WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Sept. 20) – The Waynesburg University football team contended with a nearly four-hour lightning delay and Hiram but would not be denied its first win of the season, earning a 35-27 victory over the Terriers on Saturday evening in the Presidents' Athletic Conference opener at John F. Wiley Stadium.

The first-ever meeting between Waynesburg and Hiram kicked off at 1 p.m. The Yellow Jackets (1-2, 1-0 PAC) went into the locker room leading 21-14. Right before the start of the second half, lightning was spotted in the area and persisted until play resumed at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Senior running back Zayne Cawley (Huntingtown, Md. / Huntingtown) rushed for 230 yards and three touchdowns to lead Waynesburg. The contest marked the third 200-yard rushing performance of his career.

Hiram quarterback Sean Tejeda passed for 439 yards and three touchdowns, but freshman cornerback Marcus Crum Jr. (Warren, Ohio / Warren G. Harding) intercepted him twice, including on the game's final possession to seal the win.

Sophomore quarterback Luke Hudson (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) made his first career start and went 17-for-19 passing for 174 yards and two touchdowns.

Fresh out of the lengthy delay, Hiram muffed the opening kickoff of the second half and went three-and-out, punting from its own end zone. Waynesburg took over at the Terriers' 36-yard line and ran the ball on six straight plays, the last a six-yard Cawley touchdown to extend the lead to 28-14.

Early in the fourth quarter, Waynesburg's advantage swelled to 35-14 as sophomore wide receiver Elija Jackson (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) took a touch pass from Hudson for a 15-yard touchdown.

The Terriers scored on their next two drives to cut the margin to 35-27 with 1:43 left. Cawley ripped off a 38-yard run to begin the Jackets' ensuing drive, but Hiram used its timeouts to force a turnover on downs at the Hiram 30 with 1:04 remaining.

Hiram drove inside the Waynesburg 20 in the final seconds and took three shots at the end zone. Crum ended the threat with his second interception of the day with three seconds left.

The win was Waynesburg's first in a conference opener since 2022.

The teams traded touchdowns on their opening drives. A 38-yard completion from Hudson to sophomore wide receiver Isaiah Fields (Cumberland, Md. / Allegany) set up a one-yard Cawley run.

Hiram converted one fourth down and two third downs before tying the game on a six-yard touchdown rush by Isaiah Livingstone.

The Terriers took a 14-7 lead in the first minute of the second quarter on an 84-yard catch-and-run by Kevin Dycks.

Waynesburg faced a fourth-and-3 from the Hiram 43 and moved the chains thanks to a defensive pass-interference penalty. On the next snap, Hudson connected with junior wide receiver Tyler Richmond (Carmichaels, Pa. / Carmichaels) for a 28-yard touchdown, with Richmond catching the ball inside the five and stretching over the goal line to knot the score at 14.

On Hiram's next possession, sophomore defensive lineman Isshak Adam (Carnegie, Pa. / Chartiers Valley) recorded a sack to set up a third-and-15, and Crum picked off Tejeda's pass, returning it inside the Hiram 20 with under three minutes left in the half.

The Jackets initially appeared to settle for a short field goal, but a running-into-the-kicker penalty gave them a first down. Cawley then rushed for a seven-yard touchdown to put Waynesburg ahead 21-14.

In the final minute of the half, Hiram had a 61-yard touchdown negated by an illegal shift. The Terriers reached the Waynesburg 20 and threw to the end zone on the last snap, but junior linebacker Julius Darling (Winchester, Va. / John Handley) broke up the pass to preserve the seven-point halftime edge.

Seven different Jackets caught a pass. Fields, Richmond and Cawley each had three receptions, with Fields leading the way at 62 yards. Richmond and Jackson both hauled in scoring passes.

Junior linebacker Ewing Jamison (Jefferson, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan) paced Waynesburg with 12 tackles, including one for loss. Adam added 1.5 sacks as the Jackets posted a season-high six tackles for loss and three sacks.

Waynesburg travels to Thiel next Saturday for a 3 p.m. PAC matchup.