Presidents look to right ship against Thomas More
There is a way Washington & Jefferson College’s football team can make amends for last week’s loss at Bethany.
Beat Thomas More tonight at Cameron Stadium.
Granted, that’s easier said than done, especially since the Saints have arguably the best running back in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference in Domonique Hayden.
Hayden leads NCAA Division III rushers with a 185.5-yard average and has 742 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. He is the centerpiece of the offense for Thomas More (3-0, 4-0) and will be going against the worst defense in the PAC. The Presidents have been giving up 489 yards per game.
“He has a great combination of speed and power,” said W&J head coach Mike Sirianni. “You don’t usually find that in a Division III back.”
Bethany rolled up 563 yards last week but the worst game for W&J’s defense came in Week 2, when St. John Fisher had 733 total yards in a 42-21 victory.
“We give up too many yards and too many big plays,” said Sirianni. “Bethany took their foot off the gas last week. So, we opened up all the positions to see who will play a little meaner and a little nastier.”
Hayden, who missed last season with an injury, rushed for 195 yards and three touchdowns, while sophomore quarterback Jensen Gebhardt completed 12 of 14 passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns in a 61-0 victory over Geneva.
Sirianni knows the Presidents can’t play the same way on defense and expect a different outcome.
“We’re not tackling very good,” he said. “We don’t get to the ball. It’s a combination of a ton of things on defense. There’s been no emotion and intensity to start the game, and that’s our fault as a coaching staff.”
W&J (2-1, 3-2) has the Division III leader in touchdowns with Dion Wiegand, who has 13 scores to go with his 640 rushing yards; and arguably the best wide receiver in the league in Alex Baroffio. The 6-0 senior has 45 receptions for 499 yards and four touchdowns.
That makes is easier for quarterback Matt Bliss, who has been hobbled with a knee injury for the past two weeks.
“I’m excited about our game plan,” said Bliss. “We are right where we were last year. If we win out, we win the championship.”
Bliss has completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,016 yards and five touchdowns. He’s only been intercepted twice in 142 attempts.
“I have confidence in this offense,” Bliss said. “I need to get the ball to our playmakers. “We have faith in our defense. We’re not trying to keep the defense off the field (with more running plays). We always want to keep our foot on the pedal.”
Kickoff is 7 p.m.
If Waynesburg wants to keep pace with the top teams in the PAC, a victory at Grove City is required. The Yellow Jackets (2-1, 4-1) have beaten Grove City three straight times.
Quarterback Carter Hill leads the PAC with 14 touchdowns and is second to Bethany’s Matt Grimard with 1,484 yards. Grimard has 1,682 yards passing and eight touchdowns.
Waynesburg’s rushing offense has been sporadic, sitting eighth out of nine teams in the PAC with an average of 109 yards per game. Jake Forsythe leads a running back by committee with 196.
After a disappointing loss to West Chester last week, California University hosts Clarion in a PSAC West Division game. Cal and Clarion each have 1-1 records in the conference, are 3-2 overall and own two-game losing streaks.
The Vulcans fell for the second straight time after a 38-31 loss to West Chester. Clarion also is coming off two straight losses, 48-28 to East Stroudsburg and 45-25 to Gannon.
James Harris is expected to get his second straight start at quarterback for the Vulcans. Harris has 400 yards passing in one start and four other appearances.
Kickoff is 3:30 p.m.