W&J’s Zubik scorches Thomas More for 6 TDs in win
W&J’s Jesse Zubik (87) celebrates his second touchdown with Jake Cullen
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
W&J’s Jesse Zubik was invited to the Steelers’ minicamp in Pittsburgh.
W&J’s Jordan West (26) carries the ball past Thomas MooreþÄôs Cody Coffey during the first quarter.
W&J’s Braydon Toy (6) makes the catch on a pass from Alex Rouse (10) in the first against Thomas Moore
At times, it looked more like pregame warmups.
Or an evening practice for Washington & Jefferson’s football team.
Alex Rowse’s high, arching passes landing in the hand of Jesse Zubik.
But it wasn’t practice or even warmups. It was a game against arch-rival Thomas More. And Zubik was putting on an incredible show.
Zubik caught six touchdowns passes, a Presidents’ Athletic Conference single-game record, and W&J came away with a huge 37-29 victory Saturday night at Cameron Stadium.
The win sends W&J into the off week with a 3-0 record, 1-0 in the PAC. Thomas More lost for the second straight week and fell to 1-2, 0-1 in the conference.
Zubik, coming off a 97-reception junior season, caught TD passes of 29, 77, 16, 57, 69 and 37 yards. With each scoring pass, the large crowd would shout “Zuuuuuuuuu.” He finished with 11 catches for a PAC-record 322 yards.
”I had a game like this when I was 10 against Sto-Rox,” said Zubik. “I scored eight touchdowns in a game, but I was the quarterback back then and running every time.”
W&J broke a two-game losing streak to Thomas More and split the four games played while Zubik was there.
”We went there last year and lost to them and that left a bad taste in our mouth,” he said. “It’s good to get back on track. We met our goal of going 1-0 each week.”
W&J quarterback Alex Rowse completed 32 of 46 passes for 482 yards. His counterpart, Brenan Kuntz completed just 10 of 33 passes for 182 yards and a TD. He was intercepted three times.
Zubik scored three straight touchdowns in the third quarter to give W&J a 31-13 lead. Thomas More got to within five, 31-26, before Zubik’s final score.
”They put their corners on an island,” said W&J head coach Mike Sirianni. “They made a comment last year that they did a bunch of stuff and we never adjusted. I put that on my bulletin board. Basically, they said they outcoached us. We got into certain formation and they singled up Jesse. … They thought we were going to run the ball and we threw.”
This was the final meeting between the two teams as members of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference. Thomas More announced over the summer it was leaving the conference at the end of this athletic year. Thomas More entered the PAC in 2005 and has dominated in football.
The win proved costly for the Presidents when Jordan West left the game with a left leg injury. West took a hit after a fake handoff up the middle. He was hit around the left knee and Sirianni was told he sprained his MCL. West had 29 yards rushing on nine carries.
It was a mistake-prone, penalty-filled first half that Thomas More managed to hold a 13-12 lead. The two teams combined for nine penalties and four turnovers. W&J missed two extra-point attempts and a blown coverage by Thomas More gave W&J an easy 77-yard Rowse-to-Zubik touchdown.
Thomas More used two interceptions of Rowse passes, one a deflection and the other not, to take a 10-0 lead. The Saints benefitted by two W&J penalties and took a 3-0 lead when Mathias kicked a 27-yard field goal with 6:29 left in the first quarter.
Thomas Williams intercepted Rowse and that set up a 2-yard scoring run by Pitts to make it 10-0 with 1:53 left in the first quarter.
W&J pushed back in the second quarter scoring twice off Thomas More turnovers. Zubik scored both touchdowns, getting behind the safety for a 29-yard score then taking advantage of blown coverage for a 77-yard score to make it 12-10 midway through the second quarter. Mauricio Garibay missed the first and replaced by Liam Casey, who missed the second.
Thomas More’s late drive produced a 25-yard field goal by Mathias and a 13-12 lead.