W&J can’t get offense going, falls to Saints
CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. – Thomas More, ranked No. 20 in NCAA Division III, scored 21 points off three Washington & Jefferson turnovers and went on to a 35-9 victory Saturday in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference game.
It is the first time the 23rd-ranked Presidents (0-1, 2-1) have lost their conference opener since 2005.
W&J scored first and last, but the Saints (1-0, 2-1) reeled off five touchdowns in between.
After a 23-yard field goal by Ted Ford gave W&J a 3-0 lead in the first quarter, the Presidents’ defense kept the Saints’ offense off the scoreboard. The only touchdown of the first half came when Thomas More’s Rodderick Darden picked up a fumble when W&J quarterback Pete Coughlin was sacked and returned it 35 yards for a score with 4:44 remaining in the first quarter. It was one of three sacks by the Thomas More defense.
Thomas More scored on its first possession of the second half as Daylin Garlin caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brenan Kurtz for a 14-3 lead. The Saints scored next on a 16-yard TD run by Hjavier Pitts, which came one play after Thomas More intercepted a pass thrown by Coughlin.
An interception on the ensuing W&J drive again led to a Saints touchdown, a 36-yard pass from Kuntz to Logan Winkler, moving the score to 28-3 late in the third quarter.
Kuntz completed 19 of 31 passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns.
Thomas More stretched its lead to 35-9 in the fourth quarter when Luke Zajac scored on a 17-yard run.
The Presidents found the end zone with 8:34 remaining in the game when wide receiver Jesse Zubik caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from Coughlin.
Coughlin completed 15 of 32 passes for 170 yards but was intercepted twice. Zubik caught seven passes for 93 yards.
The W&J running game was held to only 34 yards on 26 attempts.
Thomas More had a big edge in time of possession, holding the ball for almost 39 minutes. The Saints ran 26 more plays (84-58) and posted 244 more yards than the Presidents.
W&J’s Nick Mungro had a game-high 14 tackles, including three behind the line of scrimmage.