Box Score

 

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (Oct. 10) – Injuries to several starters on the defense trumped the 553

total offensive yards put up by Waynesburg as the Yellow Jackets fell in a wild 49-42 overtime game to Westminster on Saturday.

 

The Yellow Jackets did not have the services of senior starting cornerback #Abdul Yusuff#, while starting outside linebacker #Troy Cree# was limited by a leg injury. The Titans were able to take advantage of these injuries as they rolled up 562 yards of their own.

 

After Westminster got on the board first with a first-quarter Nick McKolosky touchdown run, Waynesburg was able to tie the game on their first drive of the contest when junior quarterback Brad Dawson hooked up with classmate Bobby Francis on a 52-yard touchdown pass. An extra point by freshman Jon Storck tied the game at 7-7.

 

The Yellow Jackets took the lead for the first time on the day just seconds into the second quarter when Dawson took things into his own hands. The Pittsburgh native capped a six-play, 80-yard march with a two-yard touchdown run. Another Storck PAT made it 14-7 Waynesburg.

 

After Westminster tied the game just 21 seconds later, the Jackets retook the lead with another Dawson-to-Francis bomb for a score. This time, the duo hooked up on 47-yard play with 7:17 to go in the half.

 

Unfortunately, the Yellow Jackets couldn't maintain their lead before halftime, as the Titans scored on a five-yard touchdown pass that capped an 11-play, 56-yard drive with 3:17 showing on the second-quarter clock.

 

With the score tied at 21-21 as the third quarter got underway, Waynesburg went to work in retaking the lead. As the Jackets have done all year, they showed no fear in pulling out the big play as Dawson hooked up with wide receiver Brent Heckel on a 63-yard touchdown pass with 8:34 to go in the third quarter. Another Storck PAT put Waynesburg up 28-21.

 

Westminster was able to tie the game back up (28-28) with just 3:13 to go in the third on another McKolosky touchdown run, and took the lead just minutes into the fourth quarter when backup quarterback Shawn Lehocky hit Jon Gubish for a 26-yard touchdown pass. With 13:01 to go in the game, the Titans led 35-28.

 

Though a depleted defense continued to struggle with a focused Westminster offense, the Jacket attack was relentless as they were able to tie the game back up on a two-yard touchdown run by running back Billy Becker, which came with 10:01 to go in the contest. Another Storck kick brought up a 35-35 score.

 

Momentum swung back to Westminster on the ensuing Westminster possession as Lehocky scampered in for a two-yard touchdown run with 7:12 to go in the contest.

 

Trailing 42-35 with 7:12 to go in the contest, Waynesburg still had one last scoring drive left in the tank.

 

Starting at their own 34-yard line, Dawson led his team down the field on a seven-play, 66-yard drive that he capped off with a one-yard dive to pay dirt. Storck's kick made it 42-42 with 5:09 to go in the game.

 

It looked as though Westminster was going to be able to pull out a win in the waning seconds of the contest, but sophomore kicker Trevor Young could not connect on a 37-yard field goal as regulation time expired.

 

Facing overtime for the first time this year, the Jackets won the coin flip and elected to play defense first. The Titans scored on their first drive of the extra period as Lehocky scrambled into the end zone from 15 yards out.

 

On the ensuing Waynesburg drive, the Jackets were able to convert a fourth and 10 when Dawson hit tight end Zach Fatigante for a 16-yard gain to the nine-yard line. Unfortunately, on a third and eight play, Dawson's brilliant day ended on a low note as he was intercepted at the one-yard line, ending the game.

 
The loss dropped Waynesburg to 3-2 overall and 0-2 in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) action. Westminster improved to 2-4 on the season and 1-2 in conference play. 

Though his day ended on a down note, Dawson was nearly unstoppable as he threw for a season-high 434 yards and three touchdowns on 20-of-37 passing. He also rushed for 17 yards and two more touchdowns. His performance through the air ranks as the third-highest single-game passing performance in program history.

 

Several Waynesburg receivers also had huge days in the aerial assault. Senior wide receiver Josh Fisher led a trio of 100-plus-yard receiving performers with a team-high eight grabs for a Jacket-best 136 yards. Fatigante pulled in five balls for 102 yards and wide receiver Bobby Francis snared three passes for a whopping 113 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Lehocky replaced starting Westminster quarterback Kevin Franz and threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for a game-high 112 yards and two more scores on 14 carries.

 

Lehocky's top target was clearly Jon Gubish, who hauled in a team-record 14 balls for 213 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Becker led the Jacket rushing attack with 83 yards and a score on 17 carries.

 

Waynesburg's top defensive performer was linebacker Nathan Harr, who piled up a team-high nine tackles, which included five solo stops and 1.5 tackles for loss.

 

The Yellow Jackets hope to get healthy in a hurry as they host a very good Geneva team on Saturday, Oct. 17, for homecoming.