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ALLIANCE, Ohio - Mount Union took the first step in defending its NCAA Division III Football National Championship with an opening-round 55-0 victory over Washington & Jefferson on Saturday afternoon at Mount Union Stadium. The 10-time national champion Purple Raiders (11-0) will host the winner of the Montclair State (N.J.) next Saturday at noon. W&J ends its season with a 9-2 record after making its sixth-straight appearance in the NCAA playoffs. The Purple Raiders forced a punt on the first of W&J's seven three-play, first-half possessions and senior quarterback Kurt Rocco (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon) fired a 25-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Cecil Shorts (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) on the second play MUC's first drive. The extra-point attempt missed and Mount Union led 6-0. Mount Union upped its advantage to 13-0 at the 8:58 mark on senior running back Scott Panchik's (Natrona Heights, Pa,./Highlands) 4-yard touchdown run. The score capped a six-play, 61-yard drive. Senior running back Terrence Morring (Sanford, Fla./Winter Springs) concluded a 73-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown run with 5:02 left in the quarter to make it a 20-0 game. Rocco lofted a 55-yard touchdown pass to Shorts two minutes after Morring's score and MUC led 27-0. Morring (four yards) and Panchik (nine yards) tacked on second-quarter scoring runs as the Purple Raiders opened a 41-0 halftime lead. Mount Union outgained the Presidents in the first half by a 400-16 margin and did not allow W&J to record a first down. Rocco completed 9-of-12 passes in the first 30 minutes for 213 yards. The Presidents notched their longest play of the game a minute into the third quarter as junior quarterback Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) hit senior wide receiver Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) for a 34-yard pass play. Panchik provided the only scoring of the third quarter with a 9-yard touchdown jaunt at the 3:48 mark. Mount Union tacked on its eighth and final touchdown when sophomore running back Zac Lemmon (Granville, Ohio/Granville) ran in from four yards out midway through the fourth quarter. The Purple Raiders owned a 581-127 yardage advantage and amassed 28 of the game's 36 first downs. Rocco completed 14-of-19 passes for 251 yards and two scores, while Morring (123 yds, 2 TD) and Panchik (102 yds., 3 TD) both topped 100 yards on the ground. Shorts caught seven passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. He moved into third place on the school's career receiving yards list. Senior defensive end James Herbert (Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Nordonia) finished with seven tackles and two sacks. Rometo completed 19-of-33 passes for 133 yards. Besong hauled in seven of those passes for 58 yards. He finished the season with 90 receptions, the second-best total in school history. Besong also totaled 184 career catches which is third on the W&J all-time list. Junior wideout Jordan Roycroft (Butler, Pa./Butler) {above} added six receptions for 42 yards. Defensively, junior free safety Craig Sedunov (West Newton, Pa./Yough) paced the Presidents with 12 tackles, while sophomore linebacker Neil Sorice (Youngstown, Ohio/Canfield) added 11 stops. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Junior wide receiver Jordan Roycroft (Butler, Pa./Butler) caught a pair of touchdown passes and senior defensive end Jacob Bloomhuff (Grosse Pointe, Mich./North) recorded three sacks as No. 13 Washington & Jefferson rolled to a 35-12 victory over Waynesburg in the 37th Annual PAC Backyard Brawl at Cameron Stadium. The Presidents (9-1, 5-1 PAC) defeated the Yellow Jackets (5-5, 2-4 PAC) for the sixth-straight year and now lead the overall series by a 34-3 margin. Waynesburg opened the scoring at the 4:47 mark of the first quarter when Brad Dawson, brother of former W&J record-setting quarterback Brian Dawson, flipped a six-yard touchdown pass to Zach Fatigante. Jon Storck’s extra-point attempt missed wide left and WU led 6-0. W&J only needed five plays to claim its first lead. Roycroft caught two long passes from junior quarterback Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) to set up Rometo’s 11-yard scoring toss to senior wideout Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge). The