WASHINGTON, Pa. (Nov. 11) – When camp opened for the Waynesburg University football team, expectations were sky high for the 2023 season. The Yellow Jackets were coming off a 4-6 season and had brought in an 80-plus-man recruiting class of talented freshmen and transfers.
 
Unfortunately, that potential never really panned out to produced consistent winning efforts. After gathering just two wins over its first nine games, Waynesburg desperately needed something to kickstart the offseason in preparation for 2024. It didn't look like that motivation would be found over the first 30 minutes of Saturday's game at Washington & Jefferson, as the Presidents built a 33-7 halftime lead.
 
Then, the third quarter got underway.
 
After losing their last three meetings with W&J by a combined score of 177-0, the Jackets proved that they could play with the best in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) by outscoring the home team 21-0 in the second half. Unfortunately, the Jackets couldn't complete what would have been one of the greatest comebacks in program history, as the Presidents escaped with a 33-28 win.
 
After setting a new program record for rushing yards in a game last week, sophomore Zayne Cawley (Huntingtown, Md. / Huntingtown) put the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) on notice that he was not a one-week wonder. Cawley powered the Jacket offense by rushing for a game-high 158 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Those were the most yards given up on the ground by W&J (8-2, 8-2) to a single player this season.
 
Seven of those yards capped an eight-play, 62-yard possession late in the first quarter that put the Jackets on the board. Unfortunately, W&J had already posted a 14-0 advantage. The home team added three second-quarter touchdowns and looked primed for a blowout as it entered halftime with its 26-point lead.
 
After the Jackets punted on their opening drive of the third quarter, W&J drove the football down to the Waynesburg one. After stuffing the Presidents' first attempt to pound the ball in from three feet out, senior Jaquaivis Valle-Smith (Orlando, Fla. / Winter Park) knifed in and forced the ball loose. Senior Monroe Mohler (Union, W.Va. / James Monroe) pounced on the pig skin in the endzone and gave possession to his offense.
 
Waynesburg took over at the 20-yard-line and responded by putting together an 11-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by Cawley's second scoring run of the day, this one coming from 11 yards out. Cawley racked up 48 yards on seven carries during the possession. Sophomore kicker Ricco Sastoque (Concord, N.C. / Northwest Cabbarus) knocked in his second of four extra point tries.
 
The Jacket special teams took center stage by pinning W&J back at its own 18 on the kickoff. Three plays later, the last of which was a sack by freshman Diontae Givens (McKees Rocks, Pa. / Sto-Rox), the Presidents lined up to punt. Senior Caleb Negley (Washington, Pa. / Trinity) came up with arguably his biggest play as a Yellow Jacket when he blocked the kick and gave the ball back to the offense at the four-yard-line.
 
Despite being backed up five yards on a false start penalty, Waynesburg needed just one play to return to the end zone. Junior quarterback Samuel Barber (Johnstown, Pa. / Greater Johnstown) scrambled over the goal line from nine yards away to make the score 33-20.
 
Another Sastoque PAT cut Waynesburg's deficit to 12 at 33-21.
 
Once again, the Presidents drove into Yellow Jacket territory, but were faced with a fourth-and-two at the Waynesburg 13. Rather than attempting a field goal, W&J kept its offense on the field. Waynesburg made sure the gamble didn't pay off as Valle-Smith and sophomore Jemuel Cypress (Seat Pleasant, Md. / Charles Herbert Flowers) combined to bring down the ball carrier after just a yard was gained, giving possession to the visitors with 12:41 showing on the game clock.
 
Unfortunately, the President defense responded with an interception that set the offense up at the WU 35. Waynesburg's defense countered with another impactful play when the Presidents faced a fourth-and-five at the Jacket 30. This time, it was senior Chase Nicomatti (Port Vue, Pa. / South Allegheny), whose fourth sack of the season caused another turnover on downs that gave the Yellow Jackets possession at their own 34.
 
After the two teams traded possessions, Waynesburg took the ball at its own 24 with 3:24 left to play. The Jackets managed to move the ball down to the President 23, but faced a fourth-and-10. Staring down a do-or-die situation, Barber turned to junior Dakota Romantino (Charleroi, Pa. / Charleroi), who not only converted the fourth down with a catch, but found the end zone with just over one minute left in the contest.
 
After Sastoque converted the PAT try, the Jackets lined up for the onside kick. Unfortunately, W&J was able to gather in the onside kick and stave off Waynesburg's memorable comeback try.
 
Not only did Cawley eclipse 150 yards rushing for a second-straight game, but he also pulled in a personal collegiate-best eight catches for 49 yards, giving him 200-plus yards of offense in consecutive contests.
 
Barber completed16-of-25 pass attempts for 125 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
 
Freshman Ewing Jamison (Jefferson, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan) broke out for a team-high 11 tackles, including a game-best seven solo stops. Freshman Quilik Wooten (Capitol Heights, Md. / Flowers) tied Jamison with seven solo tackles and assisted on two more on the day.