Using the two-pronged rushing attack of quarterback Brett Frongillo and running back Robert Flagg, The College of Wooster scored the final 21 points to spoil Hiram College's first-ever night football game at Henry Field, as the Fighting Scots prevailed 35-14 in a North Coast Athletic Conference tilt Saturday.
After Hiram (1-7, 1-3 NCAC) scored late in the third quarter to tie it 14-14, Wooster (3-5, 2-2 NCAC) responded with a seven-play, 70-yard touchdown march, capped by a 23-yard Frongillo run on the second play of the fourth quarter to retake the momentum. Also included in that drive was a 34-yard rush by Flagg.
The Scots' defense then forced a three-and-out, with the Terriers punting it away on 4th-and-1, and the offense kept rolling. After a 3rd-and-3 conversion, Flagg busted loose for the longest run of his career, a 63-yarder to the one-yard line. He took it in a play later for a 28-14 cushion with 10:50 to play.
Another three-and-out ensued, highlighted by back-to-back sacks that Dan Terhune was part of, and Wooster followed with a 13-play, 57-yard, clock-eating possession to seal the outcome. The Scots gained first downs on 3rd-and-2, 3rd-and-8, 4th-and-8, and 4th-and-goal plays, with the key one being a Frongillo 22-yard rumble on the 4th-and-8. John Battaglia rushed it in from three yards out, marking the sophomore transfer's first collegiate touchdown.
Prior to Wooster's 21-point fourth quarter explosion, it had jumped out to a 14-0 halftime lead. On the Scots' third possession, they put together a 99-yard touchdown drive. Three of the 11 plays went for double-digit yardage, a 21-yard Frongillo run, a 28-yard pass play from Frongillo to Cameron Daniels, and a 14-yard touchdown rush for Frongillo with :48 remaining in the first quarter.
Wooster's defense then turned away a Terrier red-zone opportunity via a Taylor Trout interception, and midway through the second quarter, the offense covered 84 yards in just five plays. Frongillo set up the eventual Flagg five-yard touchdown via a 53-yard run.
The Scots came up with another interception, this time courtesy of Brandon James, inside their own 20 later in the half to preserve the 14-0 lead.
Hiram grabbed the momentum during the third quarter, taking advantage of two Wooster turnovers for six-play, 20-yard and three-play, 39-yard touchdown drives to even the score.
It was all Scots in the fourth, as they gained 145 yards of offense and held the Terriers to negative 14.
For the game, Wooster piled up 463 yards of total offense, 383 on the ground, to Hiram's 190. The 383 rushing yards were the most for the Scots since a 421-yard effort at Hiram nearly seven years ago to the day (Oct. 30, 2004).
Individually, Frongillo became the first Wooster quarterback in school history with a 200-yard rushing game, as he had 207 on 20 carries for a 10.4 average, setting a team record for highest gain per rush (min. 20 attempts).
Flagg was not far behind while hitting a career milestone, as his 160-yard performance allowed him to become the 11th player in Scot history with 2,000 rushing yards (2,032).
Also of note, Frongillo was 9-of-21 passing for 80 yards, half of which went to Daniels as the slot receiver/tight end contributed 40 yards on three receptions.
Next Saturday for the Scots, they'll be at winless Kenyon College (0-8, 0-4 NCAC).
