Wabash 28, Wittenberg 17
When Wabash College and Wittenberg University met on the first weekend of November 2011, it was to decide that season’s winner of the North Coast Atlantic Conference and an automatic berth in the postseason NCAA Division III tournament.
The Little Giants prevailed, scoring the first 21 points of the game then held off a late challenge by the Tigers, with a blocked punt and recovery in the end zone for a touchdown sealing the decision.
Wabash improved its record for the season to 9-0 (6-0 in the conference). It proved to be a helpful warmup for the season finale in Greencastle, Ind., the following weekend: the annual meeting with DePauw University for possession of the coveted Monon Bell in a game featured in a separate chapter.
The score counted even though moments after Belton inched the ball over the plane of the goal line, the ball was swatted loose from his grasp (first photo below).
Above: Ian MacDougall's kickoff after quarterback Chase Belton's second-quarter touchdown for Wabash.
The drive covered 43 yards, one less then the team's second drive, which also ended with a Chase Belton keeper, this time from 4 yards out (see photo below) in the second quarter. Then with 9:28 left in the half, Belton threw to Wes Chamblee for a 21-yard score, ending a 64-yard drive, to boost the Little Giants' lead to 21-0, which is how the score stood at the halfway point.
The Tigers mounted the longest scoring drive of the day – 76 yards in 8 plays – in the third quarter, concluding on a 5-yard run by senior running back Corey Weber. Sean Williams added a 42-yard field goal with 1:18 left, bringing the score to 21-10.
With 7:07 left in the game, Wabash special teams got a touchdown when Kyle Najar blocked a Wittenberg punt by Trey LaValley, and teammate Sean Hildebrand recovered it in the end zone, putting the Little Giants ahead 28-10. Wittenberg defensive back Mike McKee recovered a Wabash fumble and ran it back 35 yards for a TD with 3:04 remaining in the game, completing the scoring for the day.
Sophomore Tyler Holmes led a strong Wabash rushing game. He gained a then-career-best 111 yards on 19 carries, earning him NCAC Offensive Player of the Week. Belton and Vann Hunt rushed for 88 (on 20 carries) and 85 yards (on 22 carries), respectively, giving the Little Giants 283 total yards rushing on 66 attempts. The rushing attempts were the school's second-highest in school history for a single game, surpassed by only the 76 attempts against Washington University (St. Louis) in 1970.
Of significant note was that Wittenberg's defense came into the game having allowed an average of 134 yards per game.
Belton completed 10 of 17 passes for 126 yards, including the second-quarter scoring aerial to Chamblee.
Above and below: Tyler Holmes appeared to be open for a moment on this second quarter run from the Wittenberg 10-yard line, but he was tripped up for a 1-yard loss.
Above: Wabash running back Vann Hunt spies an opening to slip through in the second quarter, but Wittenberg linebacker Zach Hurtt (right) got over quickly to limit Hunt's gain to two yards. Below, Little Giants' quarterback Chase Belton is tripped up by a Wittenberg defender, but it wasn't enough to stop Belton from scoring on his 4-yard scamper at 13:19 of the second quarter, giving Wabash a 14-0 lead.
Above and first four photos below: Wittenberg finally got on the scoreboard at 4:08 of the third quarter when senior running back Corey Weber (9) slipped through a hole in the line, dove into the end zone and received a celebratory hoist from a teammate.
Above and below: This fourth-quarter Chase Belton pass to wide receiver Sean Hildebrand (23) was knocked away by defensive back Mark Swope (36), but officials penalized Swope and the Tigers for pass interference on the play, putting the ball on the Wittenberg 10-yard line. Wabash had to settle for an unsuccessful Ian MacDougall 21-yard field-goal try on the drive.
Above: Little Giants' quarterback Chase Belton moves out of the pocket and prepares to run for daylight. Below, junior running back Vann Hunt exhorts teammates along the home team sidelines.
Next up: Chapter 6, Wabash College campus
Previously in Game Day Revisited:
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