“I kind of false started a little bit, and the snap was high so I got a little nervous,” said Gingery, who made a 47-yard field goal last season, “but I knew Keenan (Wilson) would be able to get it down and I’d be able to kick it through.”
PHOTOS: Wittenberg vs. Ohio Wesleyan
Steve Jefferis kicked the last 50-yard field goal in 1978 against Otterbein. Bill Carpenter set the school record of 52 yards in 1960 against Marietta.
Gingery kicked two 36-yard field goals in the first half, and quarterback Jake Kennedy scored on a 3-yard run to give the Tigers a 13-0 halftime lead. His 50-yarder in the third quarter gave Wittenberg a 16-0 lead. He added a 41-yard field goal in the third quarter.
“Gingery sure came through for us,” Wittenberg coach Joe Fincham said.
Gingery’s kicks and a dominant defensive performance masked the worst game, in terms of penalty yards, in Wittenberg history. The Tigers were penalized 12 times for 157 yards. The old record of 133 yards was set in 1972 against Mount Union.
“We kind of set football back offensively about 50 years just in terms of penalties and just breaking down,” Fincham said. “Whether it’s a bunch of young guys or a bunch of guys who need to start finding it, I’m not really sure, but we were consistent in our inconsistency.”
Despite that, the Tigers dominated from start to finish in their North Coast Athletic Conference opener, improving to 2-0. They have won nine straight games against Ohio Wesleyan. Wittenberg plays No. 13 Wabash (2-0, 1-0) at 1 p.m. next Saturday at Edwards-Maurer Field.
“It’s Wabash,” offensive lineman Kennedy Cook said. “That’s all you’ve got to say. It’s the biggest rival. They’ve got a great team. They beat us last year. We just have to bring it and have a great week of practice.
Wittenberg’s defense, which pitched a shutout in the season opener, a 34-0 victory over Capital on Sept. 3, didn’t allow a score until the fourth quarter. Linebacker Terrance Crowe led the Tigers with 15 tackles.
Linebacker Dustin Holmes returned a fumble 47 yards for Wittenberg’s last touchdown. Holmes also had a sack and 10 tackles.
“Defensively, once we settled down, I thought we played pretty good,” Fincham said. “They got behind us a couple of times, which I wasn’t crazy about, but I thought we tackled well and pursued well. I was pleased with our defensive effort.”
Running back DeShawn Sarley led the ground game with 21 rushes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Kennedy rushed 19 times for 81 yards and a score. He completed 12 of 28 passes for 126 yards.
Luke Bowling led the receivers with five catches for 48 yards. Tyler Everidge caught three passes for 45 yards.
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