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Westminster (PA) edges W&J 19-17 in PAC Opener |
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by Joseph Onderko, Sports Information Director, Westminster (PA) |
| NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster Titan football team made its debut Presidents'
Athletic Conference (PAC) contest one to remember Saturday in Washington, Pa., as the Titans posted a 19-17 road
upset of defending league champion Washington & Jefferson College. Westminster improved to 3-1 overall and
1-0 against PAC competition with the win while the Presidents, who entered the game undefeated and ranked #10 in
the AFCA Division III Top 25, dropped to 3-1, 0-1. Keying the win was the Titan defense, which recorded a school-record 10 sacks in the win, with the last by senior Charles Szabo (Smithton/Geibel H.S.) resulting in a safety with 3:25 to play and breaking a 17-17 tie. Westminster has now faced undefeated teams in each of its first four games, winning three of them. After a scoreless opening period, Westminster opened the scoring with 11:38 to play in the second period on a 22-yard field goal by junior kicker Jon McCartney (Fredonia/Reynolds H.S.), which capped a 14-play, 75-yard drive. W&J answered with its own field goal from 27 yards out with 5:31 to play in the half to knot the score 3-3. The Presidents then took a 10-3 lead into halftime, as Brian Dawson connected with Ryan Silvis from 26 yards out. W&J was poised to add to the lead late in the third period, but a Dawson pass was picked off by senior cornerback Aaron Stamp (Boardman, OH/Cardinal Mooney H.S.) to snuff out a drive. Westminster then responded with an 11-play, 73-yard drive capped by a nine-yard scoring strike from senior QB James Graham (Wampum/Shenango H.S.) to senior wideout Derek Black (Butler/Butler Area H.S.) to tie the game 10-10. Westminster retook the lead at 17-10 with eight minutes to play on a four-yard goal-line fullback run by junior linebacker Eric Witt (Connellsville/Connellsville Area H.S.), only to see W&J respond by driving 5the length of the field and scoring on a Jon Pons 1-yard run with 6:03 to play. W&J held Westminster on its next possession, forcing the Titans to punt. A 49-yard McCartney punt backed the Presidents' up to their own 11 with 4:13 to play. After a one-yard loss on first down and facing a 2nd-and-11 at their own 10, Dawson was sacked in the end zone by Szabo, giving the Titans their winning margin. Westminster took the free kick at its own 46 with 3:15 to play and proceeded to hold the ball the rest of the game, marching to the W&J 5-yard line on eight plays to end the game. Graham was 15-of-24 through the air for 160 yards for the Titans, while senior running back John Ciavarra (Greensburg/Hempfield H.S.) posted his second 100-yard rushing effort of the season with 124 yards rushing on 28 carries (4.4 avg.). Senior wide receiver Brian Lipiello (Pittsburgh/Brentwood H.S.) led all Titan receivers with five receptions for 43 yards. Defensively, Szabo had a hand in four sacks and posted six tackles for losses of 32 yards, while sophomore Erick Pabis (Belle Vernon/Belle Vernon H.S.) also had a hand in two sacks. Westminster held W&J to -4 yards rushing for the game (the second time WC has held an opponent to minus-rushing yards this year) and just 206 yards of total offense in the contest. Westminster returns home to Burry Stadium next Saturday, Oct. 7, as the Titans celebrate Homecoming 2000 by hosting PAC rival Bethany College (4-1, 0-1 PAC) at 1:30 p.m. |
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