Box Score

WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Oct. 16) – Sophomore Bryan Gary definitely has a great story to tell when he returns to Waynesburg at a future Homecoming game.

The second-year defensive back sent this year's Homecoming crowd at John F. Wiley Stadium home happy by blocking a potential game-tying extra point kick with less than one minute remaining to seal Saturday's 24-23 win over Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) rival Westminster.

With the win, Waynesburg improved to 4-2 on the season and 3-1 in PAC play. The Titans fell to 1-5 overall and 0-4 in conference action.

The visitors took the early lead in the contest when freshman running back Tyler Banks took off on a 24-yard touchdown run to cap an eight-play, 57-yard scoring drive with 9:21 to go in the first quarter. Junior Trevor Young tacked on the extra point to make it 7-0 Titans.

The Yellow Jackets promptly responded to the challenge by tying the game up on the ensuing possession. Waynesburg marched 60 yards in 11 plays and freshman Dominic Moore pounded in his sixth touchdown run of the season with 4:08 remaining in the opening period to trim the lead to 7-6. Sophomore kicker Jon Storck tied the contest with his first PAT of the day.

A few drives later, Waynesburg took its first lead of the afternoon early in the second quarter. The Jackets picked up their second touchdown run of the afternoon, this one courtesy of freshman running back Bertrand Ngampa from two yards out, to take a 13-7 lead. Storck knocked in his second kick of the day to put his team up 14-7.

The scoring margin of the game remained in single digits until the final seconds of the first half when Storck drilled a 31-yard field goal to put the Jackets up 17-7. The kick was set up by a 20-yard completion from senior quarterback Brad Dawson to junior wide receiver Jeff Young with two seconds showing on the clock. Storck's kick ended the half and sent the Jackets to the locker room with a 10-point lead.

After the two teams traded scoreless possessions over the first 10 minutes of the third quarter, Westminster jumped right back into the game with a 26-yard touchdown hookup between junior quarterback Shawn Lehocky and sophomore wide out Geno Pasquinelli with 4:50 to go before the start of the fourth quarter. Another Young extra point trimmed Waynesburg's advantage down to 17-14.

However, the Jackets reestablished their multi-score advantage just minutes into the fourth quarter when Dawson found sophomore tight end Adam Moses on a five-yard touchdown strike to cap a 10-play, 61-yard march to the end zone. After another Storck kick, Waynesburg was on top 24-14 with 11:15 left in the game.

More than eight minutes later, Young connected on a 35-yard field goal to pull the Titans back to within a single score of their hosts at 24-17.

The Jackets were only able to work around 45 seconds off the game clock before punting the ball back to Westminster with 2:20 showing on the scoreboard. The Titans quickly worked their way down the field and Lehocky found Pasquinelli in the back of the end zone for a 14-yard score to set Young up for the game-tying extra point. Fortunately, Gary was up to the task and made perhaps the biggest play of his young collegiate career.

Westminster attempted an onside kick, but senior wide receiver Kyle Kyper was able to leap over several defenders and snag the ball safely out of the air. Dawson happily took a knee to run off the final seconds of the one-point win.

Kyper and Moses led the Waynesburg offense with a team-high five catches each. Kyper went for a team-best 57 yards receiving, while Moses chipped in 32 and a score. Dawson not only threw for 178 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 17-of-29 passing, but he also rushed for a team-best 37 yards.

Banks rushed for a game-high 95 yards on 20 carries, while Pasquinelli led all players in catches (eight) and receiving yards (92). Lehocky was held to 165 passing, two scores and two interceptions on 14-of-25 passing.

The Jackets were led defensively by junior linebacker Nathan Harr, who piled up a game-high nine tackles, including five solo stops. Junior defensive lineman Josh Malenke picked up a sack and two tackles for loss as part of a five-tackle day and junior cornerback Sean Hunt intercepted his PAC-leading sixth pass of the season.

Waynesburg is back in action at John F. Wiley Stadium on Saturday when the Jackets play host to Frostburg State in their final non-conference game of the season.  

NOTE: Congratulations go out to seniors Mikey Macosko and Bill Hanning, who were named the 2010 Homecoming Queen and King