Yellow Jackets strung together a 10-play, 64-yard drive in the second quarter to claim a 9-7 advantage. Dawson completed five passes on the possession which ended on Storck’s 22-yard field goal. Washington & Jefferson once again responded with a touchdown following a 73-yard drive. Rometo fired a 16-yard touchdown pass to Roycroft with 4:12 left in the first half for a 14-9 lead. W&J took the five-point cushion into halftime after sophomore cornerback Josh Buckley’s (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) {above} late interception. W&J widened its lead to 21-9 on the first drive of the second half. Rometo connected with Besong for a pair of 18-yard gains and senior running back Terrence McAllister (Wellsburg, W.Va./Brooke) rushed four yards for the touchdown. Junior safety Nathan Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) intercepted a Dawson pass at the 5:04 mark of the third quarter which led to a 1-yard touchdown run by senior running back Jacob McBride (Fredonia, Pa./Reynolds). Storck brought Waynesburg back to within two scores on a 35-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter; however, W&J answered a Waynesburg score with a touchdown of its own for the third time in the game. Rometo lofted a 30-yard touchdown pass to Roycroft for the final points with 9:53 left. W&J rolled up 489 yards of total offense and 26 first downs, while Waynesburg (329 yards, 16 first downs) became the first team this season to gain more than 300 yards on the W&J defense. W&J also had the advantage in time of possession (36:01-23:59). Rometo completed 27-of-36 passes for a season-high 310 yards and three touchdowns. McAllister rushed for a game-high 67 yards on 15 attempts, while Besong hauled in 11 passes for 114 yards and moved into fifth place on W&J’s career reception list (177). Roycroft had six catches for a career-high 112 yards and senior wideout Joe Mucho (Bentleyville, Pa./Bentworth) added five catches for 54 yards. Bloomhuff entered the game ranked second in the nation in sacks and upped his season total to 14.5 which is the fourth-best, single-season total in school history. Sophomore cornerback Matthew Gal (South Park, Pa./South Park) collected a team-high eight tackles and added two pass breakups. Dawson, who became Waynesburg’s single-season passing yards leader, completed 18-of-35 passes for 237 yards. He was intercepted three times. Troy Cree led the defense with a game-high 14 tackles and one sack. Washington & Jefferson kept its hopes alive of earning a “Pool C” at-large bid for the NCAA playoffs. The NCAA announces its 2009 bracket tomorrow (Nov. 15) on ESPNews at 3:00 pm. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. - Freshman running back Brian Baldrige (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) rushed for a career-high 131 yards and two touchdowns as Washington & Jefferson built a 28-point halftime lead and cruised to a 49-0 Presidents' Athletic Conference football victory over Bethany on Saturday at Bison Stadium. The 15th-ranked Presidents (8-1, 4-1 PAC) extended their regular-season road win streak to six games, including a perfect 5-0 mark this fall. W&J also held the Bison (2-7, 1-5) scoreless for the fourth time in the teams' last six meetings. The Presidents have defeated Bethany 27 consecutive times. W&J scored on its first possession as junior quarterback Steven Shumaker (Barnesville, Ohio/Barnesville) snuck in from a yard out to cap a seven-play, 55-yard drive. Shumaker extended the lead to 14-0 at the 5:05 mark of the first quarter after lofting an 18-yard scoring pass to senior wide receiver Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge). Baldrige capped the first-quarter scoring on a 17-yard touchdown run as time expired in the period. Junior free safety Craig Sedunov (West Newton, Pa./Yough) put the Presidents in front 28-0 at halftime after intercepting a Dan Pegg pass and returning it 37 yards for a touchdown, his second defensive score in the past three weeks. Baldrige posted his second touchdown run in the third quarter, a 19-yard rush four minutes into the third quarter. Besong and junior quarterback Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) hooked up for a 46-yard touchdown pass at the 2:07 mark of the third quarter for a 42-0 advantage. Sedunov set up the Presidents' sixth touchdown with his second interception.
