Box Score

BEAVER FALLS, Pa. (Oct. 9) – Both the Waynesburg University offense and its leader, senior quarterback Brad Dawson, enjoyed their best performances of the 2010 season this past Saturday.

Facing an always tough Geneva program, the Yellow Jackets racked up 55 points and Dawson dominated the Golden Tornado defense as Waynesburg picked up a wild 55-42 victory.

With the win, Waynesburg is now 3-2 on the season. Geneva fell to 3-3 on the year.

Dawson, who looked a little rusty last week in his first game back from a toe injury that forced him to miss the Jackets' win over Grove City, immediately moved his team down field and into the end zone. On Waynesburg's first possession of the day, the senior signal caller hooked up with sophomore tight end Adam Moses on a seven-yard touchdown strike that made it 6-0 Jackets. Sophomore kicker Jon Storck tacked on the extra point to make it 7-0.

Geneva responded with a score of its own on the game's very next possession to tie the score up at 7-7, but Dawson was more than happy to take his team right down the field for answer, which he did on the ensuing drive. After working his team down inside the Geneva 10-yard line, Dawson turned to freshman running back Bertrand Ngampa, who scampered in from eight yards out to put Waynesburg back ahead by a touchdown. Storck connected on his second PAT of the day to make it 14-7 Jackets in the first quarter.

Unfortunately, the Tornadoes were able to tie the game up before the end of the opening period. But, Dawson promptly led his troops back out onto the field and, on the first drive of the second quarter, he found Moses for another six points, this time from 13 yards out, to cap a nine-play, 47-yard possession that made it 21-14 following another successful kick from Storck.

Not much changed defensively for the Jackets as Geneva was able to take the ensuing kickoff and march right back down the field to tie the game at 21-21. The Golden Tornadoes then made their first defensive stop of the day with an interception, but the Jacket special teams kept their hosts from taking the lead when they blocked a Geneva field goal attempt.

The Jackets took over and got back on track offensively. They marched 64 yards in eight plays and took a 24-21 lead thanks to a 25-yard Storck field goal with just under three minutes to go until halftime.

Waynesburg's defense, seemingly energized by the blocked field goal, finally slammed the door on Geneva's potent offense and forced a punt that set the Jacket offense up at its own 43-yard line.

Dawson orchestrated the team's fifth scoring drive of the game and played a hand in its fourth touchdown, but not in the way most people are accustomed to seeing. Head coach Rick Shepas decided to reach into his bag of tricks and put safety Ryan Williams, a former quarterback, under center on second and goal from the Geneva five yard line. Williams found Dawson for the senior's first collegiate touchdown catch with just seconds to go in the second quarter to put Waynesburg ahead 30-21. Storck's kick made it 31-21 in favor of the Jackets.

After halftime, the Waynesburg defense continued its improved play and junior cornerback Sean Hunt intercepted his team-leading fifth pass of the year to give the ball to the Jackets at their own 20-yard line.

On the ensuing possession, Dawson found a wide open Jeff Young, who took the ball the rest of the way for a 57-yard scoring play. After Storck converted another PAT try, Waynesburg found itself ahead 38-21 early in the second half.

The Jacket defense made another big play on the ensuing drive as freshman defensive lineman Brandon Fedorka scooped up a fumble and rumbled 22 yards the other way to give his offense the ball back at the Golden Tornado one-yard line. On the very next play from scrimmage, freshman running back Dominick Moore pounded in yet another Waynesburg touchdown which, when combined with a Storck PAT, made it 45-21 in favor of the road team.   

Geneva got back into the game with a touchdown and a two-point conversion right before the end of the third quarter that cut the score to 45-29. However, the Jackets got some of the points back on their next possession when Storck capped a 10-play, 58-yard trip downfield with an 18-yard chip shot field goal that made it 48-29 Jackets.

The Golden Tornadoes cut further into Waynesburg's lead a few drives later with a 75-yard touchdown run by senior running back Gerard Muschette. After the long sprint to pay dirt, the Jackets were holding on to a 48-35 lead. But, the visitors struck right back with a 64-yard jaunt to the end zone by Ngampa on the very next play from scrimmage. It was the freshman's longest collegiate run, and after Storck nailed down another kick, the Jackets were back ahead by three scores (55-35).

Geneva managed to put together one last scoring drive, but it was too little, too late and Waynesburg was able to celebrate a hard fought victory.

As previously mentioned, Dawson stole the show and looked more like the man who threw for almost 2,800 yards in 2009. The Pittsburgh native threw for a season-high 336 yards on 19-of-30 passing. He also rushed for 50 yards on six carries, giving him 386 total yards and four touchdowns on the day.

Ngampa went for a team-high 83 yards rushing and two touchdowns on just seven carries. Young hauled in a Waynesburg-best five catches for a season-high 125 yards and a score.

Muschette, the leading rusher in the PAC this year, did his part to try and pull out a victory by going for 226 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. He also caught five passes for 38 yards and two more scores.

Defensively, Williams led the way for Waynesburg with a game-high 10 tackles, all solo stops. Junior defensive tackle #Darryl Moore, Jr.# recorded two tackles for loss and a sack.

The two teams combined for 1,099 yards of total offense (560 for Geneva, 539 for Waynesburg). Time of possession was also very even between the two teams, with the Yellow Jackets holding the ball for 30:12 seconds, and the Golden Tornadoes possessing the rock for 29:48.

Waynesburg returns home next week for the first of four games at John F. Wiley Stadium over the final five weeks of the season. The Yellow Jackets host one of their most familiar rivals, Westminster, for Homecoming.