If you’re a DePauw fan, don’t read this entry. Snyder had a great November, averaging 95 yards, 1 touchdown, and 21.5 carries per game throughout the month. He’s also one of the big reasons why the Monon Bell is back at Wabash College. Snyder had one of his best games of the year against DePauw. The junior halfback rushed 29 times for 137 yards and a touchdown. Snyder’s touchdown was huge for Wabash’s momentum. With the game tied 28-28 in the fourth quarter and the Little Giants driving, Snyder broke free on a rush and scored a 37-yard touchdown to give Wabash its first lead. After Snyder’s score, the Little Giants did not trail for the remainder of the Bell game. Entering the matchup, DePauw’s defense was holding teams to minimal scoring and rushing performances. Snyder repeatedly gashed the Tigers and kickstarted the historic comeback in the Monon Bell Classic. The Bell is back home at Wabash, and Snyder’s performance in November is a key reason for that.
Entering the Monon Bell matchup, much of the talk towards Wabash revolved around the team’s defense. The Little Giants gave up 35+ points in four separate games leading up to the Bell rivalry. Many people expected DePauw to not only win the game, but to have its way with the Wabash defense. Early on, it looked that way. DePauw jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. But in the biggest game of the season, the Little Giant defense answered the call. Wabash stifled DePauw for the rest of the game, and Ferguson had the two biggest defensive plays of the game. Ferguson had two interceptions against the Tigers’ senior quarterback Chase Andries, including a key interception in the red zone with DePauw looking to make the game 28-7.
Snyder lead the offense in its Bell performance, and Ferguson did the same on the defensive side. Without his two forced turnovers, the result of the Monon Bell Classic may have been very different. In the face of adversity, Ferguson rallied the Wabash defense to a big rivalry win.
The return of Wabash basketball and the return of Jack Davidson; that’s a hard combination to beat. And although Davidson did not compete with the Little Giants last season, he remains one of the premier players in Division III. Davidson averaged 21.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists over the course of November. This, of course, comes with a 53.7% shooting percentage, a 35.3% three-point percentage, and a blistering 96.2% free throw percentage.
Davidsons’ offensive numbers are elite, and he’s just getting started. Wabash battled to a 3-2 (1-0 NCAC) record in November. This includes a notable 99-92 loss against then-ranked No. 3 Marietta College on November 19 and a 98-90 victory over then-ranked No. 13 Emory University. Much of the offensive success comes from Davidson, who, in the win over Emory, dropped 29 points while shooting 9-13 and 4-8 from three. With Davidson back in form, Wabash will be a dangerous matchup against any team they face moving forward.
The Wabash wrestling program has emerged as potentially the top athletic program at the College. The Little Giants entered the 2021-22 season ranked top-five in multiple ranking systems. A lot of this success has come from Hatch and Bishop. Hatch is ranked No. 2 in the 165-pound weight class and Bishop sits atop the heavyweight class rankings in Division III. Both wrestlers showed their skill in the team’s meet on November 20. The Concordia University Open is a non-team scoring event with a plethora of skilled, ranked wrestlers. Hatch and Bishop made it look easy. Both wrestlers grabbed first-place finishes in their respective weight classes, the only first-place finishes in the event for Wabash.
The Little Giants wrestling team certainly has plenty of depth. But Hatch and Bishop stand out as the wrestlers to keep an eye on as the season moves forward. And if November is any indication of their futures, Hatch and Bishop are set up for plenty of success this year.