WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Nov. 8) – The Waynesburg University football team went into Saturday's season finale against Saint Vincent knowing it had one last chance to build momentum for the offseason. The Yellow Jackets did just that with highlight reel plays in all three aspects of the game that powered the home team to a 35-24 senior day win.
 
Things started slowly for the Jackets (4-6, 4-4), who yielded a touchdown to the Bearcats (2-7, 1-6) on the first drive of the game. Things didn't get any better in Waynesburg's first offensive possession of the day, which ended in a punt.
 
After a sack from sophomore Isshak Adam (Carnegie, Pa. / Chartiers Valley) brought the Saint Vincent punt unit to the field, junior Ethan Floyd (Philippi, W.Va. / Philip Barbour) slashed through the protection and recorded the block. Not only did he turn back the kick, but he plucked the ball out of the year and drug a defender into the end zone for the Jackets' second special teams touchdown in as many games.
 
Junior kicker Drew Pinkerton (Fayetteville, Pa. / Chambersburg) added the extra point to tie the score at 7-7 6:49 into the contest.
 
The ensuing Bearcat possession lasted just four plays thanks to freshman Jaron Hale (Kimball, W.Va. / Mount View), who forced and recovered a fumble at midfield. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gave Waynesburg possession at the opposing 35-yard line.
 
Sophomore quarterback Luke Hudson (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) connected with senior Isaac Trout (Ruffs Dale, Pa. / Southmoreland) on a 32-yard catch-and-run that put the line of scrimmage at the Bearcat three-yard line. One play later, junior running back Carson Shriver (Fairview, W.Va. / Clay-Battelle) pounded in his first of three touchdown runs on the day to give the home team its first lead of the day at 14-7.
 
Saint Vincent fared better against the Waynesburg defense on the ensuing possession and tied the score (14-14) thanks to a four-play, 70-yard march to the endzone. That was also the score when the first quarter came to its conclusion.
 
The only points of period number two gave the visitors their last lead of the afternoon following a field goal with just three seconds left to play in the opening half. Saint Vincent went into the locker room with that 17-14 edge.
 
Saturday's third quarter proved to be 15 of Waynesburg's best minutes of the 2025 campaign, as it outscored the Green and Gold 21-0 and sealed the win.
 
Waynesburg took the opening kickoff of the third quarter back to its own 19-yard line. The Jackets then embarked on a 13-play marathon march to pay dirt to regain the lead at 21-17. A 31-yard pass play from Hudson to his former high school teammate Elija Jackson (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) was the highlight of the possession that moved the line of scrimmage into Bearcat territory.
 
Shriver bulldozed into the heart of the Bearcat defense from one yard out to cap the drive with the go-ahead score.
 
After forcing Saint Vincent's offense into a three-and-out, Waynesburg went to work from its own 46.
 
Another big Hudson-to-Jackson pass play covered 24 yards on third-and-10 to keep the possession moving into Bearcat territory. Three plays later, Hudson found senior tight end Giovanni Cipoletti (Amity, Pa. / Trinity) for his second touchdown grab of the year. That play proved to be the eventual game winner, as it put the host team ahead 28-17 late in the third quarter.
 
Saint Vincent tried to spark the offense with a fake punt on fourth-and-12 from its own 30. However, junior Dacious Passmore (Ocala, Fla. / Forest) and freshman Marcus Mitchell (Chicago, Ill. / Joliet Catholic) sniffed out the attempt and brought the Bearcat punter down well short of the line to gain.
 
After taking over at the Saint Vincent 34, Shriver needed just one play to break free from the opposing defense and race 34 yards for his third-and-final touchdown run of the day with 12 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
 
Waynesburg then went into the fourth quarter holding a 35-17 advantage.
 
Though the Jacket offense was unable to produce anymore points, the defense still had some big plays up its sleeve, including Hale's second forced turnover of the day, this one being an interception early in the quarter.
 
The Bearcats shook off the turnover and tallied the day's final points with 7:42 showing on the game clock.
 
Polynice helped seal the win with his second interception of the season with just over two minutes remaining in the contest.
 
Saint Vincent showed no signs of giving up despite taking possession of the ball with just 19 seconds left in the game. They were able to gain 46 yards in the drive but ran out of clock after reaching the Waynesburg one yard line.
 
Shriver posted his second-straight game with at least 100 yards rushing by piling up 119 of them and his three scores on 25 carries.
 
Hudson concluded an up-and-down sophomore season with a more-than-respectful showing against Saint Vincent. He completed 18-of-21 passes (85.71 percentage percentage) for 205 yards and Jackson proved to be his favorite target, as he reeled in seven catches for 78 yards.
 
Junior Ewing Jamison (Jefferson, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan) paced the Jacket defense with 10 tackles, eight of which were solo stops. He also forced a fumble.