PITTSBURGH, Pa. (Sept. 16) – The Waynesburg University football team traveled to Pittsburgh for its toughest test of the season: the 15
th-ranked Carnegie Mellon Tartans. The Yellow Jackets produced some definite highlights, but the two-time defending Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) champions showed why they are the heavy favorites to hoist the trophy in 2023 by downing Waynesburg 41-10.
Though the Jacket (0-3, 0-3) defense continued to work through its early season struggles with giving up points, it produced no shortage of big plays. Senior
Jaquaivis Valle-Smith (Orlando, Fla. / Winter Park) not only produced a game-high 12 tackles and a contest-best six solo stops, but he also grabbed one of three Yellow Jacket interceptions.
Sophomore
Zyaire Corteguera (Lancaster, Pa. / JP McCaskey) and senior
Monroe Mohler (Union, W.Va. / James Monroe) also posted picks to snuff out Carnegie Mellon (3-0, 3-0) possessions.
Junior
Jaheim Williams (Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep) put together his best game of the season by logging 2.0 tackles for loss and half a sack as part of a seven-tackle performance.
Offensively, Waynesburg was led by sophomore running back
Zayne Cawley (Huntingtown, Md. / Huntingtown), who tallied a game-high 53 yards rushing, 40 of which came on a fourth-quarter touchdown run.
Junior quarterback
Samuel Barber (Johnstown, Pa. / Greater Johnstown) bounced back from an 0-for-7 start throwing the football, by completing 13 of his final 21 attempts for 120 yards without an interception. Sophomore
Isaac Trout (Ruffs Dale, Pa. / Southmoreland pulled in a team-high four receptions for 23 yards.
Sophomore kicker
Ricco Sastoque (Concord, N.C. / Northwest Cabbarus) provided Waynesburg's other points on the day when he knocked in a 37-yard field goal late in the first half that made the score 20-3 in favor of Carnegie Mellon. Those were the first three points allowed by the Tartans this year.
The Jackets return to John F. Wiley Stadium next weekend when they host Westminster for homecoming. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.