Hillsdale took their first drive and scored a touchdown. The Dragons could not get much going offensively, as Hillsdale used ball control offense to eat up most of the first quarter. In the second quarter, Tiffin is forced to punt but on the punt, Hillsdale fumbles and is recovered by Tiffin’s Jackson Davis. Dyshaun Edwards rushes for 14 yards. Donnie Johnson finishes the drive with an 11 yard rush for the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s kick is good. On the following kickoff Hillsdale returns it for 66 yards to Tiffin’s 22 yard line. Steve Yarbrough sacks Mark Nicolet for a 7 yard loss giving Hillsdale a 4th and long. Hillsdale can’t convert on the 4th down opportunity and turns the ball over. Matt Root completes a pass to Dyshaun Edwards for 20 yards and the first down. The drive ends short with a Hillsdale interception. Hillsdale moves down the field but is held and forced to punt. Matt Root finds Sean Ostrowski for 6 yards then another 6 yard pass from Root to LaMar Tipton for the first down. Matt Root is intercepted again. Hillsdale drives down the field and misses a 39 yard field goal to end the first half. Halftime Score, Hillsdale 10, TU 7.
Hillsdale scored on their first two possession of the third quarter, putting Tiffin in a hole. On a Dragons punt, Mike Lento forces a fumble and Tiffin recovers. Pierece Wade rushes for 7 yards followed by a Matt Root quarterback keeper for 6 yards and the first down. In the fourth quarter, Matt Root finds Tom Fritsch for 11 yards on the fourth down conversion giving Tiffin the first down. Donnie Johnson scores the touchdown with a 1 yard rush. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. The Dragons could not get any more points off the Hillsdale defense, and the Chargers pick up the win 31-14.
Offensive Player of the Week- Donnie Johnson, Defensive Player of the Week- Steve Yarbrough, Offensive Scout Player of the Week- Noah Tanner, Defensive Scout Player of the Week- Caleb Layer, Special Teams Player of the Week- Rahsan Wilson, Big Stick- Zeno Dabbelt, Offensive Goals 2/6, Defensive Goals 2/6, 6 players made % grade, 5 players made Black Watch List.
Standouts- Donnie Johnson- 2 TD’s, Rahsan Wilson- 3 big plays, Jackson Davis- Fumble recovery, Parris Burt- 10+ tackles, Steve Yarbrough- sack and 10+ tackles, Andrew Manocchio- 10+ tackles, Henry Russell- 10+ tackles, Drew Douthit- sack and 10+ tackles, Joe Crawford- sack
Coach Nate Cole was frustrated with his team’s performance. He thought that they couldn’t get any offense established and create momentum. Cole also felt dropped passes cost Tiffin tremendously. Cole also acknowledged how good a team Hillsdale is and the outstanding year they are having.
Tiffin plays a big game with Missouri-Rolla this week. Coach Cole stressed that this is a league game and that they need to win this game to keep a league championship on the table. He said that Missouri-Rolla is a tough team and they score a lot. They have one of the top offenses with an All-American receiver that we have to shut down. He wants his offense to step up and score points and the defense to make their tackles and do their jobs.
Oct. 22 - Tiffin defeated Lincoln University 57-6 to improve to 3-0 in the GLFC. On their first scoring drive, Pierece Wade rushes for 8 yards then another rush for 4 yards and the first down. Wade gets the ball again and gains an additional 14 yards and another first down. Alvin McKnight comes into the backfield and rushes for 16 yards. Pierece Wade strings a 5 yard rush and a 15 yard rush together for the first down. Donnie Johnson finishes the drive with a 3 yard rush for the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. Lincoln can’t answer and punts back to Tiffin. Matt Root starts the drive with a 10 yard pass to LaMar Tipton followed by a 4 yard rush by Alvin McKnight for the first down. Matt Root finds Dyshaun Edwards in the end zone for a 30 yard touchdown pass. Andrew Breen’s kick is good. On Tiffin's next possession, Pierece Wade pounds forward with 3 one yard runs for the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s kick is no good. Lincoln doesn’t answer and punts to Tiffin. Alvin McKnight wastes no time and rushes ahead for 13 yards and the first down. Matt Root then finds, tight end, Sean Ostrowski for 17 yards and another first down. Matt Root passes to Alvin McKnight from the backfield for a 17 yard completion. McKnight then rushes for 21 yards and a first down. Alvin McKnight finishes the drive with a 2 yard touchdown rush. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. At the half, the score is Tiffin- 27, Lincoln- 6.
