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By David Jablonski, Staff Writer Updated 11:39 PM Saturday, November 7, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — Sophomore running back Connor Warye is used to going 51/2 yards. Entering the game Saturday, Nov. 7, against Allegheny, that was his yards-per-carry average.

So his family asked him after the game, how did he feel after racing 48 yards for a touchdown in Wittenberg’s 52-10 victory over Allegheny at Edwards-Maurer Field?

“I was tired,” Warye told them.

It was the best kind of fatigue. Warye’s run, the longest of his career, put the dagger in the Gators. It came one play after Allegheny had cut the deficit to 24-10 with a field goal early in the third quarter.

“We’ve run stretches and sweeps pretty well all year,” Warye said. “We’ve got pretty athletic linemen who like to get out and block. Everything shifted over, and I kind of just waited for it and tried to be patient. The only person who really touched me was our wide receiver, Josh McKee, near the end.”

Warye has seen his playing time increase as the season has progressed, but starter Corey Weber got the majority of the carries Saturday, rushing for 101 yards on 20 carries. Warye had three carries for 53 yards. Jeff Wilbur took over in the second half with seven carries for 98 yards.

One mistake

Aaron Huffman quickly put the one interception he threw Saturday behind him. It was a big one at the time, because Wittenberg (9-0, 6-0 North Coast Athletic Conference) was driving with a chance to go up 14-0. Instead, Allegheny turned the interception into its one touchdown drive of the game.

“Throwing four against Wabash, you know one’s not too bad,” Huffman said. “Everyone makes mistakes. You’ve just got to move on.”

More defense

Allegheny became the first team to score in the first half against Wittenberg this season. It also became the first team to score twice against the Tigers.

Still, Wittenberg held the Gators to 189 yards, 50 below their previous season low.

Quarterback T.J. Salopek completed 13 of 28 passes, which is the first time this season he’s completed fewer than 50 percent. His top receiver, Jake Vite, was held to two catches and 32 yards a week after blistering Wooster with nine catches for 168 yards.

Next week

Wittenberg hosts Wooster at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, in its regular-season finale. The Scots, who have lost to Wabash and Allegheny, routed Oberlin 52-7 on Saturday to improve to 5-4 and 4-2 in the NCAC.

A victory would give the Tigers their first outright NCAC title since 2001 and would likely ensure at least one home playoff game.

Odds & Ends

• Linebacker Brad McKinley missed his third straight game with an injury, but he was in uniform on the sideline.

• Sophomore Josh McKee, a Tecumseh grad, compiled 100 receiving yards for the fourth time in his career. McKee finished with six catches for 122 yards against the Gators.

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