The Washington & Jefferson defense held Bethany to 299 total yards, including only 58 rushing. W&J has not allowed an opponent to reach 300 total yards this season. Sophomore linebacker Neil Sorice (Youngstown, Ohio/Canfield) had a team-high eight tackles, while senior safety Nate Bucklew (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) added seven stops. The Presidents' offense racked up 410 yards and 20 first downs. Rometo completed 11-of-16 passes for 139 yards, while Shumaker connected on all five pass attempts for 64 yards. Besong had seven receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns. Washington & Jefferson looks to finish the season with a 9-1 record next Saturday when hosting local-rival Waynesburg at 1:30 pm. The Presidents will honor 23 seniors prior to the game who are searching for their 40th career victory and hoping to earn their fourth-straight trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs. -- PRESIDENTS -- THOMAS MORE CLAIMS SECOND-STRAIGHT PAC FOOTBALL TITLE (10/31) WASHINGTON, Pa. - No. 13 Thomas More scored two touchdowns during a four-minute span in the third quarter to clinch its second-straight Presidents' Athletic Conference Football Championship after outlasting sixth-ranked Washington & Jefferson 14-7 on Saturday at Cameron Stadium. The Saints' defense limited the Presidents (7-1, 3-1 PAC) to 155 total yards, including only 24 in the second half. Thomas More (8-0, 6-0 PAC) has completed its conference schedule and plays Geneva and Mt. St. Joseph to round out the regular season. Washington & Jefferson grabbed a 7-0 lead at the 2:28 mark of the first quarter on its second possession of the game. Junior quarterback Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) capped a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Jordan Roycroft (Butler, Pa./Butler). The Presidents' defense took over from that point, holding Thomas More to only 55 yards on 23 plays. W&J had a chance to take a 10-0 lead into halftime, but a 44-yard field goal attempt by junior Joe Kelly was blocked by sophomore Jay Volker (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) with 6:14 left in the first half. Thomas More grabbed momentum on its second drive of the third quarter. The Saints drove 71 yards in nine plays and tied the game on senior quarterback Trevor Stellman's (Burlington, Ky./Connor) 25-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Chris Farley (New Albany, Ind./New Albany). Freshman Zach Autenrieb (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) intercepted a Rometo pass two plays following the kickoff at the W&J 28-yard line. TMC capitalized seven plays later when senior running back Cordario Collier (New Albany, Ind./New Albany) dove in from a yard out, giving a 14-7 TMC lead with 3:54 left on the third-quarter clock. W&J was only able to convert one first down in its final five drives of the game. Rometo was picked off by Volker with 8:11 remaining, but the Presidents' defense stopped Collier on a fourth-down run. The Saints forced another W&J punt after three plays; however, the defense stepped up again and forced a Stellman fumble, recovered by senior safety Mitch Erdely (Perryopolis, Pa./Geibel) with 2:14 left. All four Rometo pass attempts were incomplete and Thomas More ran out the clock to secure the victory. Stellman completed 11-of-17 passes for 96 yards, while rushing for 48. Collier was bottled up for most of the contest, but still finished with a game-high 80 yards on 24 attempts (69 yards in the second half). TMC finished with 237 yards of total offense. Volker led the defense with five tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception and one pass breakup. He also blocked the W&J field goal attempt. TMC limited W&J to 2.9 yards per play. Rometo finished with 106 yards passing on 13-of-23 accuracy. Junior running back Derek Taylor (Kittanning, Pa./Kittanning) had a team-high 31 yards rushing, while senior wide receiver Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) had a game-high seven receptions for 48 yards. Erdely paced the defense with 10 tackles. He forced a fumble and also recovered one. Sophomore cornerback Josh Buckley (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) added eight stops. Washington & Jefferson travels to West Virginia next Saturday for a 1:00 pm kickoff at Bethany. The Presidents need to defeat the Bison and Waynesburg (Nov. 14) to keep their NCAA at-large playoff hopes alive. The Presidents earned a "Pool C" bid last year and advanced to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – Washington & Jefferson College used three defensive touchdowns to record a 49-7 Presidents’ Athletic Conference football victory over Westminster on Saturday at Harold Burry Stadium. The seventh-ranked Presidents (7-0, 3-0) scored on two interception returns and added a fumble return for a touchdown during its ninth-straight win