WAYNESBURG, Pa. (Nov. 14) – There have been plenty of highs and lows during the 2026 football season, which was the first under head coach
Larry Wilson and his staff. After 10 weeks, one thing is clear: these Yellow Jackets don't quit.
That mental toughness and fortitude was on full display during Saturday's chilly senior day clash against Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) rival Bethany. The Jackets overcame a nine-point halftime deficit and a speedy Bison squad that seemed determine to get under the host team's skin to score three fourth quarter touchdowns and end the campaign with a 31-28 victory that fans won't forget any time soon.
With the win, Waynesburg (4-6, 4-4) produced its first three-game winning streak since 2018. It also logged three-straight regular season wins to end a year for the first time since 2003.
The Jackets came flying out of the gates when sophomore
Kyan Kline (Kittaning, Pa. / Armstrong) took the opening kick and returned it 61 yards to the Bison (4-6, 2-5) 23-yard line. Two plays later, junior quarterback
Luke Hudson (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) found junior
Colton Lee (Belle Vernon, Pa. / Belle Vernon), who jumped over the defender in the front corner of the endzone to put the host squad up 6-0.
The Orange and Black took that slim edge into the second quarter, but Bethany grabbed the lead on its first possession of the period.
Midway through the quarter, the Waynesburg defense gave the offense another short field when senior
Ewing Jamison (Jefferson, Pa. / Jefferson-Morgan) forced and recovered a fumble at the Bethany 26.
Junior
Isaiah Fields (Cumberland, Md. / Allegany) starred on a four-play possession during which he rushed for 13 yards and proceeded to catch a 13-yard touchdown pass with a little over seven minutes remaining in the half.
The final half of the quarter belonged to Bethany, which logged a pair of touchdowns to take a 21-12 lead into the locker room.
The Bison maintained their nine-point advantage throughout the third quarter by frustrating the Jacket offense. However, Waynesburg took possession with 16 minutes left to play ready to wrestle control of the contest back from the visitors.
Things didn't look great for the Orange and Black after the Bethany punter unleashed a 73-yard punt, the longest in the PAC this year, that pinned the Jackets down at their own 13. Hudson stepped up to the challenge and completed 7-of-8 passes for 87 yards. The final throw was a perfectly timed ball that landed in the arms of Lee in the endzone from 25 yards out that brought the silent crowd to life. Senior
Drew Pinkerton (Fayetteville, Pa. / Chambersburg) connected on his final collegiate extra point to cut his team's deficit down to 21-19 with just over 12 minutes left to play.
The Jackets got the ball back with 6:15 left to play at their 45 and Hudson got things rolling by scrambling for 11 yards and a first down on third-and-10. After moving into striking range following one of Bethany's 16 penalties that gave Waynesburg 160 yards, Hudson found freshman
Zach Michael (LaVale, Md. / Allegany) wide open in the right hand flat. The big tight end juked out a defender and found the endzone from 12 yards out to put his team back ahead for the first time since the second quarter at 25-21.
The lead was short-lived, as Bethany took the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown to make the score 28-25. However, the Bison gave the ball back to a red-hot Waynesburg offense with 3:09 showing on the scoreboard.
The drive was in danger of stalling, but a two-yard keeper by Hudson allowed Waynesburg to convert a fourth-and-one situation. A few plays later, Waynesburg faced a first-and-20 at the Bison 31. Hudson continued his hot play with a 17-yard completion to Lee. He went right back to the junior on the next play for the game's final touchdown with less than 30 seconds showing on the clock.
Bethany took the kickoff back to its own 32 and the Jacket defense jogged onto the field in front of a fired up home crowd that was ravenous for one final stop. After a holding penalty pushed the visitors back 10 yards to the 22, Bethany's quarterback unleashed a pass down to the home 45 where junior
Jeremiah Hall (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Pittsburgh Perry) stepped in front of the intended receiver for the game-clinching interception that set off a raucous celebration on the sideline and in the bleachers at John F. Wiley Stadium.
Despite some struggles in the middle portion of the game, Hudson showed he could thrive in Coach Wilson's offense by completing 29-of-48 passes for 309 yards and his second-straight five-touchdown pass performance, which tied for the most scoring tosses in a game in the PAC this season. He added 10 yards rushing on three carries.
Lee not only produced his biggest collegiate game to date, put produced one of the finest showings by a Yellow Jacket receiver in recent memory. He snared eight passes for a game-high 136 yards and three scores. Lee was complemented by Fields, who pulled in a contest-best 10 grabs for 71 yards and a score. Those 10 catches tied for second-most in a game in the conference in 2026.
Jamison capped his collegiate career by leading Waynesburg in total tackles (8) and solo stops (7). He added two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a sack. Fellow senior
Joanes Polynice (Winter Garden, Fla. / West Orange) added seven total tackles, six solo stops and a tackle for loss.
Speaking of seniors who gave a memorable final performance, 255-pound senior defensive lineman
John Johnson III (Glenrock, Pa. / Susquehannock) showed off surprisingly soft hands when he plucked a deflected ball out of the air for his first collegiate interception.
Freshman
Jumah Byrd (Washington, D.C. / Coolidge) produced a game-high 2.5 tackles for loss.
