Running game, defense lead W&J to rain-soaked victory
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LATROBE – Washington & Jefferson College continued its undefeated football season Saturday afternoon with a soggy 21-3 victory over Saint Vincent in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference game at rain-soaked Chuck Noll Field.
The Presidents (6-0, 8-0) won with their running game, rushing 53 times for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Senior running back Justin Vickless started the scoring a four-yard touchdown run less than five minutes into the game to give W&J the only points it would need.
Saint Vincent (1-5, 2-6) did its only scoring in the first quarter, getting a 35-yard field goal by Sam Elliott to pull to within 7-3. The field goal capped a 62-yard drive by the Bearcats, who struggled to generate offense much of the day.
The Presidents answered late in the first quarter when quarterback Jacob Adams connected with Jesse Zubik on a 34-yard touchdown pass that made it a 14-3.
Adams, making his first start of the season, completed 15 of 22 passes for 172 yards. Zubik was his favorite target, hauling in eight passes for 104 yards.
The only scoring of the second half was a two-yard run by Matt Heslin that capped a 44-yard drive in the third quarter.
The W&J defense was stellar as it held saint Vincent to 150 yards total offense and 11 first downs. Senior safety Luke Merhaut led the defense with 10 tackles.
Jordan West led the W&J running game with 90 yards on 26 carries. E.J. Thompson contributed 75 yards on 13 attempts and Vickless had 22 on four rushes.