Lincoln receives the ball after halftime. Steve Yarbrough pushes Lincoln back for a 5 yard loss before Lincoln punts. Troy Brookins takes the punt for a 45 yard return. Matt Root connects with Donnie Johnson for a 6 yard gain and the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s point after attempt is good. On TU's next score, Alvin McKnight gets the quick first down with an 11 yard rush. Matt Root completes a pass to Dyshaun Edwards for 15 yards and another first down. McKnight then rushes for 8 additional yards. Matt Root’s pass is complete to LaMar Tipton for 9 yards. Wade rushes for 7 yards resulting in a Tiffin touchdown. Andrew Breen’s kick is good. Lincoln can’t answer back and punts away on 4th down. Matt Root attacks the sky again with a 9 yard pass to Dyshaun Edwards and a 16 yard pass to Mike Lento to end the 3rd quarter. Root then finds Ostrowski for 14 yards before Root connects with Donnie Johnson for the 3 yard touchdown pass. Andrew Breen’s point after is good. Lincoln goes 3 and out and punts to Tiffin. Matt Root starts the drive with a 17 yard pass to Dyshaun Edwards for the first down. Jon Hemmelgarn comes into the backfield and rushes for 39 yards. Tom Fritsch rushes for another 7 yards. A pass interference call on Lincoln gives Tiffin a first down. Matt Root then finalizes the drive with an 18 yard touchdown pass to Sean Ostrowski. Andrew Breen’s point after is no good. Lincoln gain one first down before Courtney Embry intercepts Lincoln’s Allen McClain’s pass and returns it 37 yards. Jon Hemmelgarn rushes for 14 yards and the first down. Andrew Breen comes onto the field on 4th down and makes a field goal from 29 yards. Final Score, Tiffin- 57, Lincoln- 6.
Offensive player of the week- Alvin McKnight, Pierece Wade
Defensive player of the week- Luke Seal, Steve Yarbrough
Offensive scout player- Zach Coleman
Defensive scout player- Nick McGowan
Special Teams player- Troy Brookins
Big Stick- Ryan Routhier
Offensive goals- 5/6
Defensive goals-4/6
28 players made % grade, 21 players made Black watch list
Standouts: Alvin McKnight- 100+ rushing yards, Donnie Johnson- 3 Touchdowns, Pierece Wade- 3 Touchdowns, Sean Ostrowski- 1 touchdown, Dyshaun Edwards- 1 touchdown, Matt Root- threw for 3 touchdowns, Courtney Embry- interception, Henry Russel- 1 sack, Parris Burt- 10 tackles, Steve Yarbrough- 10 tackles and 1 sack, Luke Seal- 10 tackles and 1 sack, Ryan Alt- 10 tackles, Tyler Hesson- 1 sack
“We started slow, allowing them to score right away, but we turned it on scoring 57 unanswered points,” said Nate Cole. He was proud of his offensive line pushing and opening holes all day for the rushing attack that totaled over 300 yards. Cole commented on how well Matt Root threw. “We were able to do a lot of offensive plays that we don’t normally put into the game and see how they worked. Our defense was excellent. We held them to just 126 total yards of offense and stuffed their run and executed on our pass coverage. I am really impressed with our guys on executing and playing as well as they did after a 10 hour bus trip,” Cole said.
Nate Cole commented about this weekend's game: “Hillsdale is a ranked team, so they are very good and are the best team we will play this year. They will be a big challenge for us.” Cole said that Hillsdale's quarterback has a good arm and throws a lot. He is excited to play a good GLIAC school so he can size them up for next year as well. Cole also commented that this game could get them some playoff consideration with a win.
Oct. 15 - The opening kickoff was great for the Dragons as Troy Brookins returned St. Joseph’s kickoff 57 yards to St. Joseph’s 33 yard line. The drive was cut short by an interception on a Matt Root pass. St. Joseph’s capitalizes on the turnover with a touchdown pass. On the ensuing kickoff Troy Brookins strikes again with a 44 yard return. Pierece Wade starts the drive with a 3 yard rush followed by a Matt Root pass to Dyshaun Edwards for 10 yards and the first down. Wade ran two more times for 5 yards then Root hooked up with Edwards again for a 6 yard first down pass. Matt Root finished the drive with a 14 yard touchdown pass to Donnie Johnson. Andrew Breen’s kick is good.
On the following drive St. Joseph’s had a first and goal from the 1 yard line and Tiffin’s defense held them, forcing a turnover on downs and ending the quarter. Tiffin is held and forced John McCoy to punt. St. Joseph’s next drive results in a field goal. Tiffin receives the kickoff. Donnie Johnson rushes for 12 yards for the first down followed by a tough Alvin McKnight rush for 18 yards and another first down. Donnie Johnson keeps the ball again and rushes for another 5 yards. Matt Root goes under center and hits Cody Koselke for the 10 yard first down pass. Alvin McKnight runs for another 8 yards. Matt Root goes to the air to Dyshaun Edwards for 11 yards and the first down. On fourth down Andrew Breen kicks a field goal from 30 yards, tying the game.