over the Titans (3-5, 2-3). W&J got on the scoreboard first at the 7:47 mark of the first quarter as junior quarterback Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) tossed an 18-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Joe Mucho (Bentleyville, Pa./Bentworth). The score marked Mucho’s first career touchdown reception. The Presidents upped the lead to 14-0 after the defense forced Westminster’s third punt after a three-play series. Junior quarterback Steven Shumaker (Barnesville, Ohio/Barnesville) capped the five-play, 49-yard drive with an 18-yard touchdown run. Sophomore cornerback Josh Buckley (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) made it a 21-0 game two plays after the kickoff as he picked off a Kevin Franz pass and raced 36 yards for a touchdown. The defense forced another punt after just three plays and Buckley returned the kick 25 yards to set up W&J’s fourth touchdown. Rometo fired a 21-yard scoring pass to sophomore Adam Dominick (North Irwin, Pa./Norwin) for a 28-0 lead with 14:29 remaining in the second quarter. Dominick’s touchdown was also the first of his career. Junior free safety Craig Sedunov (West Newton, Pa./Yough) {above} punctuated the Presidents’ fifth touchdown during a 12-minute span after intercepting a Franz pass and returning it 56 yards down the sidelines for a 35-0 halftime lead. The defensive scoring outburst continued in the third quarter as junior strong safety Nathan Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) forced a Shaun Lehocky fumble and sophomore cornerback Matthew Gal (South Park, Pa./South Park) scooped it up before racing 16 yards for a 42-0 advantage. Westminster strung together a 62-yard drive for its first touchdown at the 2:20 mark of the third quarter as Nick McKolosky scored from three yards out. W&J capped the scoring late in the fourth quarter on senior running back Jacob McBride’s (Fredonia, Pa./Reynolds) 1-yard run. The W&J defense, which has not allowed more than 16 points to an opponent this season, limited the Titans to 224 yards and 13 first downs. The Presidents also had six sacks. Senior defensive ends Jacob Bloomhuff (Grosse Pointe, Mich./North) and Chad Boskat (Jamestown, N.Y./Jamestown) both had 2.5 sacks. Bloomhuff entered the game tied for second in the nation in sacks. Sedunov added a team-high nine tackles. Shumaker rushed for a game-high 80 yards and threw for 65, while Rometo completed 14-of-20 passes for 120 yards and two scores. Senior wide receiver Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) caught eight passes for 46 yards, while junior Brett Axner (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) hauled in six receptions for 55 yards. Lehocky and Franz combined to complete only 13-of-37 passes for 158 yards. McKolosky was limited to 75 rushing yards on 18 attempts. The victory sets up a first-place, nationally-ranked showdown next Saturday at Cameron Stadium (1:30 pm) between W&J and No. 15 Thomas More (7-0, 5-0). W&J is looking to avenge a 35-29 Saints’ win last year in Kentucky which helped TMC earn the conference championship. -- PRESIDENTS --
LATROBE, Pa. -- No. 7 Washington & Jefferson clinched its 26th consecutive winning football season with a 21-7 victory over Saint Vincent on Saturday at a muddy Chuck Noll Field. Senior defensive tackle Brandon Bovina (Mingo Junction, Ohio/Indian Creek) {left} recovered a fumble in the end zone with 2:45 remaining to seal the win. Senior defensive end Ryan Breen (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) sacked SVC quarterback Jake Smith to force the fumble. The Presidents (6-0) opened the scoring at the 8:34 mark of the first quarter when junior quarterback Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) fired an 11-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Zach DeCicco (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson). The defenses dominated the rest of the half. Both teams forced their opponent to turn the ball over on downs inside the 10-yard line. W&J finished the first half with 122 yards, while SVC garnered 103. Junior safety Nathan Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) intercepted a pass for the Presidents to thwart a SVC drive deep in W&J territory. W&J drove 75 yards on its first possession of the second half, but a 24-yard field goal attempt missed wide left. The Presidents' defense then forced a fumble, recovered by freshman defensive lineman Gavin Donathan (Hurricane, W.Va./Hurricane), on the Bearcats' next series. Senior running back Terrence McAllister (Wellsburg, W.Va./Brooke) ripped off two long runs and then gave W&J a 14-0 lead after a 5-yard touchdown run at the 2:30 mark of the third quarter. The Bearcats (0-7) finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter as Smith fired a short pass to Dan Blaszkowski who raced 84 yards for a touchdown with 5:34 remaining. Saint Vincent forced W&J punt