MEADVILLE, Pa. (Sept. 19) – The Waynesburg University football team took its first road trip of the season to face off with Allegheny in a non-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) matchup between the two league members. The Yellow Jackets battled, but several costly late blunders allowed the Gators to take the 38-20 win.
Things started slowly for both teams, as neither offense was able to produce any points during the first quarter. However, for the second-straight week, the Waynesburg (0-3) defense was able to put points on the board. Senior linebacker
Joanes Polynice (Winter Garden, Fla. / West Orange) not only recorded his second interception in as many weeks, but scored his second touchdown in as many weeks, this time taking the pick back 35 yards for the game-opening score. The extra point by senior
Drew Pinkerton (Fayetteville, Pa. / Chambersburg) gave the Yellow Jackets a 7-0 lead.
The visitors nearly got into halftime with their one-score edge intact, but the Gators (3-0) were able to strike pay dirt with just seconds remaining in the second quarter to tie things up 7-7, which was also the tally at halftime.
Waynesburg retook the lead on the first drive of the third quarter, as junior quarterback
Luke Hudson (Morgantown, W.Va. / University) guided his offense on an 11-play, 73-yard drive that concluded with a 12-yard scoring toss to sophomore
Landon Cawley (Huntingtown, Md. / Huntingtown) 4:29 into the third.
The homestanding Gators responded with 10-straight points to surge ahead 17-14, but the Jackets had an answer early in the fourth. Cawley scored his second of the night, this one coming on the ground with his team facing a fourth-and-one situation at the Gator six. Cawley not only got the first down but rolled over a downed defender and into the endzone to put his team ahead 20-17.
Unfortunately, that was the Jackets' last lead of the night, as Allegheny found the end zone on the ensuing drive to take the lead for good at 24-20. The host squad added insurance touchdowns on a high punt snap that was recovered for a score and an interception taken back for six more points to seal the win.
Polynice added a sack, a pass breakup and six total tackles on the evening. Senior
Julian King (Pittsburgh, Pa. / North Catholic) recorded two of the Jackets' six sacks. The unit also racked up eight tackles for loss.
Waynesburg officially opens PAC play next week when it returns home to face an old familiar foe in Westminster. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