On St. Joseph’s following drive, Lindsey’s pass is intercepted by Tiffin’s Andrew Manocchio. Matt Root starts the drive with an 11 yard rush for the first down followed by a Root pass to LaMar Tipton for 14 yards. Donnie Johnson gains 4 yards on the quarterback keeper followed by a 13 yard quarterback keeper by Matt Root. Root is then intercepted. St. Joseph’s can’t use the turnover and ends the half with a 14 yard loss caused by Wyatt Thames. At halftime, the score is tied 10-10.
St. Joseph’s receives the ball after halftime. Lindsay is sacked for a 5 yard loss by Rahsan Wilson and St. Joseph’s settles for a field goal. The ensuing kickoff sails out of bounds, giving Tiffin the ball on the 35. Matt Root passes to Dyshaun Edwards for 15 yards followed by a Tipton catch for 8 yards. Tiffin goes for it on 4th down but can’t gain the first down, turning the ball over. St. Joseph’s can’t get anything going against the tough Tiffin defense. Lindsay is sacked again for an 11 yard loss by Drew Douthit. On 4th and 14, a botched punt snap goes to the 2 yard line, where the Dragons take over. Tiffin quickly scores with a Donnie Johnson pass to Ryan Dunn. Andrew Breen’s kick is good.
St. Joseph’s receives the ball and starts the next drive when the 3rd quarter expires. St. Joseph’s starts the 4th quarter with a 4th down attempt but Lindsay is sacked again by Rahsan Wilson for a 6 yard loss, turning the ball over to Tiffin. Pierece Wade starts the drive with a 14 yard rush. Wade strikes again with a 3 yard rush, 10 yard rush and an 8 yard rush. Donnie Johnson adds 6 more yards with a run up the middle. Matt Root hooks up with LaMar Tipton on the long 3rd down attempt for 8 yards, coming up short. Andrew Breen attempts a field goal from 39 yards but misses.
Before St. Joseph’s punts, Rahsan Wilson and Luke Seal team up for a sack. Matt Root gains a first down with a 12 yard pass to Cody Koselke. Pierece Wade tacks on 9 more yards with a rush followed by a 6 yard rush by Donnie Johnson for the first down. Tiffin can’t gain another first down and punts. With time running down, St. Joseph’s is forced to go for it on 4th and 10 but Lindsey is sacked again for a 3 yard loss by Drew Douthit, ending the threat. Final Score, Tiffin- 17, St. Joseph’s- 13
Oct. 9 - After a scoreless first quarter as both teams attempted to establish control, Matt Root completes a pass to Dyshaun Edwards for 8 yards then Pierece Wade rushes for 12 yards and the first down. Root hits LaMar Tipton for a 19 yard pass and the first down then completes an 8 yard pass to Dyshaun Edwards. Pierece Wade finishes the drive with a 2 yard touchdown run. Andrew Breen’s kick is good.
Kentucky Wesleyan drives back down the field but settles for a field goal. Tiffin answers back starting with a 16 yard rush by Pierece Wade followed by another run for 6 yards. Root then finds Mike Lento for 4 yards and the first down. Wade rushes for 5 yards before Alvin McKnight breaks a 19 yard rush for the touchdown. Breen’s kick is good.
Kentucky Wesleyan is forced to punt. Pierece Wade rushes for 8 yards followed by a Root pass to Tipton for 12 yards and a first down. Root connects again with Dyshaun Edwards for 21 yards and another first down. Matt Root airs it out again to tight end Sean Ostrowski for 6 yards followed by a 17 yard pass to Mike Lento and the third first down. Root throws it to Lamar Tipton for 22 yards. But Tiffin tries to finish the drive on 4th and goal from the 1 but comes up short which ends the half. Half Time Score - Tiffin 14, Kentucky Wesleyan 3.
Kentucky Wesleyan starts the half with the ball but it forced to punt. Matt Root starts the second half hot with a 13 yard pass to Sean Ostrowski. Pierece Wade then rushes for 10 yards and another first down. Matt Root then completes a 10 yard pass to Dyshaun Edwards for the first down. Alvin McKnight comes into the game to string 14, 16, and 12 yard rushes together, scoring the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s kick is good.
