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Dispatch

Special teams play seals Destroyers' fifth home win

Saturday, May 12, 2007 3:25 AM
By Dave O'Neil


FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
FRED SQUILLANTE | DISPATCH
Jim Tressel, left, with help from former Ohio State coaches John Cooper and Earle Bruce, tosses the coin before the game.

FRED SQUILLANTE | DISPATCH
Columbus' Damien Groce has clear sailing to the end zone, and an official to witness, on his 56-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first half.

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Even without a punter on either roster, the Destroyers special teams gave Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel a lot to love.

Damien Groce returned a kickoff 56 yards for a touchdown last night and Columbus recovered four kicks inside the Grand Rapids 12-yard line in a 59-56 victory in front of Tressel, former Ohio State football coaches Earle Bruce and John Cooper, and 12,014 others in Nationwide Arena.
"When you take a look at the scoreboard, you see how important plays like those are," Destroyers coach Doug Kay said. "What'd we have? Three or four onside-kick recoveries? That's a 28-point swing."
The Destroyers (6-4) scored touchdowns on each of their first eight possessions to build a 56-35 lead and never trailed.

Continued....