On paper the football game between Wabash and Oberlin should have been a battle between the top two defenses in the North Coast Athletic Conference. But the battle didn’t last long as the Little Giants racked up 405 yards of total offense while holding Oberlin to 71 on the way to a 38-6 victory at Hollett Little Giant Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Wabash came into the game as the best scoring defense in the conference, holding the opposition to 12.7 points per game. Oberlin’s defense was second at 14.3 points a contest. The final numbers, however, were all on the side of the Little Giants. Wabash made eight tackles for losses totaling 46 yards, including four sacks for 36 yards. The Little Giant defensive unit held the Yeomen to 71 yards on 60 plays, including -16 yards rushing on 22 attempts.
Senior Nick Fanelli (Lake Central, IN/Crown Point) (photo above left) and sophomore Josh Foster (Indianapolis, IN/Ben Davis) each led the Little Giants with six tackles. Fanelli had four solo stops. Freshman Reggie Foley (Houston, TX/Bellaire) had two tackles for losses and one sack. Junior Dustin Deno (Lafayette, IN/Jefferson) had one interception, as did sophomore Aaron Selby (Crawfordsville, IN/Southmont) (shown in photo at right). 
The Little Giants held Oberlin to four first downs, two by the pass and two by penalty. The Yeomen were 1-of-17 on third downs and 1-of-2 on fourth downs.
Despite the gaudy defensive numbers, the game was close early. Senior Josh Bronaugh (New Ross, IN/North Montgomery) (#1 in photo left) opened the 
scoring for Wabash with a 48-yard punt return midway through the first quarter to put the Little Giants up 7-0. Oberlin answered with two Ryan Drews field goals of 33 and 24 yards to make it a 7-6 contest after the first 15 minutes.
Neither offense could mount much of an attack in the second quarter until the final drive of the period. Backup quarterback Mitch Tanney (Lexington, IL/Lexington Community) led the Little Giants on a five-play drive to the 18 yard line. With five seconds left in the half, Tanney connected with Eric Summer (Indianapolis, IN/Cathedral) in the endzone for Tanney’s first career TD pass and a 14-6 Wabash lead.
It was all Wabash in the second half. The Little Giants scored on the first possession of the second half, capping a seven-play drive with a 19-yard TD run by freshman Aaron Lafitte (Goodyear, AZ/Ironwood). Midway through the period the Little Giants found the endzone again. This time it was starting quarterback Russ Harbaugh (Evansville, IN/Evansville Bosse) hitting Brandon Roop (Newburgh, IN/Castle) on a seven-yard touchdown strike for a 26-6 lead.
Wabash started the fourth quarter on its own 21 yard line. Two plays later the Little Giants were in the endzone once again when senior running back Chris Morris (Zionsville, IN/Zionsville) ripped off a 70-yard run for another score.
The final touchdown of the game came with 5:39 showing in the fourth quarter when reserve quarterback Dustin DeNeal (Muncie, IN/Delta) scored his first career touchdown on a two-yard keeper to finish off a four-play, 26-yard drive.
Morris and Lafitte both topped 100 yards on the ground for Wabash. Morris finished with nine carries for 123 yards and one score. Lafitte had 22 carries for 108 yards and one TD. Harbaugh threw for 149 yards (12-23-1) and one TD. Tanney was 5-of-7 for 38 yards. DeNeal completed both of his pass attempts for 17 yards. Bronaugh and Roop led the receiving corps, each making five catches. Bronaugh had five for 62 yards. Roop hauled in 57 yards in the air.
The Little Giants move to 5-2 with the win, 3-1 in the NCAC. Wabash will travel to Wooster next week for a 1 p.m. kickoff at John P. Papp Stadium.