Kentucky Wesleyan strikes right back with a 63 yard touchdown pass. McKnight starts where he left off with a 9 yard rush but Matt Root's next pass is intercepted. Kentucky Wesleyan can’t capitalize and is forced to punt. Root comes back with a 9 yard pass to LaMar Tipton followed by a 4 yard first down pass to Dyshaun Edwards. Matt Root then connects downfield to Dyshaun Edwards for the 42 yard touchdown pass. Breen’s kick is good.
Tiffin’s defense pushes Kentucky Wesleyan back with a 10 yard loss by Rahsan Wilson and an 18 yard loss by the hands of Wyatt Thames ending the third quarter. Kentucky Wesleyan turns the ball over on downs. Matt Root completes a pass to Dyshaun Edwards for 9 yards then to Sean Ostrowski for 6 yards and the first down. Pierece Wade attacks the defensive line and rushes for 11 yards gaining another first down. Root follows up with a 4 yard pass to Tipton and then a 10 yard pass to Edwards for the first down. Matt Root goes long again to Dyshaun Edwards for the 35 yard catch setting up Tiffin on the 2 yard line. Root keeps the ball and rushes in for the touchdown. Andrew Breen’s kick is good to end the scoring. Final Score - Tiffin 35, Kentucky Wesleyan 17.
Offensive player of the week- Dyshaun Edwards, Matt Root; Defensive player of the week- Henry Russell; Offensive scout player- Benny Higgenbotham; Defensive scout player- Jaron Kynard; Special teams player- Rahsad Wilson; Big stick- Rahsad Wilson; Offensive goals- 4/6; Defensive goals- 2/6; 24 % grade; 13 Black watch.
Standouts:
Dyshaun Edwards- 14 catches, 100+ yards, LaMar Tipton- 100+ yds, Matt Root- 300+ passing yards, Alvin McKnight- 2 TD’s, Pierece Wade- 100+yds, Troy Brookins- INT, Rahsad Wilson- INT, Steve Yarbrough- INT, Henry Russel- 10 tackles
Comments about the game- Coach Nate Cole expressed how happy he was in his offense and the numbers they put up. They took awhile to get going but they ended up with almost 700 yards of total offense. Cole was also proud of the rush defense that held Kentucky Wesleyan to -46 yards. “The only disappointment I had was with the amount of turnovers we had and we lost a lot of yards in penalties. We will need to improve on that for this coming week,” Nate Cole commented. Concerning the St. Joseph's game, Cole said, "It’s a big game for us. St. Joe’s took away the league title from us last year which gives us extra motivation preparing for the game this week. St Joe’s has won the last two games so we will have to come prepared.”
Oct. 1 - Tiffin Universtiy, ranked 27th in the latest AFCA poll, starts the game by receiving Gannon's kickoff. The first play of the game Donnie Johnson rushes for 42 yards and for a first down. Donnie Johnson then runs for an additional 7 yards followed by a first down rush by Pierece Wade. Matt Root finishes the drive with a 10 yard touchdown pass to Cody Koselke. Andrew Breen's point after is good.
On the following kickoff, Brian Weiss forces a fumble on Kendall Brown and recovered by Tiffin. Matt Root's pass gets intercepted on the first play of the drive. Gannon's next drive ends with a Steven Yarbrough 9 yard sack resulting in a safety.
Troy Brookins returns the kickoff for 17 yards to the Tiffin 42. Pierece Wade rushes for 15 yards and a first down then another 3 yard rush. Matt Root completes a 14 yard pass to Mike Lento for another Tiffin first down. Matt Root completes another pass to LaMar Tipton for 6 yards setting up an Andrew Breen field goal from 31 yards out. At the end of the 1st quarter, Tiffin- 12, Gannon- 0.
Early in the second quarter, Matt Root comes out throwing, completing a 5 yard pass to LaMar Tipton and then an 85 yard pass to Dyshaun Edwards for the touchdown. Andrew Breen's kick is good. Gannon’s next drive ends fast with an interception by Troy Brookins on a Zach Boedicker pass. Matt Root passes to Cody Koselke for 9 yards. Pierece Wade rushes for 27 yards an a Tiffin first down. Matt Root finishes the drive with a 6 yard touchdown pass to Dyshaun Edwards. Andrew Breen's kick is good.
Gannon strings some runs together before Wyatt Thames sacks Zach Boedicker for a turn over on downs.
Matt Root passes to LaMar Tipton for 15 yards and a first down followed by a Root rush for 6 yards and another pass by Root to Dyshaun Edwards for 25 yards and a 1st down. On 4th down for Tiffin, Andrew Breen's field goal from 20 yards is good. Gannon puts a couple first downs together before Bob Bartley is sacked by Drew Douthit causing a fumble recovered by Luke Seal.
