District College Football Recap for Saturday, October 25th

By: Bruce Markey
Sunday, October 26, 2014 | 10:31 AM

Week 8 of the district college football slate saw an upset in the NEC, W & J continues to look for another PAC title and Geneva ended a long losing streak. Here are recaps of ALL the games, including two heard here on the Network:

W & J 34 – Case Western Reserve 24
The 16th ranked Presidents remained unbeaten and on top of the PAC standings with the win at Cameron Stadium. Ryan Ruffing ran for 111 yards and scored four touchdowns in the win, three of those scores came in the second half, as the Presidents trailed 9-6 at the break.

Ruffing opened the scoring on a 4 yard run, but the extra point was blocked and returned by Aaron Weisberg for a defensive conversion. Billy Beecher hit Manny Sicre with a 3 yard touchdown midway thru the second to give the Spartans the halftime lead.

W & J took over the game in the third, Billy Kelley intercepted Beecher and returned it 34 yards for a Pick 6. Pete Coughlin led the Presidents down the field on the next possession, hitting Ruffing for a 20 yard touchdown, the former TJ star also scored on a 4 yard run to put W & J up 27-9 after three.

Adam Hochman broke a 39 yard run for Case Western, but Ruffing scored with two minutes remaining on a 2 yard run to seal the win. Beecher hit Ethan Albers for a 6 yard touchdown to close out the scoring.

Coughlin, the former USC quarterback, threw for 329 yards on 32 of 47. Jesse Zubik had 11 catches for 130 yards, Daniel Lis had 6 catches, Ruffing 5. W & J is now 7-0 and 5-0 in the PAC. Case Western Reserve falls to 3-4 overall and in the PAC.

Geneva 20 – Bethany 14
On Community Night at Reeves Field, the Golden Tornadoes ended a four game losing streak and ended any hopes of a PAC title for the Bison. Laurel’s Dylan Jones carried 23 times for 85 yards and the opening score of the game to lead the Geneva attack. The defense did wonders in the win, picking off 5 passes.

Malcolm Hill picked off Brian Vales and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown to give Geneva a 13-0 lead. Vales recovered to hit Western Beaver’s Eric Blinn for a 9 yard touchdown with 20 seconds left in the half.

That score held true until the fourth quarter, Anthony Carthen extended the Geneva lead on a 30 yard run, capping a 90 yard drive. Vales and Blinn hooked up again for a 7 yard touchdown with 4:08 remaining in regulation. Neither team could move the ball in their next possession, Geneva got the ball back with 2:09 remaining, the Bison only had one timeout. The Golden Tornadoes elected to take a knee and force Thiel to burn their final timeout, but fumbled on the second snap and Nathan Raddar recovered for the Bison at the Bethany 45. Vales moved the Bison down the field, including a 20 yard run, but on the third play was intercepted by Nate Cannon at the Geneva 17. Geneva was able to run out the clock and end the game with their first PAC win of the season to go to 1-3 in the PAC and 2-4 overall.

QB Aaron Channing struggled, throwing for just 104 yards on 14 of 31. Lemuel Fuller had 6 catches. For Bethany, Blinn had 9 catches for 102 yards. Vales was 24 of 47 for 266 yards.

Duquesne 48 –Alderson Broaddus 27
Devin Rahming returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a score and Ryan Ho ran for two touchdowns as the Dukes picked up their second win over a D-II opponent this season.

Alderson Broaddus was a game opponent, the Dukes pulled away in the fourth quarter in the victory.
After Rahming opened the game with the kickoff return, Brandon Jones answered with a 2 yard run to knot the game at 7. Ho scored his first touchdown on a 1 yard run, the Battlers came back with a field goal before Ryan Egolf hit Noel Oduho for a 26 yard touchdown and a 21-10 lead in the final play of the quarter. Wilson Vaughn scored on a 5 yard run early in the second, the teams traded field goals, the Dukes led 24-20 at the half.

Duquesne extended the lead in the third, Austin Crimmins kicked his second field goal of the game, Ho scored on his second 1 yard run, but the Battlers weren’t done. Donovan Olumba picked off Egolf and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown to cut the Dukes lead to seven.

Egolf redeemed himself with a 1 yard touchdown run and a 34 yard touchdown pass to the FCS’ leading receiver Chris King for 34 yards. Egolf, filling in for Dillon Buechel, was 15 of 29 for 229 yards, King had 5 catches. Ho ended up with 74 yards on 18 carries. Both teams are now 5-3 on the season.

Bryant 42 – Robert Morris 9
The Bulldogs led 28-0 and never looked back, the Colonials fall to 1-7 with the loss. Paul Canevari ran for 178 yards, Ricardo McCray 130, each had a touchdown in the win. Dalton Easton threw for 2 touchdowns.

