WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College football team (0-1) opened the season with a 26-11 defeat to the Utica Pioneers (1-0).
Andrew Sharp (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) led the Presidents on the ground with 150 rushing yards and 6.5 yards per carry.
Derek Burk (Gibsonia, Pa./Deer Lakes) led the quarterback room with 123 yards passing going 13-for-23 through the air with one rushing touchdown.
Joey DeSabato (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler Area) led the receiving room with six receptions for 79 yards.
The W&J defense proved to be stout throughout the contest, creating two turnovers in the first half.
Rudy Morris (Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley) led the team in total tackles with 12 followed by
Antoine Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Serra Catholic) with 10.
Nathaniel Kadosh-Harris (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) and
Brock Sherman (Copley, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) each added a tackle for loss.
W&J opened the first drive of the season, creating a turnover six plays into the opening drive. In his first drive as a President,
Cory Holleran (Kill Buck, N.Y./Salamanca) picked off the Pioneer quarterback in the endzone and returned it for 19 yards. W&J couldn't capitalize off the turnover but held Utica at bay until the final drive of the opening quarter, surrendering a 22-yard field goal to Utica, down 3-0. A fumble on the returning kickoff by DeSabato gave the Pioneer the ball to start the second quarter.
Minutes into the second quarter, Utica added a second field goal to extend the lead to 6-0. The following drives from each side resulted in interceptions.
Dante DeRubbo (Washington, Pa./Trinity) gave the Presidents the ball back with his first interception of the season with 6:41 remaining in the quarter. DeRubbo led the Presidents in picks last season with seven. The W&J struggled to gain momentum again, resulting in a punt back to Utica. The Pioneers trotted down the field to extend the lead to two scores with a 41-yard field goal, entering the halftime break with a 9-0 advantage. The Presidents opted to kick a 48-yard field goal at the end of the half but was off the mark.
Opening the second half with the ball, W&J mounted their best drive of the game yet consisting of 12 plays for 56 yards. Burk drove the offense down the field for the first points off the game off a 38-yard field goal off the boot of
Deven Wyandt (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle), 9-3. Utica responded with a field goal a drive later, returning the lead to nine, 12-3.
Utica opened the fourth quarter with a 36-yard touchdown pass to extend their lead to 19-3. Sharp helped the Presidents drive down the field with 31 yards on the ground. Burk capped off the drive with a 17-yard rushing touchdown. A designed run for freshman quarterback
Braylon Wagner (New Bethlehem, Pa./Redbank Valley) on the two-point conversion to trim the Utica lead to one score, 19-11. After holding the Utica offense at bay the following drive, the Presidents offense got a chance with seven minutes remaining in the final quarter o drive down the field. The offense stalled at the W&J 39 resulting in a punt. The Pioneers, powered by a 27-yard punt return, trotted down the field to add the final score of the contest. A corner route left a Pioneer wide receiver open after shaking the W&J secondary for an open 27-yard touchdown on fourth down and two, 26-11.
The Presidents return to Washington for their home opener on Saturday (Sept. 12) against the Keystone Giants during W&J's Hall of Fame Weekend. Opening kickoff is set for a 1:00 p.m. start.
