• Box Score

WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Oct. 11) – If there was a way to score a touchdown during Saturday's Presidents' Athletic Conference showdown between Waynesburg and Westminster, the Yellow Jackets found it.

 

Sophomore quarterback Brad Dawson threw for a season-high four touchdowns to four different receivers, two different running backs found the end zone on the ground, junior defensive backs Dylan August and Scott Cree each ran a Titan interception back for a touchdown and Cree ran the opening kickoff back 97 yards for a score as the Jackets improved to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in the PAC by rolling over the Titans 63-26.

 

The loss dropped Westminster 3-3 on the season and 1-2 in the conference.

 

The scoring outburst was the largest for the program since 2004, when the Yellow Jackets demolished Denison by the final of 64-0. The team put on quite a show for the crowd of 1,750 in attendance for Homecoming. 

 

The Jackets didn't take long to get the scoring started as Cree, who has turned into a human highlight reel this season, took a Trevor Young kickoff, made a couple of moves, and sprinted down the left sideline to the Titans' end zone. Sophomore kicker Bryan Arbes connected on the first of nine Waynesburg extra points on the day.

 

A few drives later, August recorded his first of two interceptions of the day, this one off of Titan junior Kevin Franz, and set his offensive counterparts up at the Westminster 21.

 

From there, Waynesburg traversed the short field in front of them in six plays and capped the drive with freshman fullback David Younkins hauling in a Dawson pass and scampering four yards to the end zone. Another Arbes PAT put the home team up 14-0.

 

On the ensuing drive, Franz threw his second pick of the game, this time to Cree who motored across the goal line from 41 yards out to extend Waynesburg's lead to 20-0. Arbes made it 21-0 before the first quarter had a chance to expire.

 

Cree has been absolutely amazing in 2008, as he now has two punt returns, a kick return and an interception return for a touchdown.

 

However, once the second quarter got going, the visiting team got back into the game with a beautiful 11-play, 80-yard drive that chewed up 5:50 on the scoreboard.

 

The first Westminster score of the game came courtesy of junior running back Nick McKolosky, who pounded in a touchdown from two yards out. Fred Romeo's extra point attempt failed, bringing about a 21-6 score.

 

The Jackets didn't take long to respond to the Titan's first signs of life as they put together an eight-play, 59-yard drive, which was capped by sophomore back Billy Becker, who punched in his lone scoring run on the day from two yards out.

 

Trailing 28-6, the Titans were able to answer again.

 

On the ensuing kickoff, McKolosky took Arbes' kickoff and raced into Yellow Jacket territory before being tackled at the Waynesburg 33.

 

Westminster traversed the shortened field in seven plays, with Franz hitting his favorite target, Chad Rosatelli, for a two-yard touchdown pass. Romeo tacked on the extra point to trim the deficit back to two scores.

 

However, that was as close as the Titans could get on the day.

 

Despite being pushed back to their own 30 on the ensuing kickoff following a holding penalty, Dawson uncorked a beautiful 70-yard touchdown catch-and-run to sophomore wide received Ray Hightower II. It was the only play of the scoring drive and Arbes added his fifth PAT to put the Jackets up 35-13.

 

The score remained 35-13 as the two teams went into their respective locker rooms for halftime.

 

The Titans received the kick to start the third quarter and drove to the Waynesburg 34-yard line. However, Franz was picked for a third time, this time by quarterback-turned-safety Andy Lauterbach at the Waynesburg 12.

 

From there, the Waynesburg offense effortlessly sliced through the Titan defense to the tune of a six-play, 88-yard drive, which included a 37-yard run by Becker, his longest of the season. The drive was capped by Dawson hitting receiver Jeff Young with a 14-yard strike in the end zone, extending the Jackets' advantage to 42-13.

 

Two drives later, Dawson tossed one more score, this time to Bobby Francis, from 12 yards out, for his fourth of the contest. When the third quarter came to an end, the Yellow Jackets found themselves comfortably ahead 49-13.

 

In the fourth, backup Westminster quarterback Shawn Lehocky re-ignited the Titans' potent passing attack with touchdown throws to Rosatelli and Gary Hutsler. However, the strong-armed freshman also threw an interception to August, which was run in from 45 yards out for a score.

 

The final score of the game came with 5:14 left in the game when Edward Hedderman scored his first rushing touchdown of the season from one-yard out, bringing up the final score of 63-26.

 

For the second-straight game, Dawson was stellar. The sophomore transfer from California University of Pa. completed 20-of-30 pass attempts for 238 yards and four touchdowns. All four of those totals are season highs for the Pittsburgh native.

 

Also for the second-straight week, the Thomas Jefferson grad was not intercepted and was not sacked.

 

As far as who Dawson was throwing to, Hightower recorded his second-straight 100-yard receiving effort. The Youngstown, Ohio native snared four passes for 101 yards and his long touchdown.

 

Becker led the ground assault with his third 100-yard rushing game in four starts. The Waynesburg native led all runners with 120 yards and a score on just 15 carries, which equals an impressive eight yards per rush.

 

For the Titans, Franz and Lehocky combined to go 28-for-50 for 353 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions.

 

Though it came in a loss, Rosatelli put together a very impressive performance, pulling in six catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver John Baummer also went over the century mark (108 yards) on five catches.

 

McKolosky led all rushers with 23 carries, which led to 72 yards rushing and a score.

 

For the first time this season, someone other than junior linebacker Ryan Krull led the team in tackles as junior cornerback Abdul Yusuff recorded six solo tackles and helped out on two more for eight total stops, including one for loss.

 

Cree also had six solo tackles to go along with his interception.

 

Senior defensive end DJ DeWitt, freshman Vinnie Pisano and freshman defensive lineman #Darryl Moore, Jr.# all had at least one total sack, Moore had 1.5, and sophomore defensive lineman Isaac Rosser chipped in half-a-sack.

 

Senior defensive back Kiel Wolf led the Titans with a game-high eight solo tackles.

 

After struggling in the turnover battles of their first three games, Waynesburg held a wide advantage in Saturday's turnover battle by snagging five interceptions and not turning the ball over once.

 

On special teams, Waynesburg averaged an eye-popping 58.8 yards per kickoff return on ten take-backs, and returned two punts for a total of 43 yards.

 

After a huge conference win, the Yellow Jackets will try to carry the momentum from Saturday's win over to a big test next week when they travel to Beaver Falls, Pa., where they will face Geneva in a non-conference match up.

 

Westminster returns home next week for another PAC contest, this time against Bethany.