Matt Root completes a 9 yard pass to Cody Koselke followed by a pass interference call against Gannon giving Tiffin a first down. Matt Root goes to the air for another 9 yard pass to LaMar Tipton. Pierece Wade rushes for 6 yards and the touchdown. Andrew Breen's kick is good. At the end of the first half, Tiffin- 36, Gannon-0.
After a scoreless third quarter, Matt Root rushes for 10 yards for a first down then completes a pass to Pierece Wade for 15 yards. Matt Root attacks the air again with a 29 yard pass to Dyshaun Edwards, setting up another rush by Wade for 15 yards. Pierece Wade finishes the drive with a 3 yard rush for the touchdown. Andrew Breen's kick is good.
On TU's next possession, Jon Hemmelgarn comes in the back field for a 7 yard rush and a 25 yard touchdown rush. Andrew Breen's kick attempt is good. Gannon scored their lone touchdown playing against Tiffin's subs late in the fourth quarter. Final Score Tiffin- 50, Gannon- 6
Offensive player of the week- Pierece Wade & Rob Cameron
Defensive player of the week- Luke Seal and Steve Yarbrough
Offensive scout player of the week- Justin Pasch
Defensive player of the week- John Pemberton
Special teams player of the week- Brian Weiss
Big stick of the week- Brian Weiss
Offensive goals- 4/6
Defensive goals- 5/6
25 players made % grade
19 players made Black Watch list
Standouts: Dyshaun Edwards- 2 TD’s, Pierece Wade- 2 TD’s, Matt Root 3 TD’s, Cody Koselke- 1 TD, Jon Hemmelgarn- 1 TD, Steve Yarbrough- forced safety.
Sept. 17 - Tiffin University (ranked 20th in last week's AFCA poll) posted a 30-22 loss to Ohio Dominican (ranked 5th in some NAIA polls), bringing their record to 3-1.
After a scoreless first quarter, ODU puts together an offensive run and completes a touchdown pass but misses the extra point. The Dragons defense than holds ODU to 3 and out and blocks the punt, giving the Dragons great field position. Dyshaun Edwards rushes for 9 yards followed by a 3 yard rush by Donnie Johnson for the 1st and goal opportunity. Pierece Wade finishes the drive with a 2 yard rush for the touchdown. Andrew Breen's kick is good as TU takes a 7-6 lead.
Both defenses battled throughout the half, with the Panthers finally breaking through as time expired with a field goal giving ODU a 9-7 halftime lead.
ODU's high-octane passing attack started to wear down the Dragons in the second half, as they scored two more touchdowns and missed a field goal in the third quarter. The Dragons trailed 23-7 at the end of the quarter and knew that they would have to pull it together quickly to get back in the game in the fourth quarter.
ODU once again kept the pressure on, completing a touchdown pass and going up 23 points. Tiffin answers right back after two rushes for 11 yards and a 1st down by Donnie Johnson. Matt Root completes two 8 yard passes to Donnie Johnson for another 1st down. Matt Root finishes the drive with a 37 yard touchdown pass to LaMar Tipton. Andrew Breen's kick is good.
On TU's next possession, Matt Root starts the drive with a 37 yard pass to LaMar Tipton for a long 1st down and strikes again with a 9 yard pass to Dyshaun Edwards. Root goes back to Tipton for 6 yards and a 1st down followed by another 6 yard pass by Root to Tipton. Root goes to the air again completing a 9 yard pass to Cody Koselke for the 1st and goal but Tiffin fumbles and it is recovered by ODU.
After ODU goes 3 and out and punts, it only takes Root one pass to LaMar Tipton for 25 yards to score a touchdown. Tiffin's two point conversion from Root to Sean Ostrowski is good, cutting ODU's lead to only 8 points. Tiffin's defense holds the Panthers to a 3rd and 11 opportunity but Josh Smart ices the game with a 17 yard rush and the 1st down to keep the clock and ball going for ODU.
Fianl Score, Tiffin-22, Ohio Dominican-30
Offensive player of the week- LaMar Tipton
Defensive player of the week- Luke Seal
Offensive scout player of the week- Aaron Childs
Defensive scout player of the week- Joe Frye
Special teams player of the week- Brian Weiss
Big Stick- Andrew Manocchio
Offensive goals- 0/6
Defensive goals- 0/7
15 players made % grade
12 players made Black Watch list
Standouts-
LaMar Tipton- 2 TD’s, Matt Root- 2 throwing TD’s, Luke Seal 10+ tackles, Paris Burt 10+ tackles, Steven Yarbrough 10+ tackles, Drew Douthit 10+ tackles, Henry Russell 10+ tackles, Rahsan Wilson 10+ tackles
Coach Nate Cole said, "Saturday was a tough game against a very good team. We got up early 7-6 on them but couldn’t hold the lead against their offense. They are a very good team."
