Waynesburg defense shines in victory against Geneva
WAYNESBURG – Aaron Jenkins threw a touchdown pass to Kevin Barnes, Michael Rhyal booted a field goal and Waynesburg’s defense held Geneva without a pass completion as the Yellow Jackets edged the Golden Tornadoes, 10-9, Saturday afternoon at John F. Wiley Stadium.
Waynesburg won its second game in a row and improved to 2-2 in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and 2-4 overall. Geneva slipped to 1-2, 2-3.
The teams played to a scoreless standoff in the first half. Geneva did have a chance to score late in the first half but a Golden Tornadoes fumble at the goal line was recovered in the end zone by Trewon Marshall for a touchback for Waynesburg. It was one of four lost fumbles by Geneva.
The Golden Tornadoes took a 7-0 lead early in the third quarter when quarterback Javid Ellis kept the ball on an option play and ran 35 yards for a touchdown. Waynesburg answered six minutes later when quarterback A.J. Jenkins completed a 30-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Kevin Barnes, who made a catch at the five-yard line, broke a tackle and spun into the end zone to make the score 7-7. The touchdown was set up when Bryan Stafford recovered a Geneva fumble at the Golden Tornadoes’ 27-yard line.
The Yellow Jackets took the lead early in the fourth quarter after linebacker Tristan Sandrosky recovered another Geneva fumble, this one at the Golden Tornadoes’ 21. That set up Ryhal’s 28-yard field goal that made it 10-7.
A holding penalty in the end zone by Waynesburg gave Geneva a safety and cut the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 10-9 with 4:02 remaining. Geneva took the ensuing free kick but its drive stalled at the Waynesburg 44. The Yellow Jackets’ offense then ran the final 2:37 off the clock.
Geneva rushed for 251 yards, led by Ellis’ 121 on 25 carries. But the Golden Tornadoes were 0-for-3 passing.
Jenkins completed 19 of 32 passes for 190 yards. He was intercepted three times. Troy Johnson caught 11 of Jenkins’ passes.