Robert Morris scored on a safety and a Derik Abbott 14 yard td pass to Duane Mitchell. The Colonials had only 152 yards of offense. Bryant is 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the NEC, RMU is now 1-2 in the conference.

Saint Francis 30 – Sacred Heart 27
The Red Flash upset the #22 Pioneers on their home field on Saturday. Lance Geesey kicked a 30 yard field goal with 5:28 remaining in regulation to put Saint Francis up for good. Anthony Abeid threw for a touchdown and caught 2 td passes.

Abeid used some trickery, he threw the opening score to quarterback Zach Drayer for 33 yards. After a Sacred Heart field goal, the Pioneers took the lead on a RJ Noel 10 yard pass to Tyler Dube. Drayer connected with Abeid for a 11 yard touchdown, Saint Francis led 14-10 at the half.

Drayer tossed a 33 yard td pass to Abeid and 32 yards to Cole Bush to put the Red Flash up 27-10. Keshaduris Spence scored on a 4 yard run in the third, Noel went in from 18 yards out to cut the SFU lead to 3. Chris Rogers hit his second field goal of the game to tie the score at 27 before Geesey hit with his kick. Sacred Heart got the ball back late but Noel was picked off by Dave Coleman at midfield to end the game.

For Saint Francis, Khairi Dickson was held to 95 yards on 28 carries, Drayer threw for 242 yards on 13 of 21. The Red Flash are 2-6 overall and 1-2 in the NEC.

Spence ran for 173 yards on 24 carries, Noel threw for 185 yards but was intercepted 3 times. Sacred Heart is now 6-2 overall and 2-1 in the NEC.

Gannon 58 – Seton Hill 28
Justin Caliste became the all time receiving leader in Golden Knights history, the senior caught 3 third quarter touchdown passes in the home win as Gannon stayed alive in the PSAC West race. Both teams combined for 1,033 yards of offense, including 494 yards passing for the Golden Knights.

Liam Nadler threw for 5 touchdown passes, he also had two scoring runs for Gannon. Nadler was 33-43 for 494 yards, he ran for 57 as well. Brock Jones added 26 carries for 134 yards. Caliste broke his own school record for single game receptions with 15 for 227 yards. Jesstin Hamm had 8 catches for 143 yards and a score. Gannon is now 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the PSAC West, tied with SRU for second place, the Golden Knights take on the first place Cal Vulcans next week.

Seton Hill ran the ball only 10 times in the game. Drew Jackson returned at quarterback and threw for 323 yards on 33 of 58. FJ Williams and Eric Brown each had seven catches. The Griffins are now 2-6 overall and 2-5 in the PSAC West.

Slippery Rock 31 – IUP 21
The Rock bounced back from a two-game losing streak with a PSAC West Division win at George P. Miller Stadium. Slippery Rock jumped out to a 17-0 lead, but had to pull away in the second half again. Shamar Greene ran for 128 yards and a touchdown and the Rock defense had eight sacks and held the IUP rushing attack to just 26 yards and picked off four passes.

Greene scored on a 65 yard run early in the first quarter. Julian Durden went in for an 11 yard touchdown in the second for a 14-0 lead. After a Rock field goal, Chase Haslett tossed two touchdown passes to Drew Carswell of 20 and 5 yards, the second coming with 55 seconds left in the half.

The Rock got the passing attack going in the third quarter, Melvin German caught a 25 yard pass from Jared Buck, Buck hit Durden with a 7 yard touchdown pass midway thru the fourth. Haslett connected with Walt Pegues for a 63 yard touchdown in the final minute.

Buck was 10 of 14 for 142 yards, Greene carried 21 times, Durden had 15 totes for 80 yards, the Rock is now 6-2 overall and 5-2 in the PSAC West, SRU is still alive for the PSAC West title.

Haslett was 26-50 for 361 yards and threw for 3 touchdowns. Carswell had 8 catches for 118 yards, Pegues had 5 catches for 118 yards, Brock DeCicco also had 6 catches. IUP is 5-3 overall, the Crimson Hawks are 4-3 in the PSAC West.

California 43 – Clarion 32
The Vulcans stayed alive for the PSAC West title with the road win at Memorial Stadium. James Harris threw for 3 touchdowns as the Vulcans go to 7-1 overall.

California scored first, Harris connected with Tom Greene  for a 25 yard touchdown. The Golden Eagles came back on a Connor Simmons 9 yard run, a two point conversion gave Clarion an 8-7 lead. Terrell Roberson put California back on top on a 1 yard run and a 14-8 lead after one.