Sept. 10 - Tiffin University (ranked 23rd in last week's AFCA poll) posted a 34-14 victory over Glenville State, bringing their record to 3-0.
On the first play of the day for GSC's offense, Steve Yarbrough intercepted Dwayne Thompson’s pass and returned it for 15 yards. Tiffin wasted no time scoring with a pass from Matt Root to Donnie Johnson for 4 yards followed by a rush by Alvin McKnight for 7 yards. Matt Root finished the short drive with a 4 yard touchdown pass to Tom Fritsch. The point after attempt by Andrew Breen was good.
The next three drives, 2 for Glenville St. and 1 for Tiffin, ended with punts. The third drive for the Dragons started with a Matt Root pass to Donnie Johnson for 5 yards, a 2 yard rush by Donnie Johnson then another pass from Root to Johnson for a Tiffin first down. Matt Root then passed to Donnie Johnson for a 31 yard touchdown. Breen's kick was good.
After Glenville scored a touchdown, Tiffin wasted no time again with Alvin McKnight rushing for 4 yards. Matt Root then threw a 47 yard touchdown pass to Dyshaun Edwards. Andrew Breen's kick was good, making the score after one quarter Tiffin-21, Glenville State-7.
In the second quarter, Tiffin stayed on the attack with a 12 yard rush by Donnie Johnson giving Tiffin a first down. Root completes a pass to LaMar Tipton for 19 yards. Matt Root then completes another pass to Donnie Johnson for 15 yards and another first down. Pierece Wade sees action for a 6 yard rush, setting up a 17 yard touchdown pass from Root to McKnight. Breen's kick was good, making the score at the half Tiffin-28, Glenville State-7.
Iin the third quarter, the defenses took over. Alvin McKnight starts the drive with a 6 yard rush followed by a 33 yard pass to Cody Koselke by Donnie Johnson for a long first down. Andrew Breen finishes the drive with a long field goal for 3 points.
Glenville strings together some good rushes before Dwayne Thompson is intercepted for the second time in the game by Steve Yarbrough.
Tiffin slows the game down at the end of the third quarter with a string of rushes by Pierece Wade for a total of 41 yards.
At the end of the 3rd quarter the score is Tiffin-31, Glenville State-7. Andrew Breen finishes the drive with another long field goal for three points, finishing Tiffin's scoring in the game. Final score, Tiffin-34, Glenville State- 14
Offensive Player of the Week- Donnie Johnson. Defensive Player of the Week- Steve Yarbrough. Offensive Scout Player of the Week- Eric Nester. Defensive Player of the Week- Cameron McGowen. Special Teams Player of the Week- Andrew Breen. Big Stick of the Week- Drew Douthit.
The offense was 4-for-6 on goals and the defense was 3-for-6. 24 players made the percentage grade and 19 made it on the Blackwatch list. Standouts- Alvin McKnight with 1 TD, Tom Fritsch with 1 TD, Donnie Johnson had 2 TDs, Dyshaun Edwards had 1 TD, Matt Root threw for 4 TD’s, Steve Yarbrough had 2 INT’s.
Sept. 2 - Tiffin University (ranked 23rd in the latest AFCA poll) posted a 38-10 victory over Clarion University in their first road game of 2007, bringing their record to 2-0.
The game started with a 21 yard kickoff return by Troy Brookins. On the first drive Matt Root passed to Dyshaun Edwards for 68 yards and a Tiffin Touchdown. Andrew Breen's kick attempt is good. After the ensuing kickoff, Brian Weiss sacked Clarion's quarterback for a 29 yard loss, forcing Clarion to turn the ball over on downs.
On TU's next possession, Donnie Johnson ran for 9 yards to the Clarion 39. Donnie Johnson passed to Cody Koselke for 40 yards to the Clarion 1 and a Tiffin first down. Matt Root finished the drive with a 2 yards touchdown pass to Donnie Johnson. Andrew Breen's kick attempt is good. After Clarion made a field goal on their next possession, TU's Alvin McKnight rushed for 7 yards to the Tiffin 36. McKnight then rushed for 34 yards to the Clarion 11. Matt Root then passed to Donnie Johnson for 10 yards and the touchdown. Andrew Breen's kick attempt was good.
Clarion's field goal attempt from the 35 on their next possession was blocked by Wyatt Thames, giving TU a 21-3 lead after one quarter.
