WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Oct. 18) – Things started well for the Waynesburg University football team during Saturday's Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) battle with Geneva. The Yellow Jacket defense seemed to be able keep pace with the high-octane Golden Tornado passing game and built an early 6-0 lead.
 
Unfortunately, Geneva (4-3, 4-1) eventually found its rhythm and took full advantage of seven Waynesburg (2-5, 2-3) turnovers to score 49 of the game's final 56 points on its way to a 62-20 win.
 
The Jackets scored the first six points of the contest on a pair of short field goals from junior kicker Drew Pinkerton (Fayetteville, Pa. / Chambersburg). The Waynesburg defense and special teams did their parts to set up the early scores by forcing and recovering two fumbles that set up the successful kicks.
 
Geneva fired back with two field goals of its own to tie the score at 6-6 at the end of the first quarter. The visitors then took advantage of a Waynesburg fumble to set up a short 12-yard touchdown drive.
 
The home team responded quickly with a six-play drive that covered 60 yards and concluded with sophomore quarterback Luke Hudson (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) connecting with his former high school teammate, sophomore Elija Jackson (Morgantown, W.Va. / University), on a 22-yard touchdown pass. After Pinkerton knocked in the PAT, the scored was tied 13-13 with 9:32 left in the first half.
 
Two drives later, Geneva scored the first of five unanswered touchdowns to take a 48-13 lead and put the game out of reach.
 
Waynesburg tallied its final score of the game with its biggest highlight of the day that saw sophomore running back Kaden Ebron (McKinney, Texas / Allen) take off on a 75-yard sprint to the end zone.
 
That scoring run allowed Ebron to lead all rushers with 116 yards on 10 carries.
 
Hudson completed 10-of-28 attempts for 152 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.
 
Junior Joanes Polynice (Winter Garden, Fla. / West Orange) continued his recent strong play by pacing all defenders with a game-high nine total tackles. He added a tackle for loss, half a sack and a pass breakup.
 
Waynesburg is on the road for the next weeks, with their first trip taking them north up I-79 for a PAC showdown with Washington & Jefferson on Saturday, Oct. 25. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.