after just three plays, but the Bearcats were pinned at their own 1-yard line after junior Joe Kelly's (West Grove, Pa./Chartiers Valley) 45-yard boot. Breen's sack and Bovina's first career touchdown ended Saint Vincent's upset bid. W&J held a 324-295 advantage in total offense and a 17-13 edge in first downs. McAllister led all ground gainers with 90 yards on 13 attempts. Junior Derek Taylor (Kittanning, Pa./Kittanning) added 72 yards on 11 carries. Rometo completed 14-of-25 passes for 156 yards, including five completions to senior Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge), who finished with 49 receiving yards. Sophomore linebacker Neil Sorice (Youngstown, Ohio/Canfield) led the defense with a career-high 11 tackles. Smith finished with 185 yards passing for the Bearcats on 12-of-27 accuracy. Zach Mihalko rushed for 52 yards and Alex Rowan paced the defense with 11 stops. Washington & Jefferson hopes to increase its win streak to seven next Saturday when traveling to Westminster for a 1:30 pm kickoff in New Wilmington, Pa. -- PRESIDENTS --
WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College defense recorded seven sacks, including 4.5 by senior defensive end Jacob Bloomhuff (Grosse Pointe, Mich./North) {right}, as the seventh-ranked Presidents defeated previously-unbeaten Geneva 31-10 on Homecoming Saturday at Cameron Stadium. W&J (5-0) limited the Golden Tornadoes (3-1) to 136 yards of total offense and 10 first downs. Geneva averaged only 1.9 yards per rush and threw for 80 yards. Geneva was limited to 12 total yards in the second half. The Presidents quickly grabbed a 7-0 lead on the first possession of the game as junior quarterback Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) hit senior wideout Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) for a 15-yard touchdown 2:16 into the contest. The Rometo-Besong connection accounted for all 67 yards on the drive. Geneva got on the scoreboard midway through the quarter on Nick DiPietro’s 48-yard field goal and then grabbed a 10-7 lead on quarterback David Girardi’s 14-yard rushing touchdown. Washington & Jefferson was intercepted in the endzone on its next possession, but forced a quick punt and marched 62 yards in nine plays to take a 14-10 lead at the 6:38 mark of the second quarter. Freshman running back Brian Baldrige (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) scored from a yard out to give W&J a lead it would not relinquish. The Golden Tornadoes strung together a 10-play drive, but turned the ball over on downs. A 30-yard rush by senior running back Terrence McAllister (Wellsburg, W.Va./Brooke) set up a 30-yard touchdown pass from Rometo to Besong and a 21-10 halftime advantage. GC punted on the first drive of the second half and W&J took advantage in just two plays as McAllister bolted up the middle for a 34-yard touchdown run. The Presidents then put the game away with a 20-play 71-yard drive that ran nearly 11 minutes off the clock. Junior placekicker Joe Kelly (West Grove, Pa./Chartiers Valley) booted his first career field goal, a 31-yard attempt, for the game’s final points. Senior defensive back Nate Bucklew (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) sealed the win with an interception. Five different Presidents notched sacks led by Bloomhuff’s career day. Junior safety Nathan Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) amassed a game-high 10 tackles and added one sack. Bloomhuff added eight stops. The W&J offense amassed 381 total yards and was led by Besong’s 11-reception, 164-yard performance. McAllister tacked on a career-high 104 rushing yards on 12 attempts, while Baldrige gained 38 yards. Rometo completed 17-of-23 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns. Washington & Jefferson is idle next week, but returns to action on Oct. 17th at Saint Vincent (1:00 pm). -- PRESIDENTS --
GROVE CITY, Pa. - Senior wide receiver Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) {right} moved into fifth place on the all-time receptions list at Washington & Jefferson College on Saturday night during the Presidents' 28-10 victory over Grove City College at Robert E. Thorn Field. Besong finished the game with nine receptions for 140 yards and one touchdown. With 128 career receptions, Besong has passed Tom McCafferty '08 who hauled in 127 career receptions in his four-year career. The Wolverines (1-3, 1-1 PAC) marched down the field on the first drive and scored just two minutes into the game, capping off a five-play, 70-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown run by Grove City senior quarterback Andrew DiDonato. The drive was aided by a DiDonato to sophomore wide receiver Will McCoy 31-yard pass reception. On the ensuing drive, the Presidents (4-0, 2-0 PAC) drove to the Grove City three-yard line in 10 plays. On third and goal, junior quarterback Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) rolled