On the first drive of the second quarter, Matt Root passed to Sean Ostrowski for 16 yards to the Tiffin 39. Alvin McKnight strings together an 8 and a 10 yard run for a first down. Matt Root completes an 11 yard pass to Ryan Dunn for another first down. Alvin McKnight rushes for 10 yards. Matt Root passes to Dyshaun Edwards for 10 yards, but could get no further.
After a Clarion field goal, Donnie Johnson rushed for 5 yards to the Tiffin 27. Matt Root passes to Dyshaun Edwards for 20 yards, Alvin McKnight breaks away for a 35 yard rush, and Matt Root passes to Dyshaun Edwards for 9 yards. Andrew Breen kicks a field goal from the 25, making the score Tiffin- 24, Clarion- 10.
After Clarion missed a field goal attempt from the 36, Matt Root rushed for 8 yards. Matt Root then got hot passing from the pocket, hitting Donnie Johnson for 23 yards, then connecting with Johnson again for 21 yards. Root then passed to Cody Koselke for 12 yards to the Clarion 26, Dyshaun Edwards for 14 yards, and finally LaMar Tipton for 12 yards for a Tiffin Touchdown. Andrew Breen's kick attempt is good. The half ended with Clarion's Gino Rometo sacked for a 10 yard loss by Tyler Hesson. Tiffin led 31-10 at halftime.
The second half was largely dominated by Tiffin's defense, with Thames, Hesson, and Drew Douthit getting sacks in the third quarter. On Tiffin's final possession of the third quarter, Alvin McKnight rushed for 20 yards. Matt Root passed to Donnie Johnson for 15 yards, followed by an Alvin McKnight rush for 9 yards to end the quarter. Root then hit Dyshaun Edwards for 25 yards and finally Donnie Johnson for 6 yards and the touchdown to wrap up the scoring for TU. Andrew Breen's kick was good.
Drew Douthit collected two more sacks in the second half, while Tyler Hesson also recovered a fumble. The Dragons ran out the clock to seal the victory.
Offensive Player of the Week was Matt Root, while Defensive Player of the Week was Drew Douthit. Offensive Scout Player of the Week was Adam Franz, Defensive Scout Player of the Week was Dale Pande, and Special Teams Player of the Week was Dyshaun Edwards. Big Stick of the Week went to Rahsan Wilson. Tiffin was 5 for 6 on offensive goals and 3 for 6 on defensive goals, with 20 players making the percentage grade. 13 players made it onto the Black Watch list.
Standouts were: Dyshaun Edwards- 1 Touchdown and 100+ receiving yards; Donnie Johnson- 3 Touchdowns; Lamar Tipton- 1 Touchdown; Matt Root- Threw for 5 Touchdowns; Alvin McKnight- over 100 rushing yards; Drew Douthit- 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble; Tyler Hesson- 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery; Brian Weiss- 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble; and Andrew Breen- 1 forced fumble.
"I was proud of how the team came out and put up numbers early to let the defense get settled and take some weight off their shoulders," said Head Coach Nate Cole. "The players really came out to play hard the whole game. They looked great especially since it was the first traveling trip together of the year."
Looking at the upcoming game against Glenville, Cole said that they are 1-1 playing some tough teams. They will be a big challenge and the Dragons will need to come out ready to play again this past week.
Season Preview - The Tiffin University football team enters the 2007 season with high expectations. After concluding a highly successful 2006 campaign with a heartbreaking season finale loss to St. Joseph’s, the Dragons are looking forward to great things in their final season in the Great Lakes Football Conference.
The team will return 17 of 22 starters from last year’s squad that finished 10-1 and in second place in the GLFC. "We had a great season last year that ended with a last second loss in our season finale," says Head Coach Nate Cole. "All the guys we have back are looking to avenge that loss and build on the success we had last year." In addition, the Dragon coaching staff will return as a whole this year, providing the team with a level of consistency that bodes well for the team’s chances of a successful 2007 season.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Dragons will return 10 of 11 starters from last year. The team will continue to utilize a platoon system at quarterback, with senior Donnie Johnson and junior Matt Root splitting duties from under center. "These guys are great weapons to have on the field and we’ll have some new wrinkles this year to maximize their abilities," said Coach Cole. Johnson led the team last year with 739 rushing yards while completing 38 of 75 passes for 438 yards with 5 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Root passed for 820 yards with 4 touchdowns on 68 of 118 attempts with 4 interceptions.
