Box Score
EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. (Sept. 11) – Last year, the Waynesburg University football team won a wild non-conference shootout on the road at the College of Wooster to open its season. Fast forward one year and the Yellow Jackets were once again involved in a shootout away from John F. Wiley Stadium. This time, however, the Jackets were on the wrong end of 38-35 score as they fell to Wilkes University.
The game was played as part of the “PAC-MAC Football Challenge Series,” which pitted members of the Presidents' Athletic Conference against teams from the Middle Atlantic Conference. It was the first time the two schools have faced each other on the gridiron.
While their offense was as potent as the one that led the PAC last year, a slew of interceptions and 78 yards in penalties played a big role in Waynesburg's downfall.
Wilkes opened up the scoring on their second drive of the ball game when quarterback Tyler Bernsten connected with Shawn Gregson on a 26-yard touchdown play that capped a nine-play, 67-yard march to the end zone. Chris Horn's extra point put the home team up 7-0.
The lead only lasted around five minutes, however, as senior quarterback Brad Dawson led his offense down the field on the ensuing drive to tie the ball game. Dawson completed five-of-six pass attempts on the possession, including his first touchdown of the year, which went to sophomore tight end Adam Moses. The 11-yard strike, combined with an extra point from sophomore kicker Jon Storck made the score 7-7. The marathon possession covered 80 yards in 12 plays.
The Colonels regained the lead early in the second quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by Zach Tivald that capped a nine-play, 55-yard drive. Already leading 14-7, Wilkes capitalized on the first of four interceptions thrown by Dawson. With the ball back in their possession at the Jackets' 12-yard line, the home team needed just two plays to go ahead 21-7. Bernsten hooked up with Jordan D'Emilio for an 11-yard point-producing strike to finish the 40-second possession.
Things went from bad to worse for Waynesburg as Dawson was picked off once again, this time at the Jacket 34-yard line. Again, Bernsten wasted little time as he found Todd Eagles for a 34-yard touchdown pass on the first and only play of the drive. A fourth PAT from Horn made it 28-7 Colonels and it looked like an unexpected route was on.
However, the Jackets clawed their way back into the game with 14 unanswered points before the end of the half. With just under five minutes left in the quarter, Waynesburg began an eight-play, 64-yard drive that resulted in freshman Dominic Moore recording his first collegiate touchdown on a one-yard plunge over the goal line. Storck's extra point cut the lead to 28-14.
The Waynesburg defense did its part on Wilkes' next possession by forcing a three-and-out and giving the Jackets the ball back at their own 33-yard line. With just 54 seconds to go until halftime, the visitors aggressively went to work.
Dawson quickly got his team into scoring position with a 41-yard completion to wide out Jeff Young on the first play of the drive. Another completion to Young moved Waynesburg to their opponent's 14-yard line and on the very next play, the senior signal-caller hit sophomore receiver Christian Jackson with his second touchdown pass of the day. A third PAT from Storck trimmed the deficit down to 28-21, which was the game score at halftime.
Unfortunately, Wilkes was able to regain the momentum early in the third quarter. On the opening drive of the half, the Colonels marched 66 yards down the field in eight plays. Bernsten recorded his fourth touchdown of the afternoon to cap the drive, this time scampering in from six yards out to re-establish a two-touchdown lead. Horn knocked the extra point through to make the score 35-21 in favor of the home team.
Two drives later, Waynesburg got right back into the thick of things with a 13-play drive that went 66 yards and lasted 4:46. The capper was a second hookup between Dawson and Jackson, this time from 12 yards out. After Storck added the PAT, Waynesburg again trailed by just seven (35-28).
Still leading by seven going into the fourth quarter, Horn scored the eventual game-winning points on a 21-yard field goal nine seconds into the final period. Trailing 38-28, Waynesburg made one last push for victory.
An interception by junior Sean Hunt set the Yellow Jackets up at the Waynesburg 45-yard line. From there, the usually pass happy Jackets turned to their young stable of running backs to drive them 55 yards down the field on 11 plays. Moore found the end zone from four yards out to put a positive end to the possession. One more extra point from Storck cut the lead to 38-35.
With 8:23 to go in the game, Wilkes took over, but junior linebacker Scott Bogdan pounced on a Wilkes fumble to give the Jackets the ball with 3:04 showing on the clock. Facing a fourth and 12 with the game on the line, Dawson kept the drive alive with a 29-yard completion to senior wide receiver Brent Heckel that put the ball at the Waynesburg 39 with around a minute left to play.
Two plays later, Dawson hooked up with senior receiver Dylan Davis for 15 yards and a first down at the Wilkes 42. Unfortunately, two plays later, Dawson was intercepted by the Colonels' Greg Nielsen, allowing the home team to come out and kneel on the football to run out the rest of the clock.
Waynesburg out-gained their opponents to the tune of a 452-379 advantage. Dawson completed 23-of-44 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. Young, Heckel and Jackson pulled in a team-high four catches each, with Young going for a game-high 70 yards. Senior Troy Garove paced a balanced running attack that saw five different Jackets record at least one carry. Garove went for a game-high 97 yards on 18 carries. Freshman Bertrand Ngampa picked up 71 yards on 13 totes.
Tivald paced the Colonel running game with 88 yards and a score on 17 carries. The Wilkes passing game, which featured two different quarterbacks splitting time throughout the contest, as much more effective with Bernsten at the controls. He hit on 11-of-16 attempts for 129 yards and three scores. D'Emilio was the top target in the aerial attack with a game-high five catches for 62 yards and a score.
Sophomore defensive back Bryan Gary looked good in his starting debut. He made a team-high 10 tackles (five solo stops) and helped out on a tackle for loss. Standout junior defensive lineman #Darryl Moore, Jr.# recorded a game-high 2.5 tackles for loss, including one sack, as part of an eight-tackle day.
Nielsen led the Wilkes defense with two interceptions and six total tackles.
The Jackets will need to put the disappointment of their season-opening loss behind them as they kick off PAC play next weekend with a road trip to Thiel. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
