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Rowse, West key for W&J in opener

4 min read
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Mike Sirianni has settled on a quarterback to replace the graduated and highly productive Pete Coughlin.

Alex Rowse beat out Jacob Adams, not surprising considering the senior Rowse had the advantage of being Coughlin’s backup the past two seasons.

What is surprising is that for the first time since Sirianni arrived at Washington & Jefferson College – a span of nearly two decades – a running back from Washington High School will start.

Jordan West, a 5-11, 190-pound sophomore, beat out last year’s starter Austin Kemp and Justin Vickless, a junior and senior who rushed for 654 and 122 yards, respectively, last season.

West and the rest of the Presidents start the season today with a 1 p.m. kickoff at Cameron Stadium against perennial power St. John Fisher.

”He’s more explosive,” said Sirianni of West. “We’ll still play Austin and Vickless but Jordan earned the right to be a starting running back. He hits the hole and explodes. He gives us something we haven’t had in a while. He’s a slasher.”

West, who along with Kurt Adkins produced 1,000-yard seasons two years ago at Wash High, played just two games and carried the ball five times for 31 yards last year.

Rowse, a 6-2, 200-pound senior, played in 23 games over the past three seasons. He’s thrown for 683 yards and two touchdowns. Rowse also served as the Presidents’ punter the last two years, averaging 32 yards a kick.

“Alex was a no-brainer,” said Sirianni. “We wanted him to compete for it but he was the most prepared. He’s earned it. It speaks to his leadership that he’s stayed four years. He’s a captain and hasn’t started a game.”

St. John Fisher is ranked 23rd in the AFCA Division III Top 25 and has not lost to W&J in two meetings in this series and outscored the Presidents by a combined, 70-45.

“They are bigger than the Buffalo Bills on the offensive line,” said Sirianni. “They are enormous, a playoff-caliber team. We wanted to challenge ourselves against them.”

Josh Michels takes over for the graduated Matt Naton at quarterback for the Cardinals. Naton passed for 2,704 yards and 24 TDs last year. Mike Collichio had a team-high 69 receptions for 937 yards and seven touchdowns. William Coon caught 43 passes for a team-leading 946 yards and nine touchdowns.

Waynesburg first-year interim head coach Chris Smithley had a number of decisions to make in camp, none more important than who would start at quarterback.

Smithley decided on Tyler Perone over Jake Dougherty in a battle of previous starters. Dougherty was injured early last season, allowing Perone to start six games and pass for 1,422 yards and four touchdowns.

“It was a close battle,” said Smithley. “Both came up in the conversation as starters.”

Perone, a sophomore who transferred in from Seton Hill last year, gets his first action today when the Yellow Jackets play at Muskingum in a 1 p.m. kickoff.

“We’re going to put the best 11 players on the field for offense and defense,” said Smithley.

That will include Dougherty, a 6-2, 210-pound junior, at wide receiver, a spot decimated by graduation.

Three players – sophomore Chad Walker, junior Austin Wilson and junior Ben Ciero – will rotate in the backfield.

“Walker is explosive,” said Smithley. “Ciero is a power back and Wilson is a combination of power and speed.”

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