Injuries last year to starter Austin Clopton provided opportunities for Jon Hemmelgarn and Alvin McKnight, with each gaining valuable experience. Hemmelgarn (443 yards) and McKnight (252 yards) will split time at running back this year and look to lead a balanced and devastating Dragon offense that will rely on its potent running game. Hemmelgarn, a junior, led the team with a 7.5 yards per carry average, while McKnight managed to see playing time in six games as a freshman. "These guys did a good job last year when they were called upon, and we expect even more from them this year," said Coach Cole.
To help bolster the Dragon’s passing game, the team returns a trio of talented wide receivers and their starting tight end from last year. Junior Dyshaun Edwards led the team last year with 25 receptions for 292 yards and 1 touchdown, with fellow junior Cody Koselke (19 catches, 274 yards, 3 touchdowns) close behind. Junior Trey Williams will look for increased time on the field this year. Tight End Sean Ostrowski (23 receptions, 260 yards) will look to capitalize on a successful junior campaign where he finished second on the team in receptions and third in yardage while earning First Team All-Conference honors.
In addition to these talented position players, the Dragons will return all 5 starters from last year’s offensive line that allowed only five sacks in 2006. "These guys have improved each year and anchor our offense; it’s going to be great to have them back this year," said Coach Cole. Senior Rob Cameron (6-4, 295) returns at center after being named as a First Team All-Conference member, with junior Ryan Routhier (6-5, 310) at left guard and senior Nate Karn (6-1, 300) at right guard. Senior Zeno Dabbelt (6-7, 320) will anchor the left side of the line at tackle, while junior Brandon Sullivan (6-7, 330) mans the right tackle position. The team will also return talented reserve linemen with seniors Brian Howard, Matt Brosovich, Orville Jennings, and Ryan Dunn, along with junior Andy Moore.
Defensively, the team will return some key players while having to deal with the loss of some valuable members of last year’s squad. "We’ll be a young team defensively and will rely on some of our inexperienced guys to step up and make plays," said Coach Cole. "At the same time, we’ll have some solid talent coming back from last year’s team to anchor the defense." Last year’s squad led the GLFC in a number of team defensive categories. The Dragons allowed only 14 points and 74 rushing yards per game, while also recording a conference high 26 interceptions.
On the defensive line, senior Luke Seal and junior Joe Crawford will look to continue last year’s impressive performances. Seal recorded 54 tackles and one sack last year, and earned the GLFC Defensive Lineman of the Year award. Crawford’s 17 tackles for loss and 8 sacks led the team and earned him First Team All-Conference honors. Ryan Ault (6-2, 320) will step in for departed Nick Washington, with returners Wyatt Thames and Bill Robinson backing up the talented trio on the line.
The return of seniors Parris Burt and Steve Yarbrough at linebacker mean one last year of punishment from the hard hitting duo. Burt finished fourth on the team last year with 62 tackles and third with 3 interceptions, while Yarbrough earned GLFC honors and finished second on the team with 68 tackles. At inside linebacker, the departure of some talented seniors provides Brian Weiss with a chance to man the middle of the field for the Dragons. "Three seniors at the linebacker position gives this defense the maturity and consistency we need to dominate," said Coach Cole.
The secondary is highlighted by the return of junior cornerback Troy Brookins, who led the team last year with 8 interceptions and 13 passes defended and earned multiple postseason honors, including GLFC Defensive Back of the Year. The defensive backfield will have three new faces on the field, with junior Jackson Davis entering the starting lineup after recording 14 tackles and 1 interception last year, along with junior Andrew Manocchio. A trio of defenders will look for major minutes at the other safety position. "Brookins did great for us last year, and with five new starters on defense, its crucial for them to play at an even higher level," said Coach Cole.
On special teams, the kicking game sees the return of placekicker Andrew Breen, who made 9 of 14 field goal attempts last year and was perfect from less than 30 yards. With punter Brent Simonson’s departure, freshman John McCoy takes over the punting responsibilities. Brookins returns as the primary kick returner after averaging 11.1 yards per punt return and 24.9 yards per kick return, leading to his First Team All-Conference selection, while long snapper Dustin Kessinger returns for his senior season.
The Dragons will face ten opponents from last year’s schedule, along with a home game against Division II foe Glenville State. "Obviously, we’re looking forward to our game against St. Joseph’s this year, but we need to focus on each opponent and push ourselves to maximize scoring chances on offense and force turnovers on defense," said Coach Cole. "I think we have unlimited potential on how good we can be this year, but we have to work day in and day out to give us that chance." This will be the team’s final season in the GLFC before moving to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for the 2008 season, and would like to leave its mark on the conference. "We finished one game short of a perfect record last year, but this is a new season with new challenges. Hopefully we’ll continue to build this program towards gaining national recognition and earning our spot among the elite programs in Division II football."