out and fired a pass into the end zone that was intercepted by Grove City's Tim Irwin. W&J tied the game at the 4:53 mark of the first quarter as Rometo found Besong open over the middle for a 60-yard touchdown reception on the first play of W&J's second drive. After a DiDonato fumble, the Red & Black embarked on a seven-play, 52-yard drive to claim the 14-7 advantage. Junior quarterback Steven Shumaker (Barnesville, Ohio/Barnesville), who ran four times for 20 yards on the drive, found the end zone on a two-yard scamper with 14:57 showing on the second-quarter clock. Following a Grove City punt, the Presidents controlled the clock on their next possession, driving 85-yards in eight and half minutes to grab a 21-7 advantage on a one-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Brian Baldrige (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson). Shumaker and Besong kept the drive alive with a six-yard connection through the air on a fourth-and-six play from the Grove City 21-yard line. Grove City answered with a 27-yard field goal at the 1:44 mark by Craig Bicehouse to narrow the W&J lead to 21-10 at halftime. After senior defensive end Jacob Bloomhuff (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Pointe) forced a DiDonato fumble, the Presidents offense added another score with 9:20 left in the third quarter. Senior running back Terrence McAllister (Wellsburg, W.Va./Brooke) rushed 10 yards for his second touchdown of the year to give W&J an 18-point advantage, 28-10. W&J seemed to put the game out of reach with just under seven minutes remaining in the game as junior defensive back Craig Sedunov (Herminie, Pa./Yough) intercepted a DiDonato pass, but Sedunov turned the ball back over to GCC with a fumble on the return. The Wolverines couldn't convert the fumble into points as W&J's senior defensive back Mitch Erdely (Perryopolis, Pa./Geibel) picked off another DiDonato pass with 4:24 left in the contest to secure the victory. Shumaker completed 11-of-15 passes for 134 yards, while Rometo finished the game completing 8-of-16 passes for 120 yards and one touchdown. Shumaker also led W&J's ground attack, rushing 12 times for 56 yards and one touchdown, while McAllister gained 53 yards on 18 carries, including one touchdown. The defensive unit, which held Grove City to just 232 yards of total offense, was led by sophomore defensive back Josh Buckley (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) with eight tackles, while senior Chad Boskat (Jamestown, N.Y./Jamestown) and Bloomhuff both recorded two sacks. Boskat, senior defensive back Mitch Rose (Uniontown, Ohio/North Canton Hoover), and junior defensive lineman Alex Patterson (Loveland, Ohio/Sycamore) recovered fumbles in the victory. For the third time this season, the W&J offense racked up over 400 yards of offense (432) on 20 first downs. The Presidents converted 5-of-13 third down conversions and held 36:00-24:00 advantage in time of possession. Washington & Jefferson College returns to Cameron Stadium next Saturday for its Homecoming game against Geneva College. Kickoff is set for 2:00 pm. -- PRESIDENTS -- W&J QUARTERBACK DUO LIFTS W&J TO WIN IN PAC OPENER (9/19) WASHINGTON, Pa. – Junior quarterbacks Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) and Steven Shumaker (Barnesville, Ohio/Barnesville) combined for 397 total yards (343 passing, 54 rushing) as No. 8 Washington & Jefferson defeated Thiel, 56-16, on Saturday evening at Cameron Stadium in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference opener for both squads. The 56 points are the most W&J has scored against the Tomcats (1-2, 0-1 PAC) since a 58-6 rout in 2000. W&J racked up 50 or more points for the 10th time since 2006. Rometo made his first career start for W&J and led the Presidents on a 10-play, 63-yard scoring drive late in the first quarter. He completed all eight of his passes on the drive, including a 10-yarder to junior wideout Jordan Roycroft (Butler, Pa./Butler) for a 7-0 lead at the 2:24. W&J forced a Thiel punt and marched 77 yards in eight plays for a 14-0 advantage. Shumaker led the second scoring drive and lofted a 29-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) at the 10:38 mark of the second quarter. Tyler DeJong returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards and Brendan Taylor put TC on the scoreboard after taking Willie Bova’s pass 48 yards for a touchdown. The extra point was missed and Thiel trailed 14-6 at the 8:56 mark. Shumaker once again led W&J on a scoring drive on the next possession and Rometo capped it with a 3-yard quarterback keeper for a 21-6 lead. The Tomcats narrowed the lead to 21-13 at halftime as Ross Gorgano capped a 52-yard drive with a 2-yard scoring rush with 43 seconds left in the half. The score marked the fourth-straight possession which resulted in a touchdown. Thiel forced a Rometo fumble on the first