Pesky Waynesburg can’t top Thomas More
Waynesburg’s Bernie Thompson runs for a first down during the first half against Thomas More Saturday.
Thomas More’s Domonique Hayden is tackled by Waynesburg’s Josh Tolliver, JT Thompson and Tyler Givens during the first half Saturday.
Waynesburg’s Carter Hill completed 22 of 40 passes for 201 yards against Thomas More Saturday.
WAYNESBURG – The comebacks finally ran dry for the Waynesburg University football team.
The Yellow Jackets, who have put together a string of remarkable come-from-behind victories, entered Saturday’s game against Thomas More still clinging to a chance to win the Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship.
And true to form for a Waynesburg game, the outcome wasn’t decided until the final play, a desperation Hail Mary pass by Yellow Jackets quarterback Carter Hill into the end zone.
This time, the ball fell harmlessly to the ground as time expired on Waynesburg’s title hopes.
Thomas More used a pair of first-half touchdown runs and a 51-yard scoring pass in the third quarter to defeat Waynesburg 21-14 at soggy John F. Wiley Stadium.
“This one is going to sting, no doubt about it,” said Waynesburg coach Rick Shepas, whose team fell to 5-2 in the league and 7-2 overall.
Thomas More (6-1, 7-2) kept its slim hopes of winning the conference title alive, though a special teams blunder in the game’s final minute made for an interesting finish.
Thomas More had fourth-and-seven at the Waynesburg eight-yard line with 56 seconds remaining after the Yellow Jackets used their final timeout. Instead of throwing a pass into the end zone, the Saints opted for a chip-shot field goal that would make it a two-score game.
Kicker Tommy Budke lined up for a 25-yarder from the middle of the field, but Waynesburg linebacker Aaron Palmer burst through the right side of Thomas More’s protection and blocked the kick. Waynesburg’s Kyle Richey, who was thinking scoop and score, picked up the ball but was tackled at the Yellow Jackets’ 23 before he could get up to speed.
“I was thinking there was no way I was not going to get through the line,” Palmer said. “I had a feeling I was going to block the kick. After that, I thought we were going to win it. If we scored at the end, I know we would have gone for two and the win.”
Hill, who completed 22 of 40 passes for 201 yards, scrambled for a first down and connected on four short passes that moved the ball to the Thomas More 38 with five seconds left. One week after directing a last-minute game-winning drive at Thiel, Hill’s desperation toss to the back right side of the end zone was batted down.
“We’ve got to learn from this one,” Shepas said. “We can still get a lot better. In many ways, we’re still getting better, but we just fell short today.”
That Waynesburg had a chance to pull out the victory was somewhat remarkable. The Yellow Jackets generated only 45 rushing yards on 26 carries. Jake Forsythe, Waynesburg’s 1,000-yard rusher, was held to 30 hard-earned yards on 15 carries.
“They shut down our running game,” Shepas said. “We had heavy run in the game plan.”
Meanwhile, Thomas More’s Domonique Hayden, who rushed for 212 yards against Waynesburg last year, gained 145 yards but it took him 29 carries. He had had a six-yard touchdown early in the second quarter that gave Thomas More a 14-0 lead. The Saints’ CT Tarrant had an eight-yard TD run in the first quarter.
Waynesburg generated some badly needed momentum when tight end Zac Capan caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Hill with 30 second left in the first half to cut Thomas More’s lead to 14-7. The score was set up by a 20-yard pass from Willie Leavell to Capan on an end around.
Thomas More pushed the lead to 21-7 in the third quarter when quarterback Jensen Gebhardt, who was 15 of 23 for 279 yards, connected with Goose Cohorn on a 51-yard TD down deep down the left sideline.
Waynesburg, which was content to dink and dunk passes for three quarters, finally went deep in the fourth. A 34-yard pass to wide receiver Tim Cooper set up Hill’s four-yard touchdown toss to Andrew English that made it 21-14 with 9:09 left.
“Carter did a good job of managing the game and protecting the football,” Shepas said.
The Yellow Jackets forced a punt, then had fourth-and-seven at their own 38 with more than three minutes remaining and three timeouts left. They opted not to punt, but Hill’s pass to the sideline was broken up and Thomas More took over with excellent field position.
“Our defense played very well,” Shepas said. Considering what Hayden did against us last year, we did a good job on him. … We did get good field position in the first and second quarters, so it’s not like we didn’t have our chances.”
Thomas More coach Jim Hilvert was not available for comment. … Waynesburg punter Jonathan Hager averaged 41.2 yards on eight kicks and had three downed inside the 20-yard line, including one at the one. … Both of Waynesburg’s losses have been decided by seven points or less and ended with Waynesburg throwing a pass into the end zone.