WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Sept. 20) – After falling behind 20-0 to the visitors from Thomas More in the first quarter, the Waynesburg University Yellow Jackets could have just rolled over and gotten ready for next week's game at Saint Vincent.

Instead, the Jackets battled back, thanks in large part the special teams, and cut the lead to 27-19 late in the third quarter. Unfortunately, that's as close as the home team got as the visiting Saints held on to win a wild 34-26 contest.

The game was the Presidents' Athletic Conference opener for both squads. The win was Thomas More's first on the year as they improved to 1-1, while Waynesburg dropped to 1-2.

The Saints jumped out to 7-0 lead with 6:43 left in the first quarter when Anthony Knott took off on a 44-yard touchdown run to cap a quick two-play drive that was set up by a Waynesburg fumble. Thomas More's Dustin Zink added the extra point.

Again, the visitors took advantage of a Waynesburg turnover, this time an interception. Their lead swelled to 14-0 when Saints starting quarterback Trevor Stellman hooked up with wide receiver Chris Farley on a 21-yard touchdown pass. Another extra point by Zink with 4:24 left in the period capped a five-play, 50-yard drive.

Thomas More's third touchdown came less then four minutes later as Stellman recorded his second touchdown pass of the contest, this time finding Nick Olthaus from 25 yards out, ending a six-play ,83-yard march. Zink's extra point missed, but the Saints still found themselves up 20-0 as the first quarter came to a close.

Waynesburg finally broke up the shutout in the second period thanks to the big left leg of freshman kicker Bryan Arbes.

With 6:57 left in the half, Arbes drilled a 48-yard field goal to end a 10-play, 27-yard Waynesburg drive.

Arbes trimmed the lead to 20-6 less than three minutes later as he connected on a 34-yard boot that capped a six-play, 19-yard drive, which ended with 4:12 left in the half.

The third Arbes field goal of the day was somewhat bitter-sweet.

Thomas More got the ball to open the second half and proceeded to fumble the ball away to Waynesburg at the Saint 18. Unfortunately, Waynesburg's offense went four yards backwards on the drive and the freshman from Monongahela, Pa. had to be called in to convert a 38-yard try with 12:34 left in the third.

With the deficit cut to 20-9, Waynesburg appeared to be gaining momentum as the second half wore on. Unfortunately for the Jackets, Thomas More snatched some of it back a short time later.

This time, it was Thomas More running back Steve Weatherby who did the damage, taking a pitch and working his way into the end zone from 16 yards out to put his team up 26-9. Another Zink extra point with 9:46 to go in the third put the Saints up 27-9 and seemingly back in control.

However, as he had done through the game, Arbes kept Waynesburg's hopes alive as he connected on his fourth field goal of the game, tying a school record set by Dave Zatta in 1985, with 6:16 left in the third. The 49-yard line drive boot also tied Kent Ewell's mark for longest made kick, which was set in 1976.

Still trailing 27-12, the Yellow Jacket special teams weren't done yet.

After forcing Thomas More to punt with 3:57 left in the third, junior cornerback and return specialist Scott Cree fielded a Chris Weghorst punt and returned it 86 yards to the Saints end zone, cutting the lead to 27-18. Arbes made his first extra point of the game to bring Waynesburg to within one score for the first time since trailing 7-0.

Amazingly, this was the second-straight week that Cree has returned a punt for a score.

With momentum again swinging to the Waynesburg side, Thomas More's special teams showed they had some ability too as E.J. Dettmer took the ensuing kickoff and returned to the Yellow Jacket 27.

Two plays later, Stellman hooked up with running back Cordario Collier on a 29-yard touchdown catch-and-run that pushed the Saints' advantage back to two scores. Zink's kick made the score 34-19 with 2:54 left in the third quarter.

The two defenses took over for the remainder of the third and most of the fourth quarter.

With 4:30 left in the game, however, the Jacket offense was finally able to break through the Thomas More D as sophomore running back Billy Becker found the end zone from six yards out. Arbes' extra point made it 34-26.

Waynesburg was able to get the ball back for one shot at getting to overtime with 32 seconds left, but the Saints defense kept Waynesburg out of the end zone and celebrated a PAC victory.

Stellman had a pretty good day as a two-way quarterback, rushing for a team-best 68 yards on 10 carries, while also throwing for 178 yards and three touchdowns with no picks on nine-of-25 passing.

Collier was also a dual offensive threat for the Saints, rushing for 55 yards on 11 totes and hauling in a team-high five balls for 75 yards and a score.

For Waynesburg, sophomore quarterback Kyle Kyper, who entered the game after starting quarterback Brad Dawson left with an injury in the third quarter, put together a solid afternoon. The second-year signal-caller hit on 14-of-21 pass attempts for 102 yards with no interceptions and no sacks.

Becker was the offense's top performer, rushing for a game-high 105 yards and a score on 27 carries. The Waynesburg native was also the game's leading receiver with six catches totaling 28 yards.

Defensively, Thomas More's Brad Steinmetz was a one-man wrecking crew, racking up a game-high 16 total tackles, including 11 solo stops and two tackles for loss.

For the third-straight week, Waynesburg junior linebacker Ryan Krull led the Jackets in tackles, this time making six solo hits and assisting on five more for 11 total stops. The first-year linebacker and former standout safety also returned a fumble 17 yards and recorded a sack.

Senior defensive end DJ DeWitt recorded two tackles for loss.

The Jackets will try to get back on the winning track next week when they travel to Latrobe to battle PAC provisional member Saint Vincent College, while Thomas More goes for win number two in the conference when they host Westminster.