series of the second half, but could only mustered one yard in three plays. A 65-yard screen pass from Rometo to junior running back Derek Taylor (Kittanning, Pa./Kittanning) set W&J up in Thiel territory and that duo hooked up again for an 11-yard scoring pass and a 28-13 W&J lead. John Madeline booted a 44-yard field goal with 6:52 remaining in the third quarter to bring Thiel to within 28-16, but W&J ended the game with four-straight touchdowns to seal the win. Roycroft hauled in his second touchdown pass of the game, a 26-yard strike from Rometo 58 seconds before the third quarter ended and Shumaker rushed for a 10-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter for a 42-16 lead. Junior safety Nathan Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) intercepted a Bova pass four plays later and raced 43 yards for a 49-16 advantage and sophomore quarterback Taylor Hockman (Martinsburg, W.Va./Hedgesville) rushed 39 yards for the final touchdown with 57 seconds left. W&J racked up 537 yards (343 passing, 194 rushing) and 27 first downs, while limiting the Tomcats to 231 yards and 10 first downs. Thiel rushed 25 times for only 41 yards. Shumaker led W&J on the ground with 64 yards on seven attempts (one TD), while also completing 5-of-8 passes for 103 yards and one score. Rometo completed 16-of-22 passes for 240 yards and three scores. Besong led the receiving corps with nine catches for 139 yards, while Roycroft added three receptions for 44 yards. Taylor also amassed 137 all-purpose yards. The W&J defense held an opponent to less than 240 yards for the third-straight game. Junior safety Craig Sedunov (West Newton, Pa./Yough) had a team-high seven tackles, while sophomore cornerback Matthew Gal (South Park, Pa./South Park) broke up four pass attempts. Junior linebacker Nick Resnik (McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport) also had two tackles for a loss. Bova completed 16-of-30 passes for 190 yards to lead Thiel. Taylor totaled 119 receiving yards on seven catches, while Ryan Dawes collected a game-high nine tackles. W&J concludes its stretch of four consecutive 7:00 pm kickoffs Saturday night at Grove City (1-2, 1-0 PAC). The Wolverines rolled past Bethany Saturday night by a 35-14 margin. -- PRESIDENTS -- NO. 10 W&J ROLLS TO 34-12 VICTORY IN MARYLAND (9/12) FROSTBURG, Md. - Junior quarterback Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) tossed three touchdown passes, including a pair to senior wide receiver Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) to lift No. 10 Washington & Jefferson to a 34-12 victory over Frostburg State on Saturday evening at Bobcat Stadium. The Presidents (2-0) opened the scoring with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter as Rometo led a 10-play, 43-yard drive which was capped on freshman running back Brian Baldrige's (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) 2-yard touchdown run. A high snap deep in W&J territory forced a FSU safety at the 13:15 mark of the second quarter and narrowed the Bobcats' deficit to 7-2. Following a FSU punt, W&J embarked on a 13-play, 94-yard drive to claim a 14-2 lead. Rometo completed five passes on the drive and added a 25-yard rush. He hit freshman wideout Zach DeCicco (Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) for a 7-yard scoring pass. The Bobcats answered with a 25-yard field goal by Zachary Beukers at the 3:28 mark, but W&J quickly responded two minutes later as Rometo hit Besong for a 6-yard touchdown toss. Junior running back Derek Taylor (Kittanning, Pa./Kittanning) rushed for 25 yards on the scoring possession. Sophomore defensive back Josh Buckley (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) intercepted a Phoenix Butler-Poole pass with 55 seconds left in the half, but W&J was not able to turn the miscue into any points and took a 21-5 edge into halftime. W&J strung together a 60-yard drive to start the second half and senior running back Terrence McAllister (Wellsburg, W.Va./Brooke) made it a 27-6 game after scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run. The Presidents gained 56 of the 60 yards on the ground, including 35 by McAllister. FSU (0-2) answered with an 80-yard touchdown drive and Butler-Poole dove in from a yard out; however, senior Joe Mucho (Bentleyville, Pa./Bentworth) returned the ensuing kickoff 43 yards to set up a 32-yard touchdown connection from Rometo to Besong and a 34-12 advantage. Rometo completed 17-of-31 passes for 174 yards and three touchdowns after filling in for junior Steven Shumaker (Barnesville, Ohio/Barnesville), who played the first two series and passed for 24 yards. Taylor rushed 17 times for 93 yards, while McAllister gained 61 yards on 10 attempts. Besong led six different receivers with eight receptions for 90 yards, while Mucho grabbed four passes for 47 yards. Senior defensive end Ryan Breen (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) paced the defense with seven tackles and two sacks. The defense limited the Presidents to 239 total yards and 10 first downs. Senior safety Mitch Erdely (Perryopolis, Pa./Geibel) also picked off a pass. W&J's offense racked up 413 yards and 23 first downs. W&J also converted 7-of-15 third-down opportunities and held a 36:00-24:00 edge in time of possession. Washington & Jefferson looks to make it three victories in a row next Saturday when hosting Thiel (1-1) at 7:00 pm in the Presidents' Athletic Conference opener. -- PRESIDENTS -- W&J OPENS 2009 SEASON WITH 35-9 VICTORY OVER OBERLIN (9/5) WASHINGTON, Pa. - The Washington & Jefferson College defense limited Oberlin to 188 total yards and allowed its only touchdown on the final play of the game, lifting the 14th-ranked Presidents to a season-opening 35-9 victory under the lights Saturday at Cameron Stadium. The Presidents (1-0) held the Yeomen to 12 first downs and 128 yards prior to the final Yeomen offensive possession. A total of 11 Oberlin plays were stopped behind the line of scrimmage and W&J forced a pair of turnovers. The teams traded punts early on, but Washington & Jefferson grabbed its first lead of the season on its second drive as senior running back Terrence McAllister (Wellsburg, W.Va./Brooke) broke through for a 48-yard run to set the Presidents up at the 1-yard line. Freshman running back Brian Baldrige (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) bullied in on the next play on his first collegiate rushing attempt. The Yeomen were forced to punt after three plays, but sophomore Cory Kidd's (Wellington, Ohio/Wellington) kick hit a W&J blocker and was recovered by OC. The Yeomen settled for a 21-yard field goal by junior Zach Richard (Cocoa Beach, Fla./Cocoa Beach) and a 7-3 deficit with 6:50 left in the first quarter. W&J carried a 14-3 lead into halftime after Baldrige notched his second touchdown of the game , another 1-yard rush, at the 6:38 mark of the second quarter. The 11-play, 58-yard drive was aided by a 22-yard completion from junior Steven Shumaker (Barnesville, Ohio/Barnesville) to McAllister. Following a scoreless third quarter, W&J took advantage of an OC turnover deep in W&J territory. Senior defensive end Ryan Breen (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) sacked Oberlin junior quarterback Joe Zebelian (Amanda, Mich./Amanda) and forced a fumble which was recovered by sophomore linebacker Neil Sorice (Youngstown, Ohio/Canfield) at the seven-yard line. Junior Derek Taylor (Kittanning, Pa./Kittanning) scored on the next play to up the score to 21-3. Junior safety Nathan Harmotto (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) intercepted a Zebelian pass two plays into the next OC drive and Shumaker capped an eight-play, 48-yard drive four minutes later with a four-yard scoring toss to senior running back Jacob McBride (Fredonia, Pa./Reynolds). Junior quarterback Gino Rometo (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) completed all four of his passes on W&J's final scoring drive and Taylor made it a 35-3 game with a nine-yard touchdown run with 5:32 remaining. W&J held a 394-188 yardage advantage and posted 18 first downs. Junior linebacker Zach Pugliese (Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski) led the way with seven tackles. Breen had two sacks and 24 different players had at least one stop. Shumaker completed 17-of-28 passes for 181 yards (1 INT, 1 TD) in his first career start. Taylor rushed 11 times for 93 yards, while catching three passes for 36 yards. Senior wideout Craig Besong (Baden, Pa./Ambridge) led seven different W&J receivers with eight catches for 104 yards. Sophomore Adam Lowther (Cridersville, Ohio/Wapakoneta) collected a team-high 47 rushing yards on 17 attempts. Zebelian completed 10-of-22 passes for 88 yards and was sacked five times. Junior defensive back Tyler Lewis (Monroe, Mich./Monroe) paced the Yeomen defense with 13 stops. Washington & Jefferson rounds out the non-conference portion of its schedule next Saturday with a trip to Frostburg State (7:00 pm). -- PRESIDENTS -- |
MOUNT UNION BLANKS W&J 55-0 IN NCAA FIRST ROUND (11/21)
PRESIDENTS DEFEAT WAYNESBURG IN REGULAR-SEASON FINALE (11/14)
BALDRIGE AND SHUMAKER LEAD PRESIDENTS PAST BETHANY, 49-0 (11/7)
W&J closed the scoring with 5:25 remaining as a pair of freshmen teamed up for their first career touchdowns. Andrew Cappucci (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) {right} connected with Ben Hoffer (West Newton, Pa./Yough) {pictured above} for a 21-yard scoring pass. 
DEFENSE CONTINUES TO LEAD NO. 7 W&J IN 49-7 ROUT (10/24)
NO. 7 EARNS HARD-FOUGHT 21-7 VICTORY AT SAINT VINCENT (10/18)
W&J DEFENSE SMOTHERS GENEVA DURING 31-10 VICTORY (10/3)
BESONG MOVES INTO FIFTH ON THE ALL-TIME RECEPTIONS LIST IN W&J's 28-10 WIN OVER GROVE CITY (9/26)
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