Cal scored twice in the second quarter, Harris hit Garry Brown for 22 yards and a score, then connected with Kowan Scott on a 37 yard touchdown and a 28-8 lead. But Simmons scored on a 1 yard run to cut the Vulcans lead in half at the half.

All-American defensive end Julian Howsare picked off a Harris pass and returned it to the 6 yard line, Simmons went in on the next play for his third rushing touchdown, the two-point conversion failed. After a Cody Nuzzo field for the Vulcans, Simmons scored thru the air, hitting Matt Lehman for a 73 yard touchdown, the two pointer again failed to cut the Cal lead to 31-26.

That was the closest that Clarion would get. Roberson scored on a 3 yard run in the third and Nuzzo kicked his second field goal in the fourth. Bobby Thomas scored for Clarion on a 4 yard run, but the drive took 16 plays and almost 6 minutes off the clock. Cal forced a safety in the final minute for the last score.

Roberson carried 19 times for 79 yards. Harris hit seven different receivers, Brown and Desimon Green led with four catches each. Cal is now 6-1 in the PSAC West, leading SRU and Gannon by one game. Cal meets Gannon next week.

Simmons ran for only 21 yards but for 3 scores, he threw for 376 yards on 25 of 51. Mike Dietrick had 9 catches, Lehman had 3 receptions for 101 yards. Clarion is now 2-6 overall and 2-5 in the West Division.

Waynesburg 35 – Thiel 32
Jake Forsythe scored his third touchdown of the game with 1:15 remaining on a 10 yard run to give the Yellow Jackets the win and keep their PAC title hopes alive. Forsythe carried 24 times for 200 yards, the third time he broke the 200 yard mark this season.

Roosevelt Brown ran for a 2 yard score to open the scoring for Thiel. Forsythe scored on a 56 yard run on the final play of the first quarter to tie the game. The game remained tied until the final two plus minutes of the half, Carter Hill hit Bernie Thompson for a 24 yard touchdown and a 14-7 Yellow Jackets lead, Thiel was able to tie the game again on a Ryan Radke 7 yard run, but Willie Leavell returned the kickoff out to the midfield stripe, then ran to the Tomcat 33, giving Hill time to complete 3 passes, the third to Zac Capan for a 12 yard touchdown and a 21-14 lead at the half.

There was no scoring until the fourth quarter, Brown capped a 98 yard drive with a 4 yard run, the extra point was no good, as Thiel still trailed by one. Radke hit Marcus Johnson for a 68 yard touchdown on the next possession, the two pointer failed as the Tomcats took a 26-21 lead.

Forsythe gave the Yellow Jackets the lead back on a 17 yard run, capping a 10 play 92 yard drive, the two point try failed, so Waynesburg went back up 27-26. Radke led his team down the field, hitting Marcus Johnson for a 46 yard touchdown, again the two-pointer failed, setting up Forsythe’s game winning run.

Hill was 18 of 27 for 266 yards, Thompson had 6 catches, Andrew English 5 for Waynesburg, now 7-1 overall and 5-1 in the PAC, trailing W & J by one game in the loss column.

Radke was 18 of 29 for 317 yards, he ran for 81 on 13 carries. Johnson had 10 catches for 210 yards. Thiel is now 2-5 overall and 1-4 in the PAC.

Thomas More 64 – Grove City 7
The PAC’s leading rusher returned to the lineup in a big way for the Saints on Saturday. Domonique Hayden carried 21 times for 174 yards and ran for 5 touchdowns as the Saints led 41-0 at the half. Jensen Gebhardt threw for 235 yards and a touchdown, Thomas More is now 6-2 overall and 5-1 in the PAC.

Grove City remains winless on the season, Tyler Kepple hit Luke Brancato for a 13 yard touchdown in the third quarter. The Wolverines had only 195 yards of total offense and played four quarterbacks in the loss.

Saint Vincent 38 – Carnegie Mellon 31
Andy Borgen hit DJ Osceant-Kelly with a 16 yard touchdown pass with nine minutes to play to put the Bearcats back on the winning track. Borgen brought Saint Vincent back from a 13-0 deficit, he ran for three scores and threw two touchdown passes, the first to Dustin Lowman for 86 yards.

Borgen ran for 58 yards on 14 carries, he was 15 of 23 for 254 yards passing. Oceant-Kelly had 6 catches on the day. Saint Vincent is now 3-4 overall and 3-2 in the PAC.

Andrew Hearon ran for a score and threw for 3 more for CMU, now 3-4 overall and in the PAC. Hearon was 17 of 30 for 279 yards, but he was picked off three times. Sam Benger ran 18 times for 104 yards, he also caught a touchdown pass.